2017 Throwback Post!

I was going down memory lane and found some film reviews that I had posted on IMDB a couple years back! Keep in mind that these were some of the first movie reviews that I had written, but I thought that I'd take the time to share them with you guys!

1) Vikram Vedha:

Vikram Vedha isn't your typical "run-of-the-mill" movie. If you'd seen the trailer beforehand, you would've realized this immediately. After watching the movie, however, I was in complete awe. With this movie, I really had to pay attention to each individual detail, as I probably would've missed out on a lot of key developments had I been even slightly distracted. Anyway, here's a breakdown of what worked in this movie and what didn't (hint: very little).

Pros:

Performances: Vijay Sethupathi doesn't just "act out" his role; he lives it. There's nothing more gratifying than watching Sethupathi coolly manipulate and transform Madhavan through his blend of sarcastic humor and sheer earnestness. His dialogue delivery is as smooth as it gets, and his mannerisms are as natural as it. One of the best embodiments of a "gangster villain" that I've seen in a long time. Madhavan, while not as natural, gives a dignified, no-nonsense performance as Vikram. The one-track mindset that Vikram possesses in the movie is well displayed by Mahdavan, and his one-liners are also a nice source of comic relief. Mahdavan's interactions with the criminals and gangsters in the movie evokes the genuine cold- bloodedness that encounter cops possess, and he portrays his emotional transformation well. The supporting actors all have decent roles, and they all excel in them. Srinath does well as Madhavan's wife and "foe", and Sarathkumar portrays the desperateness that Chandra possesses quite well. Others, such as Kathir and Peradi, give dignified performances as well.

Soundtrack/BGM: Karuppu Vellai. Black White. Enough said. Sam C S drives the black/white divide extremely well through this hard- hitting composition, which plays throughout the movie. You'll leave the theater with this song completely stuck in your head. The other prominent songs, Yaanji and Tasukku Tasukku, are good. However, one could question the importance of having them incorporated into the movie, as they are really not relevant whatsoever. However, they're still amazing songs.

Screenplay/Cinematography: Based on the classic Indian tale between King Vikram and the Vedhalam, directors Pushkar and Gayatri craft a simple yet complex story that is executed perfectly. Like I stated earlier, each scene is important in understanding the big message/picture that this movie is trying to convey. The cinematography is just outstanding. Each scene is shot so cleanly and crisply. You could that the cinematographer took his/her time when shooting these scenes.

Favorite Scene: Introduction of Vedha. You'll get goosebumps.

Overall Rating: 9/10. Outstanding piece of work. Do yourself a favor and watch it as soon as you can.

2) Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (arguably a more controversial take on the film, but nonetheless felt like sharing it!)

I had high expectations for this film as I was thoroughly surprised by the sequence of events that took place in the first movie. After watching it, my expectations were not completely satisfied. Here are a list of pros and cons that I feel are worth mentioning about this film.

Pros:

Background Music/Songs: M.M. Keeravani does an excellent job composing the background score and music for the songs, crafting a beautiful, melodious composition in "Kanna Nee Thoongadaa" while offering a worthy tribute to Amarendra Baahubali in the riveting "Bale Bale Baahubali". The rest of the songs are aptly composed as well, and they don't significantly detract the overall progression of the film.

Special Effects: Rajamouli had a grand vision when designing this film, and it shows. The kingdoms are bigger, the songs are fancier, and the action is grander. It is really breathtaking in my opinion.

Acting: Prabhas is bold and effective in his two roles. The only flaw that I found within his performance was near the beginning of the film, which I will address more closely within the follies associated with the plot. Rana serves as a perfect foil against Prabhas, emoting the necessary arrogance, built-up vengeance, and masculinity that the role requires of him. Anushka Shetty portrays Devasena very well, displaying her fiery independent thinking and provocativeness alongside Prabhas.

Cons:

Plot: The movie's story is obviously quite clichéd, but that is to be expected with a movie that is focused on showcasing its grand visuals and portraying the final encounter between Baahubali and Bhalladeva. However, the first half was dragged out tremendously. In particular, there is a long sequence involving Baahubali and Kattapa that will make you question what Rajamouli was thinking. Other important plot developments, such as the relationship between young Mahendra Baahubali, are not explored. Furthermore, Devasena's role in the second half of this movie will undoubtedly raise some eyebrows, as she is heavily underutilized while the melodrama starts to kick in.

Acting: Other than a few scenes of kicking ass, Tamannah is rendered useless. Sathyaraj, while a phenomenal actor, is grossly wasted in the first half of the film alongside Prabhas during that particular sequence of events.

Special Effects: The action scenes are yet again ridiculous, which I wasn't really expecting. Prabhas completing a 360 in the air was laughable. Soldiers being launched off catapults was quite interesting, but that's not going to cut it for the amount of money spent on VFX.

Overall, a decently satisfying movie in that it met my bare expectations. However, my loftier expectations were unfulfilled. Watch this movie once it pops up on Einthusan or a similar film streaming website. Don't try to pay money to watch this.

Overall Rating: 5.5/10