(Spoilers Ahead)
Spotted Hyena are rare in the world and more so in India. As the main protagonist (expertly played by Vijay) and the respective authorities race to catch it up in the first few minutes of the movie, so does the audience as we catch up with the half-faithful remake of ‘History of Violence’ in director Lokesh Kanagraj’s latest movie offering. The movie stars a galore of stars like Vijay, Trisha, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun and has music by Anirudh.
Pros
· Lokesh is known to bring out the best in characters played by relatively unknown dance masters/actors. Dance Master Sandy’s portrayal of a pyscho killer is menacing and we are left wanting for more in the superbly choreographed fight sequence in the coffee shop/bakery.
· Anirudh has clearly established himself as a king of BGMs and the I’m Scared song takes it to the next level showing Vijay’s mental vulnerability beautifully. ‘Naa Ready Thaan’ has been a chartbuster from the time it has released and is quite well choreographed by dance master Dinesh.
· CGI’s have been a bane for Indian movies. However, the believable Hyena and stunning car chase is quite a highlight.
· But the stage is truly and well set for Thalapathy Vijay who aces each and every scene in the movie, showing a range of emotions right from fear to pure action in the many of the fight sequences. Lookout for the impromptu dance steps leading up to the fight sequence in the coffee shop, which is truly a delight for his many fans.
Cons
· Director Lokesh has set very high standards with his previous movies and has expertly written them. However, this movie (even though is inspired/remade from ‘History of Violence’ movie) fails to recreate the magic of Managaram, Kaithi or Vikram movies. A better written story and with better connected characters (Sandy’s character could have been a long lost son of Arjun and the story unravelling from there) could have added some zing to the movie.
· The character arcs of the main protagonists, played less menacingly, by Sanjay Dutt and Arjun along with a pretty weak flashback fail to convince us why the protagonist reformed from a dreaded gangster to a peace loving family man.
· Trisha has justified her role as a doting mother and wife, however other supporting characters could have etched better to create a wholesome movie experience.
Every movie with a big actor and a star cast reaches its intended audience, the fans and rakes in record profits. However, the actual litmus test depends on whether it has reached the encore masses and whether it stands the test of time. LEO’s forced entry into LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) entertains us half-heartedly and leaves us a little unsatisfied. Hoping for a better experience with the rest of the movies in the LCU franchise.
