BOTTOM LINE
Needs Tons of Patience
OUR RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
‘U’ Certified, 153 Minutes
What is the film about? Kabali Review Movie Script Analsis
Simply put Kabali is the journey of a man named Kabali who lost more than two decades of his life in prison. How he rediscovers his life again and his relationship with the mafia world that left a huge scar on him is what the film is about. Well, the film luckily is not that heavy the way we are making it sound to be.
How is Rajinikanth’s performance?
After a long gap we see a different Rajinikanth in the film rather than the usual Superstar we are used to see. While this is a good, the idea has not been fully realized. Another problem with the film is that one can’t help but feel that Rajinikanth is getting strained to generate his usually dependable energy onscreen. The style is there but the effortlessness that used to be a hallmark along with it is missing here. Guess, it has to do with his age and one can’t really complaint about it but when the fragile frame appears onscreen straining to recreate his inimitable style, we don’t feel the same awe.
Direction By P A Ranjith? Kabali Review Direction Wing
Now this is without any doubt the biggest opportunity in the career of Ranjith. So far he has made two films and shown a certain style which worked for his small films. In Kabali he gets to handle the biggest Superstar of them all. This huge burden seems to have made the director lose his way.
The realistic setup, screenplay and pacing of the film carries his mark but the problem is Superstar doesn’t fit into that small ‘real’ narrative. The director tries to make the Superstar smaller and fit into his narrative but at the same time sets up few larger than life moments within that small world he has created. The narrative doesn’t support it and this mismatch is the films biggest problem and ultimately what kills the film. There is no real Superstar fun or director’s fine craft at display.
First half of the film begins neatly and goes at snail’s pace on a predictable journey. As we are introduced to a new world and characters, it feels fine initially. But as soon as the drama begins one starts feeling uneasy, its as if slowly one is getting strangulated and oxygen is getting scarce. On top of that we have an uneven emotional graph which further hampers the proceedings. There is a breather only towards the interval when some action happens along with little twist.
The second half again gets on the same path as the first half but the trajectory is further downwards. Couple of scenes evokes positive reactions but that is literally scrapping the bottom of the barrel. Such is the energy sapping feeling that finally when the film ends , there is a relief of sorts. Director Ranjith has not had a bad film, the likes of which we have seen this summer in TFI but its absolute lack of fun moments with such a commercial genre in place is what disappoints the most.
Radhika Apte and others?
Radhika Apte is good generally but she is exceptional in that one scene even dominating the Superstar where Kundana Valli meets Kabali. Dhansika is alright. She shows promise in parts but never gets a chance to hit it out of the park. Kishore shines in the role given to him. He is good and infuses some life whenever he is present on screen. The ‘foreign’ actors are wasted as they don’t get to do anything worthwhile. Nassar has a short role and he is good in it. The rest don’t register.
Music and other departments? Kabali Review Technical Crew
Music by Santosh Narayan is alright except the Kabali title track that is also used as theme throughout. Much was expected from the background score but it too fails to liven up the proceedings. Even if it were to go by the mood, it certainly doesn’t enhance the effect. Editing is also a big problem with the film. Cinematography is a major highlight of the film. Dialogues are alright, even here the Rajini punches are missed.
Highlights? Kabali Review Positive and Negative
Rajinikanth’s screen presence
Parts of first half
Interval
Drawbacks?
Extreme slow narration
Weak and predictable story
Editing
Alternative Take
Setting up the same film locally and giving it a raw touch by keeping the commercial ingredients and Superstar fun moments intact. It is easier said than done though.
Did I enjoy it?
Very few parts
Will you recommend it? Kabali Review Final Recommendation
For diehard fans- not really, they would watch anyway. As far as others go, watch it only if you are desperate to watch a Rajini film.
Kabali Review by Siddhartha
