BOTTOM LINE
Uncomfortable Kick.
OUR RATING
2.5/5
CENSOR
‘U/A’, 162 mins.
What is the film about?
A group of villagers are looking for a messiah to save from the evil lord Thakur (Ravi Kishan). Robin Hood (Ravi Teja) on the other hand is a character who only lives for his comfort. How the villagers and Robin Hood are connected and what they all do to keep him happy and get freedom from tyranny of Thakur is what the film is about.
How is Raviteja’s performance?
Ravi Teja is a natural, put him in any scenario and he will make sure to engage the audience with his sincere and entertaining act. Here too the actor is in his elements. He makes even the most over the top sequences work with his presence but unfortunately he hasn’t been utilized effectively here though he has been given a good characterization here.
Direction By Surender Reddy?
Surender Reddy is a fantastic director when in form. He gives films that have tremendous repeat value and also make sure that the emotions are intact. However when he falters the opposite happens where its hard to sit through the mess. With Kick 2, it is safe to say that he has messed up a good opportunity. The film had the content and right actors but poor screenplay undoes all the effort.
Right from the beginning the plot kicks in, it is build towards a grand emotional arc. When that moment actually arrives everything pauses including the star of the show and things completely go haywire. And by the time things are back on track enough damage has been done to lose interest in the whole proceedings. There are few individual sequences in both first half and second half that are good but everything else that surround it are poor which brings down the whole effort.
Rakul Preet Singh and other artists?
Considering that Rakul Preet Singh is part of a biggie, one must say she has got a meaty role. What is even better is she makes it work by doing enough on both performance and glamour aspect. Ravi Kishan playing a villain is once again wasted. Sanjay Mishra has got a good role and he does it with great sincerity. Rajpal Yadav puts in genuine effort but own dubbing, although commendable, ruins it. Prudhvi and other recognizable faces from television have very limited role to really stand out. Tanikella Bharani looks wasted initially but he gets one of the best written scenes in the film to leave an impact. Finally Brahmanandam does his usual antics to entertain.
Music and other departments?
SS Thaman has given a fairly good music for the film and they have picturized well too. And yet they fail to create an impact, more so in second half, as they have been placed poorly. The background score of the film is good. Cinematography is excellent. Editing is fine. Dialogues are effective mostly.
Highlights?
Ravi Teja
Story
Rakul Preet Singh
Few individual scenes
Entertainment in first half
Drawbacks?
Screenplay
Length
Second half
Alternative Take
Well, Kick 2 itself looks to be an alternate take on Khaleja. Everything else except the lead hero, his characterization and motives feels same. Unfortunately both the films faltered on the screenplay level due to the same problem which is providing entertainment. May be the subject needs a more serious treatment devoid of the usual commercial elements seen in Telugu cinema and that is what would constitute an alternative take.
Did I enjoy it?
In parts
Will you recommend it?
Only if you are a hardcore Ravi Teja fan.
Kick 2 Review by Siddhartha
