'Vikram' review: Kamal Haasan's near-perfect comeback is a treat!
The latest Tamil release Vikram, which is a near-perfect comeback for Kamal Haasan (we are seeing him on the big screens after four long years), sets up a grand cinematic universe. Writer-director Lokesh Kanagaraj has continued where he left off in Karthi's Kaithi. And not just Kaithi, Kanagaraj has included Haasan's yesteryear film Vikram (1986), too, in this universe. Here's our detailed review.
There's no suspense in the plot and that is good
Like Kaithi, Kanagaraj gives away everything right in the beginning in Vikram, too. It revolves around cops and drug kingpins. We get to know there is a lot of revenge involved and the lead characters have a bigger mission in store. In Vikram, what matters more is how the narration goes even though we would have predicted the whole film just with the trailer.
Complex narrative leaves viewers with mind-numbing puzzles
There is no surprise element as such in the plot. And yet, you will be taken to the seat's edge from the very beginning. The narrative lays down the dots in the first half, which connects itself to a complicated puzzle-like plot in the second half. In a way, we know where the film is leading, still, we are left with the "how" factor.
Action sequences deserve a special mention
Action sequences score brownie points. Every movement feels like a part of the choreography. The action choreographing duo of Anbariv (Anbumani and Arivumani) has set a milestone in this aspect. Not to mention, Anirudh Ravichander's music complements the action sequences very well.
Haasan slays effortlessly despite limited presence in first half
Surprisingly, Haasan's screen presence is very brief in the first half. In fact, he hardly has any dialogs before the interval. His first noticeable dialog is "Aaramikalaama? (Shall we start?)," which happens only during the pre-interval block. But then again, you won't feel disappointed. His minimal presence in the first half seems rather intentional and has worked in favor of the narrative and plot.
Fahadh Faasil, Vijay Sethupathi complement each other
Fahadh Faasil's minute nuances—like giving out a blank yet expressive stare—prove time and again what a brilliant performer he is. If you are disappointed with his rather short role in the Telugu film Pushpa, he makes it up with Vikram. The other co-lead, Vijay Sethupathi, has delivered his best. His witty dialogs and "silly" jokes even during crucial moments will leave you in splits.
Logically, film has a few loopholes
There are some logical loopholes. Like there's a little boy with a heart condition and he cannot stand loud noises. Even a cup dropping could pose a threat to his life. But the whole climactic portion with machine guns blazing happens in the boy's presence.
Pan-Indian audience might miss out on most references though
We will not detail Suriya's cameo appearance as it would spoil the movie-watching experience. But his appearance has given us cues that the franchise is going to continue. On the whole, Vikram is a must-watch. But it might not have a pan-Indian appeal as those who haven't closely followed Tamil cinema would not understand the references. We are going with 4/5 stars for Vikram.
