Vikram, the Kamal Haasan starrer action movie, has been the talk of the town - and I decided to watch it in a theatre near me. Here is my short review on why it is good but not great (with no spoilers).
Why is it good?
The movie is action-packed and has some great sequences such as the motorcycle chase scene with aerial view interspersed by close-ups and great editing. One expects great acting when a movie has Kamal Haasan, Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil -- and they don't disappoint. In fact, Fahadh Faasil is so good that he seems to outshine Kamal Hasan, which is a rarity. Lastly, the music is incredible and complements the mood of the scene. For this alone, one should go to the theatre and watch this film.
Why is it only 'good' but not great?
Many great movie has a moment when the protagonist is helpless, when the audience holds their breath and roots for the protagonist. For example, in Shawshank Redemption, Andy Dufresne is locked-up, beaten and tortured before he finds his 'redemption.' However, in Vikram there is one moment in the beginning but not later. Second, the films is engaging in the first half but feels a little stretched in the second half. Even the guest appearance by Surya felt tad longer -- and one felt the guest overstayed the welcome. Finally, some parts of the script are disappointing like death scenes of loved scenes where the actors show little or no emotion. If actors don't care, why should the audience care about them? Similarly, there is a big reveal scene is shocks no one but the actors.
Overall View
A film one should definitely watch in a theatre but curb your expectations.
