Vikram (2022)

Note: Tales of secret agent Arul Kumar Vikram continues. Yes, you gotta be a hardcore Kamal fan to know that name in full.

Is this a crazy coincidence or what? That we would get two sequels to two films that came out from two different film industries in 1986. There was Top Gun: Maverick that followed the lead character’s adventure 35 years later.

That’s Hollywood and Top Gun was a huge blockbuster. But this film, which has the same title as the original that came out the same year (1986), is indeed an unofficial sequel to a flop – which is why the follow up is rather ambiguous in its connection.

Well, not really if one were the evaluate the presence of the title song from the original (Vikram!!)… and that Kamal would mouth the other part of the lyrics, as well as the use of his old pix of that era in one of the exposition scenes.

Logesh Kanagaraj is definitely a Kamal fan and it shows… and like many of us who grew up as his fans in the 80s, it is the action packed, ass kicking Kamal that most of us are fans of – much to the chagrin of the other kamal fans who worship his “genius” which mostly are recycled Hollywood stuff. But I don’t want to get into that argument.

The film picks up with the “death” of the protagonists… something that is going to nastily lead us, yes, to flashbacks…. Something I had always complained about when it comes to Tamil films, but its okay…it is expected. Then, there’s routine investigations; and some run of the mill poorly choreographed action with CGI blood splatters and shooting. When the hell are they ever gonna work with squibs and proper blank shooting guns….I'll never know. They spend shitload of cash in elaborate song sequences and unnecessary travels over the years and no one invested in that movie pyrotechnic toys... 

Back to the flick,  we are introduced to three main protagonists, Kamal’s Karnan (a nod to Nadigar Thilagam? Who knows), Fahad Fadhil as Amar, the (in my opinion slow and bumbling) investigations officer of a certain “untouchable” team and of course Vijay Sethubathi as the baddie, Santhanam.

The latter gets to chew his scenery like nobody’s business…more often than not, reminding me of the more instinctive (as opposed to Kamal’s methodical) performances of the early Rajini, especially when the later was stealing she's even from Kamal playing characters of darker shade.

Fahad had thankless role of playing a routine role….though as a performner he is top notch, his character is not well written … his seemed to be crafted as  an intelligent officer, but he sure is as dim as an old lavatory light bulb (the ‘realisation’ scene was supposed to be clever in the writing, but didn’t improve on the protagonists believability being someone on top of his game).

Kamal, of course, goes back to the action route that the 80s burdened him, and is totally believable in his physically demanding performance as he edges towards big 70. I think the success of The Expendables franchise must have given him the confidence to take on this role which at first glance may not be age appropriate (it is actually,  the character is 60 years old).

The plot may be convulated to some and not to few, frankly when flashbacks started occurring like the rainless lightening, I didn’t give a damn. Some dialogues are gonna give the exposition anyway and we are back on the story’s track.

The small audience that watched with me in LFS Rawang were euphoric during the introduction of Kamal and Vijay Sethubathi (who gets more heroic intro scene)…. But I clapped only once… for Agent Tina. What a revelation, and what a character…first time I am seeing a gal in a Tamil film fighting like a man, too bad... err,  never mind I won't spoil it!

The action choreography are muddled, poorly edited and messy as expected, I was totally not hooked, just waited for them to be over. Even the large array of arsenals now prevalent in Tamil films, since the days of revolver and that one automatic that they keep cocking, didn’t get my attention.

Yet, it was a good fun. Anirudh like most of his peers, belongs to those group of youngsters who are not great composers, but are capable in creating themes, and heroism surrounding soundtrack – most of which sound heavily recycled…it is peppered here liberally and may elicit some goosebumps (nope, not me….).

The Vikram sequel thing? Well, the film more than hints that it is indeed a follow-up but while the original was wholly fantasy 80s masala romp, this follows the director’s own more gritty world filled with unkempt personnel universe, connected to his previous outings.

Kamal fans will rejoice that he is back on big screen after quite long and certainly can taste all that he has to offer as pure actor (very little input in the script without doubt) and also some of the in-jokes and references to his past films (that could have been avoided if Logesh wants to keep things to his own little Tarantino-like verse).  There is a cameo at the ending which everyone knows about which, to me, was like a speed bump before even there was a proper ending. I mean, come on. Surya doing over the top baddie felt more like he was trying to do a pale imitation of his far more talented brother. This could have been avoided. - RKP 3/6/22