Master
2021, Tamil, 7.7/10 IMDB, Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj
A mafia story of juvenile delinquency, starts as a copy of the film 'Petta'. Travels in an untrodden terrain for its lead actor and even manages to gain mileage with the overpowering antagonist. Sadly, the epilogue succumbs to wordplay rather than remaining truthful to resolving the crux of the plot.
The poster release of the film rumored it to be on the lines of the 2011 Korean film 'Silenced'. The hype pinnacled with the announcement of the cast and the release of the music album. Lokesh Kanagaraj's previous outing vouched for an intriguing plot. But the film isn't anywhere close to the plot of 'Silenced'. The consanguinity is rather from the Kamal starrer 'Nammavar' and Rajini starrer, 'Petta', encompassing a 'delinquent teenagers' quotient.
Actor Vijay plays a college professor JD. An alcoholic for reasons unknown, is sent as a messiah to the juvenile center. The center's juveniles are routine to own up crimes by Bhavani, played by the effervescent Vijay Sethupathi.
Vijay, cake walks the role and he does it ever so charmingly. There is a lead lady in the film but there are no romance sequences but a mere attraction. There are action sequences but no super heroic flying and gravity defying stunts. There are cute dance numbers but not in dream locations. A welcome change in breaking the 'success template' of actor Vijay. It can easily be categorized - a new age 'Vijay film'.
The film's intention often stumbles and deviates the screenplay, as the creative team themselves are marveling the duo leads. Attempting a tribute to Vijay's 2004 film 'Gilli', the Kabadi sequence just deduces the momentum. It stalls the much awaited collision of the titans, that the poster lured the audience into the theaters.
However, its an absolute treat to watch Vijay Sethupathi. He cruises through the entire length of the film, with his lethargic body language. His merry mockeries and his contemptuous speeches, shape his character. He elegantly gives back the 'Thuppakki' fame dialogue, - 'I'm waiting' to Vijay. While conversing on his mobile's speaker to the hero, he is seen to shape 'demon horns' out of his 'shampooed frothy hair'. Weirdly he seems to outshine the hero.
Our expectation for a macho pay-off from Vijay by the end of his hero's journey, somehow goes futile. But the consolation remains when the maker chooses to adhere to logical reality and end the film dutifully behind bars.
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