Summary
This was a massive surprise, both in terms of the quality of the film but also that Dev Patel has really strong action chops both behind and in front of the camera.
Going into this film I was expecting more of a thriller than what this was which was a straight up action film. The action here is brutal and you feel every punch, I wouldn’t quite say it was on the same level as John Wick at the prime of that series but I would say that it was very gnarly at times and in ways you wouldn’t expect.
The story is the weaker part, so you care about Patel’s character and want to see him do well and get revenge for his mother, but the film gets far too bogged down in trying to have deeper themes. It tries to have things to say about India’s marginalised groups and systems of governance, a noble goal, but it comes off as shallow and without any punch. I think the film should either have tried to dedicate more time to the plight of these groups and set up Patel more clearly as their hero, or just ignored that part of the story all together and just focused on being an action film.
The acting across the board is strong, Patel is a likeable lead, but for me at least the star is Sharlto Copley. It is always a treat to see Sharlto act, he is one of my favourite actors if you couldn’t tell, he steals the show as a boxing promoter.
Overall, a very solid action film that tries for deeper meaning but comes up shallow.
4/5
Pros.
The action
You care about the characters
Patel and Copley
It has good stakes
Cons.
It is not as deep as it thinks it is
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Another Millennial Reviewer 