Kill Movie Review : Kill's relentless bloodbath rides high on shock value over emotion

Story: NSG commando Amrit Rathod (Lakshya) and his girlfriend Tulika’s (Tanya Maniktala) train journey to Delhi takes a dangerous turn when a bunch of dacoits led by Fani (Raghav Juyal), hijack the train. At least 40 bandits attack the passengers to loot them. A brutal death compels Amrit to go on a killing spree.

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In terms of relentless graphic violence, Kill seems like a John Wick admirer and spiritual successor of Sandeep Reddy Vanga’s Animal, (thankfully) minus the blatant misogyny. What it perhaps required to borrow from Animal was its outstanding background music by Harshavardhan Rameshwar. Though similar in terms of vengeance driving the plot, Kill displays some form of moral compass.

After witnessing Amrit’s unhinged rage, a psychotic Fani tells the army man, ‘Tum rakshak nahi raakshas ho’. Beyond this one sentence, you wish the writing and characterisation displayed some depth, compelling you to question morality, principles or humanity. The storytelling focuses on brutal combat scenes alone for almost two hours, which are intense, even engaging but a tad tiring beyond a point.

The film breaks new ground in terms of its treatment. Be it Train to Busan or Bullet Train, a train journey turning into a nightmare theme has been explored by South Korean and American films before. It’s refreshing to see Hindi cinema attempting this genre and putting in a sincere effort. Set entirely in a confined space (coaches of a moving train), the narrative maintains if not heightens the intensity of gruesome fights. You can barely take a breather, which works. Action unfolds at lightning pace, but gets monotonous beyond a point as the story and characters lack emotional heft. Hardcore action films like Ghajini were able to project its trauma on you. In Kill, you are shocked and horrified but not moved by the extreme gore, bloodshed and heartache you witness. The action is well choreographed and not for the faint-hearted.

From a mild-mannered soldier to a murderous maniac. From an NSG commando to an unhinged assassin, who doesn't know where to stop, Lakshya requires to be ruthless yet humane and he nails it. The actor makes an effective screen debut in an out an out-action thriller. However, it is Raghav Juyal, who shines the most in his eccentric character. This is by far his toughest role as an actor, and he manages to make an impression.

Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat goes all out in a bid to do justice to the genre. There’s not a single dull moment even when things get repetitive. The director uses violence as a language and glorification of violence is evident, but action thrillers thrive on that so that’s not the issue. A gore fest for action lovers, you might even find beauty in the bloodshed if that’s your thing. Despite witnessing blood spattering, swinging hammers breaking open people’s heads and more, the scene that shocks you the most is a romantic one. Amrit proposes to Tulika in a train toilet!

Kill had the perfect setting to cash in on claustrophobic horror. It makes you squirm with all the violence (as intended), but never reaches a crescendo where fear grips you. That would have been its true victory.