Kill

Ever since RRR - I have a much more piqued interest toward foreign films coming out of India (in particular), especially if they look action-packed and dramatic. 

Kill made it on my radar earlier this year as one to catch once it was available for streaming or rent and I'm happy I did as it didn't let me down. 

It's a simple film with a simple premise: thieves take over a train, and our hero, Amrit, must stop them. Many would call back to The Raid, and call this "The Raid on a train"...sure. Either way, it's a pretty neat premise for a 105 minute action film that doesn't feel a second over 90 minutes (even with the title, "Kill" not being introduced until 45 minutes in!). 

In fairness to my comparison of RRR earlier, Kill is a much different, leaner, and meaner animal than RRR. There are no dance numbers and the romance is dialed down. It's not an epic, like The Raid 2 either (good Lord I need to rewatch some of these fantastic films) but rather a focused beat-em-up with a visceral attitude. 

What I appreciated the most about Kill is something it didn't really have to do, but does so effectively for a film like this: made me care about the characters, or, in the case of the villains, make me care enough to want to learn more about them. This is partly due to the screenplay with some budding romances and relationship branches that are worth caring about. I'll avoid spoilers beyond that. From the villain's side, there are similarly relationships they have, react to, and care about. The other aspect of this comes from strong performances from star Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala who plays Tulika, and the MVP of the whole thing, Raghav Juyal as Fani, our main villain. 

Lakshya is a mostly quiet presence, but a commanding one once the action starts. Amrit is memorable and a hero you want to root for, counteracted by a Joker-esque villain in Juyal's Fani. Fani feels nonchalant most of the time, but is brutal and seems to have a taste for chaos. Pitting them two against one another made the film all the more interesting. 

I also give Kill points for its brutality. What could have been a good action film, is made all the more memorable and "Ooooo!"-moment-worthy because of some good ol' fashioned gory kills. It's as inventive as it can be confined to a train with weapons mostly only being knives and fists, but it thinks outside the box and has that enticing combination of editing and choreography. In a few spots it can fall into some repetitive traps and the whole thing wears ever so slightly being trapped on a commuter train too. But the aforementioned engagement with the characters, not to mention some fun music selection, help keep the whole thing on the tracks (sorry, couldn't help myself). 

Kill is an easy recommendation for action fans or those looking to expand their horizons beyond Hollywood. It's a good, bloody time and the barrier to entry is a lighter than RRR or The Raid 2 (but seriously if you have yet to watch those, rectify that soon). 

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 8/10