We all now know what this FRS is right? right?
-12: Drone photography overdose, i mean even for thennanthoppu(coconut plantation) and all, also this movie has the same kind of drone shot opening like Vishal’s Paayum Puli
-65.1: Villain watches football in coconut farm.
-99: Hero is someone who is loved by all in his town, he is like Kumbakonam’s favourite son, for reasons unknown, the opening song for which we will deduct points later seems like the one in Run, even VJS attire resembles Madhavan.
+56: Hero
Yeah he is the hero ‘hero’, but still there are some characterizations that work, like the not so usual hero entrance quietly while he playing chess, his ‘cute’ refusal to do punch dialogues (panju panju a pesuven), him being non indulging when villains shout and create a scene, low decibel, low profile. VJSs’ Siva is not a reactionary hero, or even a vengeful one, he really is a different leading guy; who exudes confidence from quietness, this is truly welcoming and Vijay Sethupathi aces it.
+56: Heroine
Only two days ago we were speaking about Kodi had a major miscast, but here is Lakshmi Menon taking up the much played role of a the daughter of (insert Madurai here) villain, but also giving it a spin. Also professes that she is not the ‘loosu ponnu’
Scores as of now Keerthy Suresh 0, Lakshmi Menon 1
+42: Coming back to ‘spin’, this is really a thought out movie even though it uses the ‘hero-caught-between-two-rowdies’ template, because the villains here are not so one-note, they too have their problems, which is what two more writing backed (whatever little) characters, add to this the proverbial hero’s friend who is not here to just give ideas to ‘correct’ the girl. In fact there is no ‘correct’ the girl sequence at all, this itself is victory no?
add this to it a string of supporting characters (including the two villains) who exist as a part of the film, not just to support the hero.
-81: All songs, whenever, wherever.
+17: Director sets the ground running, there is no ‘set-up’, things keep happening and we find out things as we run around with the hero and heroine, most of the movies tire us in setting up stuff and getting to the plot, here more dynamic. Very good. Also as mentioned the hero’s reason for doing the things he does really makes some sort of sense (yeah yeah hero’s arc and all is there)
+21.5: KS Ravikumar, someday people will put one debate session on how good he is as an actor. Diversification is key, sir.
(Remember Mudinja Ivana Pidi, yikes)
-41: Madurai is full of Tata Sumo-meesai-aruval-veshti clad thugs, Madurai burns and they do one silapadikkaram reference (dei)
and also inefficient thugs theory, villains still keep using them even when they fail again and again, what there is no appraisal system, why not use funds to buy modern weapons which can actually do something or hire consultants who can help you optimize your workforce? #JustSaying
-59.017: To us, we had thought that this will be just another mass action Ghilli-Run clone, but yes we were not entirely wrong. This is a Ghilli-Run clone but with slight differences that make it seem something else, add to this the Vijay Sethupathi persona. Our love for this movie largely depends on how much of love remains on second viewing (fingers crossed), but can say bravely that yes this is a stupid action movie, but does not treat us (the audience) stupidly and does not ask us leave our brains at home.
Yes, it is quite fun also.
Subam.
as always all numbers are irrelevant and arbitrary.
FRS team, The Lowly Laureate
The Lowly Laureate 