Kalki 2898 AD Review: Mediocre attempt to blend a futuristic world with a mythological backdrop
Kalki 2898 AD Movie Rating: 2.5 Stars
Watched Kalki 2898 AD movie in Cinema. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this movie.
Cast: Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani
Director: Nag Ashwin
Release Date: 21st June 2024 in cinema
Story: Movie begins in the middle of a Mahabharata battle. The battlefield is overflowing with destruction and death. Lord Krishna appears before Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan) and condemns him for using a weapon against an unborn child. He cursed him to stay on the earth as an immortal and the divine gem is also taken from his forehead and his salvation lies in helping Vishnu’s last avatar, Kalki in the Kaliyuga.
6000 years later in 2898AD, Kasi is now the only capital that is under the oppressive rule of tyrant Yaskin (Kamal Haasan) who resides or rather levitates in a huge elevated inverted triangle block called the Complex. His watchdogs, under the command of Commander-in-chief Manas (Saswata Chatterjee) sift through travelling immigrants in search of fertile females. The complex houses hundreds of pregnant and fertile females who are impregnated with lab-harvested eggs to procure a mysterious serum for Yaskin.
Outside the complex, it’s a dog-eat-dog world where bounty hunters like Bhairava (Prabhas) look for ways to get access to the fabled building which has fresh air, comforts, food and water in plenty. In the hills, a rebel group led by Mariam (Shobhana) lives in Shambala waiting for a prophecy of the birth of a supreme leader who would bring about a change to come true.
All hell breaks loose when Sumati (Deepika Padukone) who is a pregnant woman from the complex manages to escape and is taken by the rebel group to Shambala. Manas places a bounty of one million units for her capture. Bhairava is one of the bounty hunters who wishes to settle down in the Complex by collecting the units with his AI supercar Buji.
So now, Ashwatthama must protect Sumati and her unborn child not only from the people of the Complex who have come in search of her but also from Bhairava who wants to take her away to the Complex. Will Bhairava succeed in handing Sumathi over to Complex? What past connections do Ashwatthama and Bhairava share? And what drastic measures will Yaskin take next? Who exactly is Sumathi, and does she have ties to the mysterious ‘Rebels of Shambala’? These burning questions propel the story, waiting to be unraveled on the big screen.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Cinematography
3. Story
4. 2nd half
5. Climax
Negatives
1. Length
2. Music
3. Direction
4. Screenplay in 1st half
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to watch this movie in cinemas as it’s based on Hindu Mythology and liked the release trailer of this film.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world in the year 2898 AD, the film follows the few selected who are on a mission to save the unborn child, Kalki, of SUM-80, a lab subject.
Kalki 2898 AD story is fantastic and has merged mythology with the future seamlessly. The film picks up pace in the second half with Amitabh Bachchan’s re-entry. The veteran superstar wows us with his infectious energy in high-octane action scenes. Even with all the special effects and latest tools of computer animation, he manages to breathe life into his character and bring a level of realism into Ashwatthama’s unbridled power. Deepika Padukone shows commendable restraint and skill in playing a subdued character who is destined to eventually be powerful. The interval’s explosive impact and the gripping confrontations between Prabhas and Big B are truly remarkable. From the intense pre-climax to the gripping cliffhanger, the film offers mind-blowing sequences that justify every moment on screen. The film’s production design deserves special mention for creating a captivating visual landscape that enhances the immersive experience.
On the flipside, despite its captivating second half, the film’s slow-paced first half can be challenging. The director and editor could have trimmed the film’s length by cutting scenes that add little value. The scenes between Prabhas and Disha Patani lack engagement, and the song set in Complex feels unnecessary. Some potentially thrilling scenes are underutilized until the interval. More emotional depth in the second half regarding Shambala and its mission could have added impact. A stronger connection between Bujji and Prabhas in the first half might have enhanced the film. The world of 2898 AD is not explained properly and hence, viewers might not get connected to it completely. Moreover, the experiment of Yaskin is not clearly explained and it might confuse viewers.
Overall, Watch the film for of its VFX wizardry, impeccable acting by the entire cast and the confrontation scenes between Amitabh Bachchan and Prabhas. Your patience will be tested before the interval but don’t quit there the film has a little engaging fight sequence in the second half. My view on this movie Recommended if you can tolerate 1st half.
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