Movie Review : Joshua Imai Pol Kaakha

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 With JOSHUA IMAI POL KAAKHA (starring Varun and debutante Raahei),  director Gautham Vasudev Menon is in full on  action mode, while  retaining  the  quintessential romantic vibe that he is known for.


Plot:

Joshua ( Varun) is a suave and deadly contract killer, managed by his boss lady (DD) who hands out assignments to him. 

In one such contract, he meets and falls in love with a US based lawyer Kundavi Chidambaram ( Raahei) who is in Chennai on work. Their love is put to the test, when Joshua reveals his line of work to her. Disappointed, she breaks up and leaves for the US. But despite the heartbreak, upholding his promise that he will give up contract killing, Joshua turns into a highy specialised security officer for important clients.




Kundavi meanwhile has to flee USA and take refuge in Chennai when a Mexican  druglord hires killers to eliminate her due to her handling the case against him in the district attorney's office.

In Chennai, it is the elite bodyguard team of  Joshua, who is assigned the task of protecting her. Does he manage to save his love from the dangerous killers? Is their love rekindled?  How do the duo combat the deadly threat to their lives?






Review:

With a solid storyline  and a fast-paced screenplay, with blink- and- you -may-miss -it moments that keep you glued to the screen,  there is never  dull moment from start to finish, and this is the core strength of the movie. 

Ace stunt choreographer Yannick Ben deserves full marks for hi-octane, super speedy action blocks that are a rivetting  watch, and give the film a distinct action flavour. Some notable scenes include chases from a basement, action inside vehicles, chases in narrow alleys, and the climax scenes, amongst others.

Action is the focus but the film retains a romantic core, with the smouldering, gowing love of the lead pair, captured in close-ups, with their palpable pull towards each  building up even in the midst of chaos all around, all written and captured with the classy Gautham Menon touch.

Varun as Joshua does  a superb job and plays the killer turned elite security agent to perfection. He puts to good use, the  advantage of his tall, lean and fit frame, as he kicks, punches, jumps, chases, goes guns blazing or breaks bones in the action blocks, bringing credibilty to his performance.

Raahei, as Kundavi, an educated, daring lawyer who believes in bringing a crook to justice even in the face of danger, fits the role to a T. In a measured performance with nuanced expressions, she brings to life her character and the duo make a good screen pair.

Krishna as Koti, the local gangster, is an asset to the film, be it his dialogue delivery, ability to swiftly change emotional gears or his incredibly swift and deadly body language in the action scenes.  His scenes with Varun stand out in the second half. 

Mansur Ali Khan makes  a brief appearance. DD is well cast and does a neat act.  The scenes with actor Kitty are to watch out for towards the end. 

Karthik's music amps up the cinematic experience while cameraman SR Kathir does a good job especially as he  captures the fast paced stunts with precision. Editor Anthony's cuts make a mark.

The film oozes a classy charm, with its choice of locations, one set of which bring an international flavour while others  bring out the local flavour. 

In the midst of action and romance there is a fair dose of humor sprinkled all through in the most unexpected of situations. Suspense too hangs as a cloud all over the film,  making you wonder what's next. 

The flip side of the film could be the overdose of English by the various characters, with idiomatic phrases and long drawn sentences in key situations, ( though sub titles are given, they are  only for few scenes). 

Overall, a well written, fast-paced action thriller, laced with romance, humor and suspense, with a blend of  local and international flavours, in Gautham Menon style.

Rating 3.5/ 5


Cast:

Varun

Krishna

Raahei

Divya Dharshini


Technical Crew :

Director :Gautham Vasudev Menon

Producer : Ishari K.Ganesh

Cinematography: SR Kathir ISC

Editing : Anthony

Music : Karthik

Art Director : Kumar Gangappan

Costumes : Uthara Menon

Lyrics : Madhan Karky, Vivek, Vignesh Shivan, Super Subu, Gana Guna

Action : Yannick Ben

Executive Producer : K Ashwin Kumar

Colorist : G Balaji

Sound Design : Suren G & Alagiakoothan

Sound Mixing : Suren G



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