Movie Review: Im Game

 

Don John ( Dulquer  Salman) is a rich kid who is addicted to gambling. One day this habit lands hims in a giant debt which he is forced to pay off. But he doesnt have the funds.  In order to raise money he takes an amount offered by his mom,  and gambles it away in order to raise the bigger sum he needs. But he loses the bet on a cricket match and lands himself in further trouble.

In this scenario he has a horrific car accident leading to a hand transplant. From then his life changes completely, as a strange phenomenon occurs. The new hand seems to have a life of its own and starts to move in it's own way,  forcing him to follow.  Unable to stop it by any means, John seeks to find out who the donor was and in why the hand is behaving this way. 

This leads him to a discovery of betrayal and revenge. What does he discover? Does John deliver the justice the hand is seeking for the donor?

The film is made on a grand scale, showcasing the lavish lifestyle, cars, hi -end gambling dens and life of the rich indulging in secret activities. Dulquer plays his part perfectly, bringing to life the gambler who can't stop himself. The scenes with the antics of the hand are superb and though not easy, Dulquer seems to pull off those scenes effortlessly, making for very entertaining and gripping moments. He excels in the action scenes as well, with the hand doing it's own thing. Matching the action with his expressions of disbelief and frustration and later with revenge seeking bloodlust near the climax,  Dulquer pulls it off wonderfully.

Kayadu Lohar as his physiothetapist has a significant part and their chemistry and cutesy moments make for engaging viewing. But in the latter half she is reduced to showing disbelief and later helplessness, which could have been avoided. 

Mysskin's performance, though exaggerated at times, is another highlight of the film. Together, Dulquer and he carry the film through to a gripling finale with Mysskin making  a formidable enemy, keeping the suspense and tension till the end. 

Kathir has a,significant  role which he pulls off perfectly,  but he could have been better utilised

On the flip side, the music and bgm is jarring and ends up as an irritant almost, in an aim to give the film a trendy feel.

The flashiness of too many lights and thumping music and sounds almost all through, takes away from the interesting plot and one wishes they could have been toned down. 

The film has an interesting plot, is loaded with suspense and action, deals with a contemporary theme highlighting the ill effects of gambling, and a solid cast delivering sound performances. However, the haphazard screenplay seems to go in several directions, spending too much time in each segment, losing focus on the main plot, making for repetive, melodramatic scenes in several places. Crisper editing would have made for a more enjoyable watch. 

Overall, an interesting family entertainer.

Rating 2.75/5

Cast:
Dulquer Salmaan – Don John

Kayadu Lohar – Isha

Mysskin – David Abraham

Antony Varghese – Vignesh “Vicky” Das

Samyukta Viswanathan – Dharini

Vinay Ford – Freddie

Kathir – Jason Antony

Technical Team:

Direction: Nahas Hidayat

Production: Dulquer Salmaan & Jom Varghese

Story: Nahas Hidayat

Screenplay: Sajeer Baba, Bilal Moitu, Ismail Abubakar

Cinematography: Jimshi Khalid

Cinematography: Chaman Shacko

Music & Background Music: Jakes Bejoy

Production Designer: Ajayan Salissery

Costume Design: Mashar Hamza

Choreography: Sandy

Still Photographer: S.P.K. Shuhaib

Sound Design: Sync Cinema

VFX: Egg White VFX

Public Relations: Yuvraj