Kalki 2898 AD

I just watched Kalki and it's hard to express my disappointment.

First off, the movie is riddled with unnecessary comedic dialogues that feel completely out of place, especially given the supposedly intense theme. Prabhas, who is usually a powerhouse, sadly comes across as a CLOWNISH character here.

His performance is awkward and forced, making it difficult to take the film seriously. Kyra's character adds little value, with most of her screen time dedicated to pointless talks that drag the narrative down. The entire movie feels like it's overdoing everything-be it the action sequences, emotional moments, or the supposed "comedy," which is jarringly out of sync with the rest of the movie.

Kamal Haasan, despite being a legendary actor, has almost no role or screen presence. It feels like they used his name just to draw audiences, with no real contribution from him on-screen.

Additionally, the set-up blatantly borrows from Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) but fails miserably to capture the essence of the original. In the end, Kalki is a poorly executed, overhyped mess.

This one is a hard pass.

Right off the bat, I will say that the plot was superbly established, it made you feel the stakes. The main storyline originates from the Mahabharata so the creators really needed to push the boundaries on the execution, which I can say that they did but were they able to pull it off extraordinarily or were there shortcomings? Read on to find out.

I have attempted to break down my thoughts of each major field without giving any spoilers or too much negative connotations.

Dialogues:

Not much to say about these, they are what you would expect from a sci-fi flick (some hi-fi English vocabulary paired with the modern Hindi), and the archaic style Hindi (Sanksritised) that is generally seen in the adaptations of Hindu epics.

Characters:

I am sorry to say but the chemistry between is Bhairava & Bujji was almost non-existent. They did talk about stuff other than bounties and work but the final result was too many puns and attempts to make the audience laugh which left nothing to be established between them.

The portrayal of Prabhas' character got a bit tiresome at the start. The interactions between Bhairava and anyone were very, very boring. Apart from that, he wasn't exactly a formidable force either, and so wasn't Ashwatthama.

I genuinely feel that the creator didn't give any character the power that they deserved. For instance, Ashwatthama's powers are bound to the plot, they only work in last resorts. Bhairava does godlike damage as a human. "Other enemies" are literally Stormtroopers and some times really dumb.

Then, the character of Deepika Padukone. It was appropriately executed according to her and the plot, so no complaints there.

The remaining characters are nothing to write home about, nothing of that gravity as of the main 3 characters.

Story & Execution:

The start of the first half was stretched too much, with a lot of that stretched time going to Bhairava (intro & fillers). Then again, his interactions with others were extremely dull.

There were many continuity errors, like skipping somewhat essential bridging scenes and abruptly changing the theme of the scene altogether.

Apart from that, the story (pertaining to the Mahabharata) was told superbly. The flashbacks of Ashwatthama were really good (so was his character). You could really feel the high stakes throughout the movie.

So in essence, the plot was well planned out, but the execution on the character part fell a tad bit short.

VFX:

I went in with high hopes and I came out both surprised and disappointed. At some parts, the VFX was outstanding, but in some places, it was the exact opposite (like the de-aged AB looking like he came straight out of "Motu Patlu").

The bad VFX was best visible during fighting sequences and JUMPS (with some scattered across the film). I cannot stress this enough when I say that the jumps (and the flying) were very inorganic, it was so cable-y, everyone was hovering around. The film was really jump and flight heavy, and given the fact that there are humans of godly stature and a 'Chiranjeevi' involved (enemies being thrown around and protagonists jumping 20 feet), this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Cinematography:

Pretty standard, nothing too extravagant. Overall, a solid setup.

Music:

An absolute treat to the ears. I loved Ashwatthama's theme (right from the announcement). The Bhairava theme was the only thing that felt out of place (but that just might be me). Also, maybe I am nitpicking too much now, but the mixing and the abrupt change in tones across scenes affected the experience a bit. Nevertheless, the music complimented the scenes perfectly.

Influences:

As you know, this movie is inspired by the Mahabharata. I would say that the references to the epic and the sci-fi present day story were well balanced. It all made sense and after all, the essence is that of the Mahabharata's depiction.

In conclusion, the plot was extremely good, story was told really well. It however, lacked in the department of VFX and a special department named "Bhairava". So, the execution was a bit of a miss. However, even with its downsides, the intriguing story and some goosebumps moments (especially towards the end) make this a worthwhile watch!

#Kalki2898AD is a larger than life Sci-FI Action Experience. The visuals and world building by Nag Ashwin are never before from Indian Cinema. However, Nag Ashwin shows some inexperience in building a proper drama and emotional connect with somewhat of a flat screenplay.

SaNA did a very good job with the BGM in certain places but in others it was just adequate.

Prabhas had limited screen time in this one but did a good job in a fun character and gives a big fan worthy sequence in the climax

The rest of the cast especially Amitabh and Deepika have done and take up majority of the screenspace.

Still, he was able to manage a couple of very good blocks especially the climax which worked very well and is goosebumps worthy.

All the cameos are wasted except Vijay Deverakondas his cameo is very odd 🔥🔥.

Despite some of its flaws, This is a movie that should be experienced on the big screen for the experience it offers!

Synopsis: Death is not a punishment; it is a blessing.

First half: The movie begins with themes and depictions that instantly immerse you. However, it falters in the middle due to pacing and editing issues. Yet, in the last 15 minutes, it regains its footing and delivers. Prabhas's best since bahubali. The film also features numerous impressive cameos.

Second half: Oh my, oh my! The movie saves its best for last, especially when delving into our history, particularly the Mahabharata references. Despite minor flaws, I'm inclined to overlook them because this film is truly special. Director Ashwin has not only crafted a sci-fi film but a remarkable one, especially given its budget constraints.

Amitabh Bachchan stands out, and Prabhas delivers a commendable performance. The visuals are exceptional and serve as the film's hallmark. The background music is superb, enriching and completing the cinematic experience. However, I would have preferred if it were utilized more extensively, as it presents a slight missed opportunity.

Final verdict: "Kalki" is a splendid film, not only in terms of its quality but also due to the director's visionary and honest approach to our history.

I don't understand the obsession with hero entry and why people are not against it if you have a good story then just stick with why do you need the star to be bigger than the story first hour of story is skippable completely , rest vfx was top notch even the ending was very good but this obsession with hero needs to stop also the director did not invent the character Kalki nor any references that they took from Mahabharata so please be respectful because its a part of our history not something that you can mock or not make it serious just because you want the hero entry or want films to have some useless and unfunny comedy.