Kadal movie review

            Kadal had all sort of expectation from the day one..Mani Ratnam Brand, A. R Rahmen mesmerizing songs and music, phenomenal photography by Rajeev Menon, Sreekar prasad editing , Aravindsamy come back, Arjun first time in grey shade role and on the top yesteryear Karthik sons and Radha's Daughter combo...sure failed to strike the chord with audience with inept screenplay....

Production: Mani Ratnam, Manohar Prasad
Cast: Arjun, Arvind Swamy, Gautham Karthik, Lakshmi Manchu, Thulasi Nair
Direction: Mani Ratnam
Screenplay: Jayamohan, Mani Ratnam
Story: Jayamohan
Music: A. R. Rahman
Cinematography: Rajiv Menon

Story

          Sam( Arvind samy) and Brahmas( Arjun) are the students in Father's missionary school who left  their common life for different reasons to became future father's of the church....one day..Brahmas rapes the cook assistant, But Sam could not Tolerate this activity in holy place complaints to the head and so he is dismissed from the institution..so Brahmas believes evil more than god goes out with vengence in his heart..


               A village, where people lives depends on fishing and sea...ditches a child Thomas( Gautham Karthik) becasue the villagers abuse her mother a prostitute...seeing her end , and none of them taking care this child...he grows like a rowdy/baddie who utters bad words...lives bad vagabond  life until Father Sam takes up the village..he slowly makes the people believe in god...cleans the church and guides Thomas a new lease of life by getting a fishing job in the sea ..Thomas now with the guidance grows to adult and falls in love at the first sight of a girl Pia( Thulasi) who is from memorial school...All is well until, Sam saves Brahams from the baddies .he is wounded in gun fight..but lies that he now understands life...Sam treats him secretly to avoid confusion..

                Suddenly, he is out of the village and people accuses Sam for living with couple of girls ,beaten and stamped by the people with word of Selene( Lakshmi Manchu) who is none other than lover of Brahmas...Sam is now in prision..at the time..Brahmas takes Thomas into the custody and trains him in all bad businesses ..turns him to a evil person....Sam comes out of the prision, Due to Pia love and Father Sam word..Thomas wants to lead a good life..but there comes a twist...Did Thomas and pia got married? did Evil Brahmas win over good Sam??

Strengths

             Rajiv Menon...the biggest and sure to be best highlight of the movie..from the opening card till the end of the movie..his shots and photography haunts your mind...fabulous work and fantastic projection of sea shores and forest like never before seen...title of the movie,Yela keechan/Moongil thoatam/climax scenes..almost all the scenes proves his versatility...A.R.Rahman songs are already a chartbusters..masetro this time mesmerizes with songs..being most of them are soft melodious...His mix of Blues and oppari song in "Adiyee", country song with malayalam sangeetha "yela keechan", south American/Spanish medley with our carnatic raga " Nenjukulle", "Moongil thottam", " Chitthirai Nila" are mind blowing..BGM too deserves special mention...Yela Keechan, Moongil thottam are picturised beautifully in some exotic places..Sree kar prasad editing is at top notch...supporting Rajeev, A.R and Mani views......climax fights and the art work of the devastated church needs a kudos to the art director....

        Gautham Karthik..we don't get the feel of the first movie..he scores in every area of movie..dancing, fighting, ferocious, romance etc...well done and saves his father actor Karthiks fame...sure he is gonna go great heights..Aravindsamy is back with his guru's movie..his charm has never gone..easily one of the best performance of this actor..looks same smarty....Arjun does the grey shade with ease and evil act..but could have got more screen pace...Thulasi is okay but could not keep up the expectation and rides big on her mental disables role......rest of the cast is okay where...Ponvannan makes a mark....

Weakness

                 More small stories ..comes in the way and therefore...Mani Ratnam looses his grip in the primary element of the movie....his script and portrayal of characters are incomplete..left in the half way..be it the sea side people life, romance between Gatham-Thulasi, revenge between Aravind samy-arjun, Lakshmi manchu's role....left blank.....most of the scenes doesn't have the deep involvement in the story...that's where the film falls heavily....ambigious script and lethargic story telling is biggest weakness of this kadal..Adiyee/nenjukulle not enjoyed in the screen due to careless choreography and picturisation....Thulasi looks bulgy and not getting her expression right in the screen...charming of Mani's heroine is surely missing...Second half is miserable except the climax fight in the sea.

Kadal...does has itsplus in the name of Rajeev Menon, A.R, Gautham Karthik and brilliant technical team, but that doesn't make super hit movie..

Verdict:3/10( 1 for Photography,1 for Music & songs,1 for Gautham karthik & Aravind Samy)
Movie canvas Punch: Kadal--Dead sea