‘Kill’ Movie Review: A Train-Set Bloodbath That Goes Off the Rails
Photo from Roadside Attractions
From Jeff Nelson
Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Kill dubs itself “the most violent and goriest film India has ever produced,” echoing the likes of The Raid, John Wick, and Snowpiercer with Indian flair. It stays true to its title with an abundance of killing within the walls of a moving train. However, Kill never reaches the heights of the aforementioned movies with its tiresome narrative.
Commando Amrit (Lakshya) boards a train set for New Delhi with his friend, Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan), to run away with his lover Tulika (Tanya Maniktala) before the date of her arranged marriage. The trip goes haywire when 40 weapon-wielding bandits take over the train, forcing the commandos into action. A gory rivalry unfolds between Amrit and a deranged bandit member named Fani (Raghav Juyal).
Kill begins as a tawdry romance that initially takes itself far too seriously, introducing Amrit’s sensitive side that shines through with Tulika. We get brief glimpses sprinkled throughout the narrative further exploring their relationship. However, Tulika is the daughter of a powerful man (Harsh Chhaya), who has high expectations for his daughter’s future husband, hence the arranged marriage. The fiery love between Amrit and Tulika is Kill’s driving force, motivating him to put his life on the line to obliterate any person who threatens her safety. Despite the romance’s importance as a plot device, it’s executed with very little emotion until far too late in the game.
The Kill title card doesn’t grace the screen until around 45 minutes when the film shifts into an unbridled murderous rampage. Bhat and Ayesha Syed’s screenplay takes far too long to gain momentum, which then stumbles when it switches perspective to the family of bandits. It seeks to provide greater depth to the antagonists and their desperation to have a life on the other side of this heist, but it drags the pacing down. The casualties on both ends of the conflict have narrative importance, intensifying the ongoing rivalry between Amrit and Fani and giving the body count increased meaning – or at least the facade of it.
Bhat’s train-set action flick racks up the violence as it moves along, incorporating martial arts and brutal weapon-wielding executions. The once electrifying violent onslaught grows tedious as the fight choreography feels confined to the narrow train cars, repeating the same kicks and punches. The weapons provide variety to the combat, although they’re underutilized. There is a fire-involved death drenched in terrible CGI, but the inconsistency in Amrit’s fighting ability is most frustrating. His skill radically changes from one encounter to the next, where he goes from an unstoppable killing machine to hesitation to the violence that makes little sense for a supposedly experienced commando.
Lakshya makes a formidable action hero in Amrit. He has screen charisma that beams through an otherwise flat character. There may be little romantic chemistry between him and Maniktala’s Tulika, but the passing moments in his friendship with Chauhan’s Viresh are impactful. Juyal makes a worthwhile antagonist as Fani, leading to an entertaining showdown between hero and villain.
Kill rides through the motions with repetitive fight choreography and monotonous storytelling, allowing the confined setting to work against itself in an inferior version of its inspirations. Lakshya and Chauhan are standout action stars, bringing plenty of charm to the screen. It’s a shame that the material holds them back. Bhat’s actioner operates best with an audience, but that doesn’t make it a better film.
Rating: 2/5
Kill hits theaters on July 4th, 2024.
