It is true that I had very high expectations from this movie because of the amazing reviews on the net and equally over the top feedback from my friends.
So I drove sixteen kilometers south from my residence at eight in the night on the Pondicherry highway (paying a toll of 45 rupees) to Mayajaal – A multiplex near Mutthukkadu in Tamil Nadu.
First complaint I have on the reviewers of this movie – They have let out the suspense factor of the movie. Of course it is not the end of the world but still not knowing about it, would have greatly enhanced my Anniyan experience.
For this reason, and for this reason alone, I am not going to discuss the storyline of the movie. My review is going to be a commentary on certain aspects of the movie.
The first half – which many despised, was neat, cute and really engrossing. Especially the scenes involving Vikram and Sada; the episode in the train. The first song was brilliantly choreographed and captured on the celluloid.
Using a helicopter to can the shots is not new to the Tamil movie industry but the amazing clarity of those shots and the effortless movement of the camera from up above to down below – deserves applause. Ravi Varman/Manikandan knew their job inside out.
Vikram excelled in the role of Rules Ramanujam. It is quite easily the hardest of the three roles he had in this movie and also the one which has most footage. He was brilliant as Anniyan. However his portrayal of Remo was not up to the mark.
Maybe Shankar needs to be blamed for the Remo fiasco. In fact the storyline does not require the character of Remo. And Vikram looked clearly uneasy in that role. It was pretty evident that he could not get into the character at all. It was a very artificial role.
However it is because of Remo that we have a breathtaking composition “Kannum Kannum Nokia” shot in a Malaysian airport. Excellent camera angles and camera movements. Neat choreography. However ensure you have an aisle seat if you have motion sickness. (It hits you just like the Blair Witch Project did)
In all its technical extravaganza and slick cinematography people tend to overlook the aspect of a good screenplay. Anniyan’s screenplay leaves a lot to be desired. In a Shankar movie, every scene has a purpose and a form that fits seamlessly into the bigger picture he has in mind. However in this movie, there are many scenes which are painstakingly choreographed and breathtakingly beautiful but they are plainly – not required.
One such scene which involves a stripped down version of the Burley Brawl of which Peter Haynes is so popular. The Desi Brawl itself is mesmerizing, with excellent graphics and hard-to-believe camera movements… But it just hits you right from the start of the scene that it is there because Shankar wanted Peter Haynes in Anniyan… Not because the story required it.
The basic premise of this scene itself looked quite unconvincing. In fact you start wondering why bother with all this technical wizardry at all!
But make no mistake – the Desi Brawl is a treat to watch. However I liked the other fight – the one which comes right before the interval bang – better. It employed Time Slice techniques to ensure that different parts of the same scene move in different time axes. So we have an Anniyan moving rapidly from one guy to another with a supernatural pace while the other guys are moving normally. It has to be seen to be appreciated. Full marks to Peter Haynes and Shankar.
All in all, the movie is good. It is technically brilliant, with a shaky screenplay and a not-so-convincing plot. The songs – contrary to what most reviews say – are a treat to watch and I personally loved all of them.
Vikram’s action – One word – Brilliant. So is Prakash Raj. So is Vivek as Rules Ramanujam’s buddy.
My assessment of the movie: Good.
My rating of the movie: 3.5 out of 5.
Go watch it.