Kalki 2898 AD review
Amitabh Bachchan plays a mythological warrior in a withered dystopian city where desert car chases, CGI magic and a semi-divine dictator rule
This vibrant Telugu-language fusion of Indian mythology, martial arts, and the quintessential Bollywood elements of dance, romance, and melodrama, all intricately woven through a sci-fi lens, is largely entertaining. While it can be somewhat exasperating to endure nearly three hours, including an intermission, only to realize that we are likely still less than halfway through the overarching narrative, audiences will need to be patient for subsequent installments from what is termed the Kalki Cinematic Universe to discover the fates of the numerous characters involved. This reflects the contemporary trend of films resembling episodic television or comic book series, where every story is part of a larger franchise, universe, or even multiverse, which can be quite overwhelming at times.
The final 15 minutes of Kalki 2898 AD, featuring a significant accumulation of revelations, twists, surprises, and cliffhangers, is undeniably exhilarating, yet it feels justified by the extensive groundwork established in the preceding two hours and forty-five minutes. The narrative commences on a battlefield approximately 3,000 years ago, where the warrior Ashwatthama, portrayed by the renowned Amitabh Bachchan, a figure from the ancient Sanskrit epic Mahabharata, faces a curse from Krishna for his attempt to slay an unborn child. His sentence is to endure eternal life until he rectifies this transgression by rescuing a future incarnation of the divine.
Without any opportunity for reflection, we are transported to the year 2898, where Earth has devolved into a desolate dystopia. The singular city, Kasi, is characterized by a ground-level slum and a colossal inverted pyramid known as the Complex—an ultimate high-rise suspended in the sky. This realm is governed by a tyrannical semi-divine ruler, Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan). The narrative unfolds as we are introduced to several pivotal characters. Foremost among them is Bhairava (Prabhas), a witty and self-serving mercenary in need of emotional redemption. He embarks on a quest to capture a bounty on Sum-80 (Deepika Padukone), a fugitive from the Complex entangled in a sinister experiment that extracts magical fetal tissue from pregnant women, which Supreme Yaskin utilizes to rejuvenate his parched physique.
This summary merely scratches the surface of the plot. The story evokes a fusion of elements reminiscent of the Mahabharata, The Matrix, and Mad Max franchises, featuring a central savior figure and a mid-narrative desert chase involving enhanced vehicles. In a manner akin to how the Black Panther films established a unique Afrofuturist aesthetic, the visual style here can be termed Indofuturist, merging design elements with vibrant, saturated effects that appear both futuristic and artisanal. The film showcases ornate, brass-like weapons resembling scimitars or bows that emit bright-blue CGI sparks, Tibetan sand mandalas that burst into magical flames, and saris that evoke the style of Barbarella. It is an overwhelming spectacle, but those who appreciate maximalism will undoubtedly be captivated by the visual offerings presented.
🎬 Movie: Kalki 2898 AD
📅 Year: 2024
🔊 League: Tamil
🔅 IMDB: 7.6.
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Written by: JD