A Visual Spectacle Marred by Convoluted Storytelling.
Introduction:
In Kalki 2898 AD, directed by Nag Ashwin, the goal is to create a story based on Hindu mythology and centered on the events following Mahabharata war as well as the tenth avatar of Lord Vishnu prophesied to come. The film fails to deliver due to over-complicated plot and disjointed pacing despite its ensemble cast and visually striking world.
Plot and Setting:
Film opens with Lord Krishna putting a curse of immortality on Ashwatthama (Amitabh Bachchan). Flash forward six thousand years hence to a dystopian future where the only city Kasi is under the rule of cruel Commander Manas (Saswata Chatterjee) and enigmatic God King Supreme Yaskin (Kamal Haasan). There is not any hope left apart from Bhairava (Prabhas) who leads a group of rebels from Shambhala that save SUM80 (Deepika Padukone), bearing awaited avatar.
Strengths:
The greatest strength of this film lies in its visual storytelling. Djordje Stojiljkovic’s cinematography brings forth Ashwin’s imaginative world in dark immersive setting which draws audience attention. Nitin Zihani Choudhary’s production design enhances this, making every frame look pleasing to the eye.
Performances:
A notable performance by Amitabh Bachchan brings depth and vibrancy to the character of Ashwatthama. The acrobatics in particular are an excellent addition to the character, they give him a sense of realism . The actress plays SUM80 with admirable restraint while Kamal Haasan’s screen time may be minimal but he leaves a lasting impression behind. However, Prabhas is let down by bad writing for his character and unsuccessful comic attempts.
Weaknesses:
The film’s plot is what lets it down the most. It loses its focus as it becomes entwined in many subplots and characters that do not matter. This is particularly noticeable in the first half, which is slow and filled with action scenes that make no sense at all to its story. Despite picking up speed in the second half, an inconsistent screenplay and abrupt changes of focus hinder progress.
Action and Visuals:
Though there are flaws in its story line, Kalki 2898 AD excels in terms of action sequences as well as visual effects. Superbly choreographed high octane battles between Prabhas & Amitabh Bachchan forms the core of this film. It has world class VFX artistry along with massive set designs that make it one hell of a spectacle visually speaking!
Music and Cameos:
The music score of Santhosh Narayanan is a bit lackluster, but the film’s background score works very well in syncing with key moments. There are tons of celebrity cameos like Vijay Deverakonda, Mrunal Thakur, Dulquer Salmaan, S.S. Rajamouli, Ram Gopal Varma and many more that remain unforgettable but cannot fill the void created by the storyline being weaker than imagined.
Conclusion:
Kalki 2898 AD is a grand visual spectacle that transports viewers into a vividly imagined universe. However, it has an inconsistent tempo and its story twists are too complicated for a casual watcher. The movie may be slow to start but for those who love epic battles and visually rich storytelling they will find it worth their while. While it does succeed at building an immersive world around itself , it fails to be complete with its plot threads not tying up properly in any logical sense of narrative rhythm or development so as to hold interest throughout each scene consecutively .