28. Thunivu; movie review

 

THUNIVU

Cert 12A

144 mins

BBFC advice: Contains moderate violence, threat, injury detail, sex references, strong language

Bravo to Ajith Kumar - he may be a Tamil superstar but at least he is not trying to disguise his age on the big screen.

There was no dark wig distraction during Thunivu as he plays a grey-haired gangster whose experience and know-how keep him ahead of the younger pretenders.

Kumar plays the mysterious Dark Devil who suddenly emerges from a back room to take over a bank heist which is already in progress.

As shots are being fired and bank staff and customers are screaming, he is the coolest dude in the room.

It's action all the way in H.Vinoth's film with shoot-outs, explosions and a large body count.

The storyline is a tad convoluted but there are a neat array of twists to keep the audience guessing.

However, my biggest beef was that I couldn't work out whether Kumar's character is a hero or the villain his background suggests.

This meant it is difficult to invest in him because it is never quite clear whether his motives are selfish or not.

He is complemented by Manju Warrier as his accomplice and John Kokken as the bank's chairman.

Meanwhile, there are some interesting asides among the police who are trying to bring the heist to a safe conclusion and the TV reporters who are covering it.

It adds to a relatively engaging couple of hours which is largely a vehicle for Ajith Kumar to show his full range. He takes up the challenge with gusto.

Reasons to watch: Magnetic performance by Ajith Kumar

Reasons to avoid: The plot is a bit daft in parts

Laughs: None

Jumps: None

Vomit: None

Nudity: None

Overall rating: 6/10

Did you know? Ajith Kumar has driven in professional races. He drove in the 2003 Formula Asia BMW Championships and, in Europe, in the 2010 Formula 2 Championship.

The final word. H. Vinoth: "Some people like films to leave them with an emotional high. I don’t think that way. I think that when you speak about an issue in a film, it will play in the back of the audience's mind for a long time. This is a slow process, and it needs that time. " The News Minute

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