KICK 2 MOVIE REVIEW

What if this weirdly self-centred man who can also fight like Hercules is utilized to save a village from the clutches of an evil force? After the successful Kick (got remade in lot other languages), Surendhar Reddy decides to come back once again for a different reason.

With many other mainstream, commercially viable heroes doing the same routine, Ravi Teja is definitely a star who has style and charisma of his own. He makes maximum use of his vitals and tends to weave out entertaining films.  Written by Vakkantham Vamsi, Kick 2 might be a little low on the humour quotient, but this instalment dwells a lot on emotions.

One interesting thing about the Kick series is, the film is quirky, edgy and unpredictable. Every scene has a connecting point and all the exaggeration gets justified a bit. With serious actors like Raajpal Yadav and Sanjay Mishra being part of a mainstream Telugu cinema, this is a welcoming act of change and confidence among the casting of artists.

The smartness and the eccentric attitude of Robin Hood (Ravi Teja) cement the approach of the story and also the treatment of the screenplay. Robin returns to India from America for a private job but fate has something else in store for him. When you can’t question about the hero’s ability to bash up baddies in a wink, other logical loopholes can also be brushed aside.

Lousy villain, almost boring songs and uneasy stunt sequences are the dips. Brahmanandham is reaching a saturation point where directors need to learn the traits of using him to the fullest. Rakul Preet Singh’s looks give a kick which is also sustained by her decent performance. The major saviour of the story being the people of Vilaspur village, the film gets serious only when Robin is somehow brought to the deserted place by the act of God and love.

When the villagers are clever enough to trick and trap even the cleverer hero, why couldn’t they save themselves from the villain is a big question mark. When the previous Kick was all about the protagonist wanting to get the kick out of life, this time all that matters to him is his comfort. He has a way of living and if anybody comes in his way, he thwarts them into pieces. With such a peculiar area being addressed, if the story had spent more time on establishing the character sketch rather than meaningless scenes following one another, Kick 2 would have fared well.

But nothing is short of a power-packed pot-boiler here.  Thaman’s typical BGM, Ravi Teja’s presence and a different story make Kick 2 special and exciting. If story-tellers had the daringness to stray away from the usual and experiment a bit, there would be crispier movies than just the run-of-the mill outings.

Technically, the DoP and the editor along with the art director have made Kick 2 filled with colours and designs. VFX needs special mention for the grandeur in the film. Known for engaging audience till the end, team Kick delivers another winner with a price to pay.