Boat Movie Review

Filmmaker Chimbu Devan, director of some remarkable movies like Imsai Arasan 23am Pulikesi has helmed this movie titled ‘BOAT’ starring Yogi Babu alongside Gouri G Kishen, MS Bhaskar, and others in the lead role.

The story is set in 1943, during the backdrops of Second World War. When Japan almost devastated Madras, 10 people from different walks of life, try to make an escape by getting on a small boat including a father-daughter, pregnant mother, her son, and a person with mysterious identity. These characters encounter the hurdles, and what happens next form the crux of this story.

Director Chimbu Devan has conceptualised this story, which is completely new to Tamil Cinema. While many attempt to showcase the historic moments and period films with grandeur, the makers have attempted a smart way to move away from those factors, as the entire story is set amidst water. At the same time, there are many possibilities for the story get stagnant, as the backdrop is single, and a more scrutinising writing is needed to keep the movie watching experience engrossing.

The film, during its initial moments, keeps us confident that it’s going to be an enjoyable show. Yes, for the first few minutes, the screenwriting is so nice, and engaging. But as the story moves to the next stage, the grip and riveting moments vanish into thin air. It becomes more like a stage play, and after a certain extent, we start drawing conclusions that the film has been made for the OTT audiences, and not for the theatrical experience. The biggest disappointment is the sketching of characterisations, especially the one with mysterious identity. The only hope for the audience to gain back interest towards the film was that character, only to get disappointed with the revelation. The film’s technical aspects are middling, and the narrative gets fluctuating now and then.

When it comes to performances, everyone has done justice to their roles. All of them are dedicated artistes, and they have not wasted their opportunities to showcase their acting potentials, but again the problem is their characterisations.

Overall, BOAT owns a never-before story in Tamil cinema, which if presented well with engaging screenplay, would have worked wonders. Unfortunately, it struggles often with unwanted sub-plots and humour. If the story was interwoven perfectly with the characters, it would have been a stupendous film to watch out.