Mersal Movie Review
Story, Written, Screenplay & Direction : Atlee
Producer : Hema Rukmani | Ramasamy | Mahendran | Murali
Cast : Vijay | Samantha | Kajal Aggarwal | Nithya Menon | SJSurya
Music : ARRahman
Cinematography : GK Vishnu
Editor : Ruben
Production : Thenandal Studio Limited
Release date : 18 oct 2017
Running Time : 175 mins
Before looking into what Mersal specially offers the general audiences and Vijay fans, we need to appreciate the tremendous efforts of filmmaker Atlee. Being a young filmmaker, his ability to handle such a huge project definitely needs lots of efficient planning. In this particular context, Atlee surely needs a special appreciation. Mersal starring Vijay in surprising avatars has an ensemble star-cast of Nithya Menen, Samantha, Kajal Aggarwal, Sathyaraj, Vadivelu, SJ Surya and many other prominent actors.
There are few things that instantly make you believe and prove right about Vijay. He has completely surrendered himself to the hands of director and writer. Have we ever come across a Vijay film doesn’t have a slow motioned introduction of jumping across airs, mass intro number and punch dialogues. This introduction is really unconventional, which even impresses a general audience.
We are made understand that Mersal isn’t just a commercial mass hero film, but has a substantial script. Thanks to Vijayendra
Prasad for penning the screenplay with emotional and commercial balancing stuffs. In few places, you might find the morsels of SS Rajamouli film impacts and that’s due to his father Vijayendra Prasad. Especially, when it comes to winning audiences’ sympathy through characters, he remains the best. This versatile writer even offers some stupendous Goosebumps moments, which might be put identical with Baahubali franchise as well.
Vijay has pulled forth a streak of high level involvement into his avatars. The way, he tries to differentiate between the roles are salient. The greatest of all attractions is ‘Thalapathy’ portions in flashback sequences. Despites having Samantha and Kajal Aggarwal, it is Nithya Menen who steals the show. The other two misses are used as prototyped factors as in some commercial masala movies. If you’re looking out for logics, you might not be very much involved with the narration. But Atlee makes a smart play of featuring one among the roles of Vijay as magician, which breaks the so-called logical patterns. He appears and disappears in a blink-and-miss time; he manages to slit the baddies with pack of cards. These portions would be definitely loved by kids. On the other end, his role as doctor encompassing some of the clap worthy dialogues is awesome. SJ Surya might not be getting to perform something beyond brilliance as in Spyder, but does his role with perfection here. A stylish antagonist, who just carries off the characterization in wowing style.
Vadivelu and Yogi Babu offer some humorous moments. Sathyan just disappears in less than 2 minutes. He seems to have included for namesake humour. Sathyaraj’s characterisation is short, but it could have been yet more convincing. All such factors delineate a typical Telugu movie characterization and might be, the touch of Vijayendra Prasad reflects in such a way.
AR Rahman’s background score during flashback sequence are astounding. The song ‘Aalaporaan Tamizhan’ creates a thundering celebration in theatres.
The young cinematographer Vishnu should be regarded as the greatest boon to Atlee for a much appreciable work on visuals.
The screenplay seems to be little mixed up with dragging sequences, especially in the second half. The first hour somehow manages to keep our engagement levels high due to unique narration.
Overall, Mersal is a sure-footed winner for this Diwali festival not only for Vijay fans, but for universal audiences as well.
