'I' - Movie review

'I' movie review

'I'
U/A; Action/Fantasy/Romance
Director: S. Shankar
Cast: Vikram, Amy Jackson, Upen Patel, Ramkumar Ganesan
Rating:

A still from 'I'

Director Shankar's formula is simple. He keeps you so spellbound with visuals and joy and craziness that you meekly accept the lack of logic in several places and yes, a bit of tackiness too.

Lingesan aka Lee (Vikram in a super form) is a bodybuilder, who is working hard to achieve the Mr. Tamil Nadu title. Lingesan eats sprouts and boiled chicken, works out till he faints and some day hopes to win the Mr. India title. Things begin to change when he meets his crush, a successful model Diya (Amy Jackson, pleasant and sincere). Vikram's and Diya's growing closeness brings in a horde of enemies, which include a male model John (Upen Patel), an industrialist (Ramkumar) and a few others. The jealousy of his adversaries leads to the handsome dude Lee tragically and yes, dramatically turn into a hunchback monster.

The story (written by Shankar) actually doesn't matter in the larger scheme of things, it is the execution that keeps you spellbound in this three-hour plus film. Shankar doesn't lose the thread of humour and joy even in the song sequences, (you have to see the fantasy song where Lee imagines inanimate objects turn into the woman he desires, to know what I mean) or the thrilling action scenes (stunts directed by martial arts choreographer Yuen Woo-ping).

The most riveting thing of course, is the thought and expertise that's gone behind the prosthetic make-up done on Vikram and the other characters. (Sean Foot and Davina Lamont for Vikram and Christian Tensley and Dominie Til for others)

Made with a humongous budget of Rs 180 crores (worth every penny), 'I' is certainly a big screen experience. Watch it to believe it. And yes, watch it for Vikram, not just for the fabulous actor that he's but also for the fact that he's literally gone out on a limb for this role.