Director Atlee have had a clear vision of the things to be delivered through Mersal and a powerful social message has been stamped with Thalapathy Vijay’s strong screen presence.
When directing a top star like Vijay, very few directors could pull off the stunt while not compromising on the script and screenplay. In Mersal, everything fits perfectly and the good part is it doesn’t disappoint Thalapathy fans. Every last fan who wanted to worship their idol on screen will have a fantastic experience as there are plenty of intro scenes for their star with excellent background score composed by AR Rahman.
A series of kidnaps and murders take place in Chennai by a guy named Maran, played by Vijay. When Sathyaraj arrests him and enquires further, he reveals the grudge he has against SJ Suryah who commits corporate level fraud in the medical industry and has betrayed his father, again played by Vijay in the past.
That’s the best spoiler free version that you could get your hands on because everything is revealed in a systematic and meticulously designed manner on screen. While a major portion of the first half is set in Paris that adds massive style quotient to the movie, the second half featuring Vettrimaran as the village head is a standout performance by Vijay.
With hardly any signs of ageing, Thalapathy Vijay looks extremely stylish and classy as the magician. It’s a wonder that he pulls off another rustic, rugged role with the same level of perfection. Be it hardcore fans or the average movie goer, both would equally enjoy Vijay’s on-screen charisma.
Nithya Menon gets a proficient role in Mersal whereas Samantha and Kajal Agarwal are eye-candy stars. Both of them look brilliantly beautiful in their respective songs but that’s where their roles end. SJ Suryah is a sophisticated generic villain but steals the show with his dialogs now and then. Vadivelu tickles you at times while Sathyaraj and Sathyan takes care of the rest.
Mersal is one of the most technically strong films in Tamil cinema in recent times. AR Rahman’s songs are crisp, artfully executed on-screen while his background score especially ‘Azhaporan Tamizhan’ will stay for a long time to come. Camera man GK Vishnu and stunt director Anal Arasu are the hidden gems of the movie.
Be it the lush locales of Paris or the dusty village roads, GK Vishnu provides a visual treat and will captivate your senses. Anal Arasu’s stunt scenes play a huge role in keeping the audience interested with multiple, painstakingly choreographed fight scenes.
Director Atlee and Sri Thenandal Films, the production house have a clear winner this Diwali with Mersal, a movie that pays a big tribute to Tamilians and Tamil culture in a commercially entertaining package.
Thumbs Up
· Thalapathy Vijay steals the show with his graceful presence. His new getup as Vettrimaran is one of his career best.
· Nithya Menon proves her acting skills once again while Samantha and Kajal share decent screen time.
· Cinematography by GK Vishnu is picture perfect in every scene, every location
· AR Rahman – the wizard weaves musical magic with Mersal
· Director Atlee’s decision to bring the best cast and crew who paved way for a visually appealing experience in theaters
Thumbs Down
· While the run-time is required to establish the story, there’s multiple, lengthy emotional sequences which could be trimmed down a bit.
Verdict – Mersal is a grand tribute to Tamil culture wrapped in an exciting commercial package for all ages.
