Thallumaala

The movie from the beginning to the end was such a treat to watch. From the get go, the movie draws you in such a way that the Malayalam film industry hasn't seen before. Some audiences have had trouble with the non linear storyline and the time jumps but personally I feel like it keeps the viewers engaged and the fun of it is putting it together. Like the name suggests Thallumala is indeed a 'chain of brawls' and each brawl stayed unique and charismatic that it felt so fresh to just see and experience it. Honestly, the theatre fight scene is was one of the most chaotic but also well choreographed fight over seen. What stays on par with the brilliant action choreography is the immaculate cinematography to make the movie one of the best visual treats among recent malayalam movies. The songs and the outfits and the characters and the comedy all compliment the movie to make it so unique and makes it stand out, in a good way, from all the movies in the industry at the moment.

In a time where all we get are psychological thrillers and slow burn movies, this is a movie which has its own character and identity and doesn't shy away to own up to it in any ways. It lived up to all the expectations and hype I had kept for it and it's uniqueness and offbeat approach makes it a movie worth watching. Definitely a trendsetter for a while to come.

Hardly a second passed disengaged. Stylish costumes, stylish photography, fun graphics. Whole lot of fun fight sequences.

While the movie is unabashedly nonsensical in it's story lines, there is a tightness to the writing that holds the movie together.

Tovino has done great work and has carried the various get ups and styles very well. All the other character actors have also done very good work.

Background scores complement the humor very well.

The director has good control over the pace, rhythm and vibe of the movie.

Fun songs. Loads of energy, loads of fun. A good weekend break.

Barely a story, told in 10 Chapters that too in non-linear narrative. The making shows superior craft and two action scenes stand out. Sadly, that is all there is to this film to take home with respect to the story or the characters. You laugh at them, laugh with them while they punch & kick their way to the climax. It is indeed a ballad of brawls and there are several shots that stand out in terms of technical aspect. Even when those shots push you dig a deeper meaning, it is of no use in this particular film.

The tone is vibrant, cartoonish as well and there were moments which were truly fun to watch. But the first half tested my patience as it hardly moved the story forward, till that theater fight. It was the second half where the film had some brownie points beyond the action scenes where one can relate to the hero and his gang's ego being bruised big time. Tovino Thomas and Shine Tom Chacko deliver big time whereas Kalyani Priyadarshan has nothing much to do as she remains a mere spectator to the chaos.

For all the talk on how beef is the only real meat and a superior one compared to other meats, one cannot help but wish the script had some meat to it. Given the brilliant filmmaking & non-linear narrative trick, it could have been a far better entertainer.

Superb in the sense of entertainment. The movie does the job in entertaining you with colourful scenes. Awesome fight which covers most of the screen time, great cinematography. Disappointed with the songs though. That's all, don't expect more😄

As the title suggests, Khalid Rahman's foray into the action genre is based around a string of fights that happen for reasons you wouldn't want to go deep into. Written by Ashraf Hamza and Muhsin Parari, the film is tailor-made for the Instagram/YouTube generation, with a non-linear narrative structure. Oft-times, you watch a slickly shot set-piece first and then learn the story behind it. The entire film and its characters ooze swagger, set against vibrant frames (by Jimshi Khalid), and mind-blowing transitions. Yes, the editing work (by Nishadh Yusuf) is the soul of this particular movie.

The entire ensemble deliver solid performances too, with Tovino Thomas, Lukman Avaran, Swathi Das Prabhu, and Shine Tom Chacko standing out. The first half, with its knotty plot connections, peppy songs (barring a 'rap' which felt completely out-of-place), and fight sequences popping by the minute, is enjoyable but we initially sense a lack of coherence. Things get mighty better in the latter half however, and when the knots slowly begin to untangle, the fights offer a greater adrenaline rush. And this is a film where the stunts need to be talked about in detail. The scale of each set-piece varies - the one taking place inside a car and an all-out brawl at a cinema hall are truly outstanding.

Like one long darned Instagram reel, you'll remember the film for all its punches and kicks, pulsating background score, swanky costumes and trendy haircuts, and not for its plot (if there ever was one). The film definitely needed more humor though; I'm sure North Keralites will lap it up just the way it is (owing to regional context and dialect) and everyone else will relish the factors mentioned above. Does the film glorify coming to blows at the slightest discomfort? Yes, but like Ajagajantharam, think of this film playing out in a little universe of its own, distinct from the real world, and you'll want to appreciate the work that has gone into creating and detailing it. The romance in the film rides on a very thin (and questionable) line, though Kalyani Priyadarshan does light up the screen every time.