S Shyam Prasad
The trailer of this film Hero had me wondering if the plot was a rip-off of The Last King of Scotland. No, it isn’t. It has an ingenious plot which is quite purposeful.
The showcase is more like Quentin Tarantino making his Sandalwood debut. There is full on effort to showcase bloodshed in numbing artistry. The blood fountains inspired from the Kill Bill films cannot be missed. Killing can be fun, is what one can deduce from Hero.
Our Hero arrives at the villain’s estate home to give him a trim. His hidden agenda is to kill the villain’s wife, who happens to be the hero’s ex-girlfriend. What he finds himself in is a situation straight out of hell. Pretty impressive plot so far. The minute detailing of even the minor characters keep the senses occupied.
But as the movie progresses, the story continues to stays on the few characters and the plot stagnates. It is not necessarily because the film has a limited backdrop of an estate and a large farmhouse. The twists and surprises keep coming but none of them are stunning enough. The slow-moving scenes and an effort to take the film beyond the two-hour mark leaves behind stretch marks.
An impressive background score and an even more impressive cinematography gives Hero a larger-than-life image. It is carried well by performances that could not have been more perfect. The lead pair deserve a big applause.
The director has introduced some new imagery to Kannada films with this film. It is a neo-noir of a kind that mixes humour to the crime rather than melodrama. However, it may be a while before such films get a dedicated fan following.
The film is certified ‘A’ for a good reason and if you are the kind who believes “bloodier the better,” Hero is the film for you.
Cast and Crew
Film: Hero
Director: M Bharath Raj
Cast: Rishab Shetty, Ganavi Laxman, Pramod Shetty
Certificate: A
Duration: 124 Minutes
Rating: 3/5
