Fight Club: Lokesh Kanagaraj, a promising name in Tamil cinema, ventures into film production with ‘Fight Club,’ presented by debutant director Abbas A Rahmath. The anticipation surrounding a film with this title is undeniable, especially with the rich history it carries. Let’s delve into whether the Tamil version lives up to its iconic name.
Fight Club Movie Review:
The story revolves around Benjamin (Kaarthekeyan Santhanam) and his friends, aiming to guide the youth of North Chennai towards sports rather than getting entangled in rowdyism and drug-related activities. A motivating premise indeed. Benjamin encourages young Selva (Vijay Kumar) to pursue football, promising to support him financially. However, tragedy strikes as Benjamin becomes the victim of a brutal murder orchestrated by his own brother Joseph (Avinash Raghudevan) and Kiruba (Shankar Thas).
The narrative takes an intriguing turn when Joseph realizes he’s been deceived by Kiruba, who conveniently transforms into a local politician. Post-serving his prison term, Joseph seeks revenge and forms an alliance with Selva and his gang.
While films set in North Chennai often tread similar paths of revenge, betrayal, and crime, ‘Fight Club’ attempts to contribute to this genre. Drawing parallels with Vetri Maaran and Dhanush’s ‘Vada Chennai,’ the film, unfortunately, succumbs to some stereotypical elements.
The first half introduces various subplots, depicting Selva’s struggles, his love story with Shailu (Monisha Mohan), Kiruba’s rise to power, and Joseph exploiting Selva’s team. The film, however, grapples with an overly chaotic screenplay, which may leave the audience feeling overwhelmed.
Director Abbas R Rahmath crafts a solid first half with a captivating hyperlink narrative, enriched by dark humor that resonates with viewers. However, the second half loses its way, lacking the substance needed to sustain the story. Several fight sequences feel purposeless, and the love story doesn’t contribute much either.
Despite these drawbacks, ‘Fight Club‘ stands out in its technical aspects. Cinematographer Leon Britto and editor Kripakaran deliver commendable work, while Govind Vasantha’s music enhances the overall cinematic experience. The cast, including Vijay Kumar, Kaarthekeyan Santhanam, Avinash Raghudevan, and Saravanavel, deliver praiseworthy performances.
In conclusion, ‘Fight Club’ could have been a more impactful cinematic experience had it balanced its technical prowess with a more focused screenplay.
