Being a sucker for gangster flicks I couldn't contain my excitement to watch this film but I was afraid I wouldn't enjoy it because of my high expectations due to all the hype and the extremely positive reviews (one of the reasons why I didn't enjoy films like Kammatipadam and Angamaly Diaries the way everyone did) but fortunately, Vada Chennai was everything I wanted it to be.
Right from the "Tarantinoesque" opening scene to the non-linear storytelling and the crisp screenplay and camerawork, one could easily say that this has every possibility to be India's answer to Goodfellas and a cult classic in the years to come if the upcoming sequels are just as good as this one or even better, which I'm pretty affirmative they would be. Vetrimaaran has successfully been able to engage the viewers right from the start with the classic story of the rise of a young prodigy into the vicious life of a mobster. The layered and intricate writing boosted by the incredible cinematography, especially the long takes make it a visual treat for the genre lovers. The casting was perfect. Even the supporting actors did a great job. Dhanush, as always, stole the show with his brutally realistic portrayal of his character "Anbu". Certain scenes, which I won't reveal here were phenomenal and made me gaze at the screen with awe.
Unfortunately, the only other film of Vetrimaaran that I've seen is Visaranai, which is a modern masterpiece and from the looks of this first installment to a trilogy, Vada Chennai is right up there along with it. A film not to be missed if you enjoy Gangster-Crime films. A powerful start to what is going to be a triumphant trilogy.
Right from the "Tarantinoesque" opening scene to the non-linear storytelling and the crisp screenplay and camerawork, one could easily say that this has every possibility to be India's answer to Goodfellas and a cult classic in the years to come if the upcoming sequels are just as good as this one or even better, which I'm pretty affirmative they would be. Vetrimaaran has successfully been able to engage the viewers right from the start with the classic story of the rise of a young prodigy into the vicious life of a mobster. The layered and intricate writing boosted by the incredible cinematography, especially the long takes make it a visual treat for the genre lovers. The casting was perfect. Even the supporting actors did a great job. Dhanush, as always, stole the show with his brutally realistic portrayal of his character "Anbu". Certain scenes, which I won't reveal here were phenomenal and made me gaze at the screen with awe.
Unfortunately, the only other film of Vetrimaaran that I've seen is Visaranai, which is a modern masterpiece and from the looks of this first installment to a trilogy, Vada Chennai is right up there along with it. A film not to be missed if you enjoy Gangster-Crime films. A powerful start to what is going to be a triumphant trilogy.