Vikranth Rona Review

The movie "Genres" falls under various categories: Action, Crime, Drama, Mystery, and Thriller. Anup Bhandari is the director, William David is the photographer, and Ashik Kusugolli is the editor.

The movie features a talented cast, including Sudeep, Nirup Bhandari, Neetha Ashok, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Ravishankar Gowda. Its release date is July 28, 2022, with a runtime of 2 hours and 27 minutes in the Kannada language.

Review

Vikranth Rona, a highly anticipated 3D action-adventure mystery thriller in Kannada, has let down even the most devoted fans of Kichcha Sudeep. The film, directed by Anup Bhandari (known for Rangitaranga), was initially called Phantom and generated a lot of buzz in South India due to its eerie trailers.

Although Kichcha Sudeep's performance and the stunning visuals of a tropical rainforest create a tense atmosphere, the movie ultimately fails to captivate the audience due to the director's weak plot and storytelling techniques. Despite Rangitaranga's success seven years ago, Anup Bhandari could not replicate it in this film.

Although they are unrelated, both movies share a similar narrative style. They are based on strange deaths near the forested areas of Dakshina Kannada. In Vikranth Rona, the deaths are of young children whose bodies are discovered hanging from trees, while in Rangitaranga, the victims are expectant mothers. Vikranth Rona may appeal to those who do not mind a horror mystery with a lot of drama but no logic. Anup has attempted to fulfill Sudeep's desire to create a film like Indiana Jones and Jumanji. However, the director could have better engaged the audience while doing so.

The movie's excessive references to 80s mystery films make it seem that themes like superstitions, fatalities, poverty, smuggling, and the oppression of lower castes are artificially inserted into the plot. Additionally, the film contains several logical inconsistencies. Furthermore, 3D technology is unnecessary for a storyline like this. The movie begins with a scene reminiscent of Rangitaranga and is set in a remote rainforest village fifty years ago. The villagers are deeply superstitious, and strange occurrences are commonly attributed to supernatural forces. However, the arrival of police inspector Vikranth Rona changes the situation dramatically, leading to a fiery climax.

Vikranth Rona was highly anticipated as one of the best movies in Kannada cinema, only behind KGF: Chapter 2. The film offers impressive visuals and some entertaining moments, but the director's attempts to add commercial elements to attract the audience need to hit the mark. The movie's second half could be faster, while the first half spends too much time introducing the characters. If the director wanted to appeal to children, they should have used child characters as the narrators.

In the movie, some standout performances are worth mentioning. Sudeep's Indiana Jones-inspired entrance on a ship, signature whistling, and other stunts will surely delight his fans. Nirup Bhandari's return to Kamarottu is also impressive and captivating. Neeta Ashok delivers an outstanding performance as Aparna. However, Jacqueline Fernandez's role is not very significant to the plot, and her dance number Ra Ra Rakkamma is the only thing that may appeal to younger viewers. Although Ajneesh B Lokanath's music adds to the movie's entertainment value, his attempts to create a realistic rainforest atmosphere with his sets fall short.

Vikranth Rona Movie Plus Points

• One of the film's greatest strengths is its exceptional production values. The scenes and environments are intriguing and create a sense of tension for the viewer. The camera work is particularly noteworthy, with lush forest scenes and mesmerizing background music being highlighted.
• Sudeep's exceptional performance makes him a valuable asset. He carried the movie well, despite having many solo parts. He appeared to be in good shape and performed admirably during the finale.
• Jacqueline Fernandez makes a charming guest appearance in the Rakamma song. The beginning of the film is exceptionally well-crafted, effectively establishing the story. The finale is executed impressively, satisfyingly revealing the murderer's identity.
• To create a suspenseful story, the filmmaker developed a new universe. The visual effects are impressive and add to the overall quality. The supporting cast delivered solid performances in their assigned roles, with Nirup Bhandari standing out in a significant role.

Vikranth Rona Movie Negative Points

• One of the main flaws of the film is its excessive length. To enhance the viewing experience, the movie needs to be trimmed by at least fifteen minutes, and it may be beneficial to remove one song.
• The first fifteen minutes set the premise nicely, but after that, the proceedings become off-track and boring for the audience. They lose interest in the love tune and Sudeep's method of case investigation. Even the intermission blast fails to engage them.
• To make a suspenseful movie, the script must be engaging. Unfortunately, in this case, the script is lacking in some areas. While some parts are excellent, the rest of the sequences are slow and bring down the film's overall quality. Additionally, some action blocks seem unnecessary.

Technical Considerations

As mentioned, the production quality is excellent, and the forest scenes are so realistic that it's hard to tell if they are set in nature. The background music, props, costumes, and visuals add to the experience. Although the storyline is decent, the editing could use some improvement. On a positive note, the Telugu dubbing is well done.

Regarding the film's direction, Anup Bhandari did a decent job. The atmosphere he created to convey the suspenseful drama is noteworthy, even though the plot's premise is simple. The acting, technical work, and characterization in Vikranth Rona are all excellent. However, the screenplay needs to be more compelling. The narration could be more transparent and may leave the audience perplexed. The overall result could have been improved if the narrative had been conveyed more effectively by reducing the run time by fifteen minutes.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Vikranth Rona is a suspenseful thriller with a fantastic setting, impressive production quality, and Sudeep's outstanding performance. Despite its captivating universe, the movie's unnecessarily long runtime and convoluted plot may detract from the viewing experience. It may be worth watching if you can overlook these flaws this weekend. The movie received a rating of 2.75 out of 5.