*Disclaimer: This movie was watched in the dubbed Hindi version*
Produced and created with a group of India’s most prominent actors, for a supposed blockbuster film, “Kalki” turned out to be extremely mediocre.
Now, before I discuss the things that weren’t the best, I want to appreciate the good things about this movie. First of all, the CGI and editing in this movie were phenomenal. All of the tiny details in the setting and graphics of the film were well thought out, from the actual UFO (yes there was a UFO) itself to the little bits of rubble in the background.
In addition to the editing, I loved the actual concept of the movie. The idea of “Kalki” is derived from elements of the Mahabharata (a prevalent Indian epic), Ashwatthama, who is sentenced to immortality by the god Krishna to protect the last and final tenth avatar of Vishnu, who is said to save the world from destruction in the year 2898 AD. The setting mirrors a post-apocalyptic, dystopian society where the people are starving, being mistreated by the leaders and soldiers, and living in horrible conditions. Each of these individuals is working toward getting into the ‘ship’ where all of the ‘higher class’s individuals are allowed to live, through getting more ‘points’ by abiding by the orders of the leaders of this society.
While the premise has promise, the film could have been done much more successfully. The biggest crime in the movie was the unnecessary dragging out of the narrative and the overall structure of it. This made it feel quite boring to watch. There were key moments within the plot that they stretched out for far too long, so the intensity was lost, and the pace was uneven. For example, some specific scenes that were short and impactful such as the scenes that portrayed the harsh environment that the fertile women (who were used for giving birth to children in order to serve the antagonists) had to live in. On the other hand, a large portion of the movie was much longer than it needed to be, so it simply did not feel gripping at the stake. The action sequences, in particular, felt prolonged after a while, and while the film aimed for excitement, it got diluted due to that length. They even left off with the film’s ending being a cliffhanger (which is incredibly unnecessary); sources say that there will also be a sequel coming out in the next few years. I honestly think they could have capped off the entire story in a single movie. While tighter editing might also have helped with focus, the film in whole could have been bigger, better, and much more enjoyable.
Although the storyline was interesting, “Kalki” did not live up to its expectations. If you’re looking for an exciting watch and have lots of time on your hands, I would recommend this movie, but if you’re looking for something more fast-paced and calculated, I’m sorry, but this isn’t for you.
**This movie is rated PG-13 and contains violence; parental guidance is suggested for younger children. **
