KILL: The Name Says It All, As Bollywood Goes Full Die-Hard-On-a-Train

By Thom Ernst

Rating: A

I doubt it took long to settle on a title for director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat's latest action-thriller, KILL. Nothing about that title pussyfoots around the kind of movie Bhat has made.

Neither ironic nor misleading, KILL is precisely what a film called KILL should be: filled with irresponsible violence. (I don't know if responsible movie violence is a thing, but if so, I don't imagine it could be much fun.)

And that's what makes KILL soar. Aside from the exquisitely executed acts of outrageous (comic-book) mayhem, KILL is fun. KILL unleashes a vicious ballet of hand-to-hand combat, all within the narrow confines of a passenger train en route to New Delhi. To call KILL ''irresponsibly violent'' is merely emphasizing its virtues.

No worries, Amrit (Lakshya) soon gets the upper hand in KILL.

The lead-in to KILL is brilliantly deceptive, offering no indication of just how off-the-rails the film is willing to travel. It begins as an overwrought love story—all dreamy eyes, innocent gazes, and virtuous gestures—playing on the tradition of what North American audiences will likely identify as Bollywood. (The action takes place in New Delhi, so it is not officially Bollywood if the definition is determined by region.)

Amrit (Lakshya) learns that his girlfriend (Tanya Maniktala) has been strong-armed into an arranged marriage. He boards the train in a heroic effort to rescue her..

So far/so Bollywood. Hero. Heroine. And an unknown suitor as the villain.

But then things erupt when a gang of weapon-wielding bandits, led by the charismatic but ruthless Fani (Raghav Juyal), board the train. But Fani and his army of bullies and bandits board the wrong train. Wrong because Amir isn't just another lovelorn romantic with matinee good looks. Amir is part of an elite military group and is not averse to breaking a few limbs.

KILL premiered last year at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it placed first runner-up behind Dicks: The Musical for the Midnight Madness People's Choice Award.  Given how perfectly KILL fits into the Midnight Madness mold, it's a confounding loss. Dicks has its place in the MM universe as a bit of a frothy, somewhat cynical oddity. But it lacks the visceral madness and drive behind KILL.  KILL's broad strokes and theatrics make for highly entertaining craziness.

With the announcement of KILL's release comes news of Lionsgate's plan to make an English-speaking version. Despite the impressive names on the call sheet for the upcoming Anglicized remake - Alex Young and Jason Spitz of the John Wick franchise—my enthusiasm for the new film is, if not precisely stalled, then it's being held up at the station.

The pedigree for the new film almost guarantees that the new KILL will be good. But I fear that it will lack the unique Bollywood sensibility in gesture, style, and colours.

Bhat has made a film that embraces not just a genre but a culture and style, Bollywood (New Delhi or otherwise).

And for those who cringe at cinema violence and are concerned that the violence will be too intense...allow me to reassure you that the violence in KILLis acrobatic, graceful, comic-book silly and outrageous.

So, yes. It's probably too intense for those who don't like violence.

KILL, directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, stars Lakshya, Tanya Maniktala, and Raghav Juyal. KILL opens in select theatres on July 4, 2024.