Much awaited movie of 2016 Action Hero Biju.First time in Malayalam Industry I have seen a cop movie without drama, A real Cop movie. Some times something felt unusual in nivin pauly's dialoge delivery rather than that the role of S.I Biju Paulose was safe in nivin's hand.Anu Eammanual doesn't have much role. The another person with strong character is none another than Suraj Venjaramood . He is having only two seens ,but once again he proved that why he got national award.Initially this movie got lot of negative reviews from social media . i don't know why this movie got such type of comments . Someone try to underrate this movie .This type of underrating is not good for malayalam film industry. Moreover most of the negative comments having same pattern
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edwinbaby21 February 2016
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jonjomon6 February 2016The movie is set in kochi and its outskirts, and takes us through the life line of a Sub Inspector (almost one month in his rather ordinary but eventful life). No extravagant sets, no Punch dialogues, No high octane stunts. In fact it has nothing out of the ordinary, everything is shown as it is.But still its entertaining enough for those who likes a reality check every now and then. Nivin Pauly in his first outing as a police officer didn't disappoint, he presented a rather believable (than a applaudable) cop, there are some bits of goose bump moments just for the fans, but still overall a good transition from the lover boy(not saying that no one could have done it better than him). The ambiance of the police station is captured like never before, and the director Abrid Shine deserves a pat on the back for that alone.Director and scripters have also tried to highlight some social relevant issues too, which is very welcome. Our society definitely needs some reminders.The movie stays apart from the rest of the so called investigative thriller masalas with its innate simplicity and realistic portrayal of a cops life with all the positives and negatives and challenges faced. Surajs Venjaramoods cameo is one to be looked out for. Almost all of the supporting cast and other characters excelled in subtly.Even though the whole movie is just a chain of events with no connectivity what so ever, you never feel that while you are watching it, and that i think is the biggest merit of the movie. 80's feel of the songs will definitely win over some of us who are into melodies and things. Nothing was out of place and some drone/helicam shots did show a beautiful birds-eye of Kochi. Note: its not an out of the box movie but definitely one that steps over the normal boundary of cop flicks. Don't wait for the DVD's on this one, go in with zero hype and you will be entertained.
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aashishnair78906 February 2016"ACTION HERO BIJU" is not PREMAM. The film was nothing like I expected, but I gotta say I was surprised in a very good way. The movie follows a series of sub- plots ordered in a fine sequence. As the tag line suggests, its just a ride with a police officer. Nivin Pauly has his problems when it comes to do stuff outside his comfort zone, but he shines in this one, unlike in IVIDE. I don't know about others, but I was completely satisfied with his performance. Each and every actors who played the supporting characters were awesome. I will never forget the performance of Suraj Venjaramoodu. The film has life only because the actors are so good. Abrid Shine has made a bold attempt to do a kind of film like this, but hats off. I bet no one could pull this off like he did. This film is not for everyone, and it may not be accepted in theaters now, but this movie is going to be a milestone in the careers of each and everyone associated with it, and yeah it's definitely gonna be a part of Malayalam Cinema hall of fame.
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akshayambadi9 February 2016Action hero biju is a tribute to one of the most thankless jobs in India - the one of normal policemen. Respect for Nivin Pauly for having chosen to invest in this unconventional yet hard hitting movie as his first production venture, that too when his commercial viability is at its peak. If i were mr.Thiruvanjoor Radhakrishnan who handles ministry for films at present, having held the helm of home ministry before, i would make this film tax free and arrange mandatory screening every for school/college. Social commitment through mass media at its heights. It could have been made a mass entertainer with a lot of scope for clichéd punch dialogues et all but director Abrid Shine chose it to make it as rooted to the ground as possible, devoid of any super human antics. As for actors, all characters will remain in and some will even haunt your psyche long after you have left the movie theatre and it would be an injustice to mention a few.Don't go by the name and expect a comedy fest or hard core action folks!! Go watch it with an open mind and experience how a non-mainstream film can entertain and provide you food for thought.
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sreerahindia5 February 2016the movie was an exceptional entertainer with a good point of view towards the Indian police and its administration..... overall this film was greatly up viewers expectations..... this film is certainly an one- time watch..... Biju Paulose has really changed our view towards the Indian police service. we thought them to be corrupted and lazy but this film portrays how they actually are. a ride with a police officer and his assistants is an apt tag-line for the film. Nivin Pauly has done a great job as always in the film as ACTION HERO BIJU...... We will definitely respect Indian police after this film. Joju George and other constables have acted exceptionally well and also have entertained us to the best level.
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nairtejas6 February 2016At the moment in Malayalam cinema, we have independent and experimental and new wave and creative films on one hand and masala entertainers and potboilers on the other. This film falls on neither, for it is a massively artistic venture by a team who previously gave us a film with similar undertones.
Biju (Pauly) is a smart, suave, learned, fit, righteous, and almost self-righteous human being with a paunch who shoved his bunch of educational degrees aside and signed up to become a policeman, now with a glamorous work history of five years. So when people come to him with problems aplenty, he turns his station into a court of sorts and begins his people-friendly (jana-mythiri?!) policing and somehow manages to settle those problems. Always. Whether by his severe bashing-up routine or by shaping his piercing mustache's burns so that the man in front of him pees without even opening his fly - Biju settles the case. That is the fictional tale of a policeman's work - and what the film is all about.
If you were to go to the Muvattupuzha police station and have a sneak peek, you wouldn't find Biju, nor would you find him or any policeman like him in Kadavanthara police station. Maybe in Angamaly? Nah. Why? Because what the makers have created here is a fictitious depiction of an ideal policeman, of course, with respect to the current times which are hard and harrowed. So while one cannot call the film a 'true case,' it definitely is entertaining if not believable.
Biju handles all sorts of cases: from drug busts to catching 'freaks' (or 'freakers') with afros and fade-in hairstyles, theft cases, family issues, and awkward love stories to name a few, which are all, unfortunately, the current topics doing the rounds in our police stations. The social touch given by the makers is absolutely relevant and true to the effect that we need policemen like Biju.
Nivin Pauly is, without a doubt, brilliant. Just brilliant in his portrayal of this suave and sharp cop who doesn't open his hands bare to be greased by henpecked ministers or those powerhouses that we see in other movies. He knows to smash words up their noses and still have no fear of suspension or transfer, because, did you forget, this is fiction! Venjaramoodu is good, but I won't call his portrayal great because it's his sympathy-attracting character that rolls the dice. We all know he is a good actor unless he starts blabbering 'valippu!'
I am straining on the film being a fiction not because other similar films aren't, but because the gist of the film lies in this fictionalization of a real-life character who we all see and sometimes (often due to bad things) encounter. As a result, it definitely has its flaws, but the clever elements employed in showcasing policemen at work without involving bureaucracy is the mastery the film reflects. However, people shouldn't believe everything that they see, and with this film, this warning becomes bolder. You will still be going through a plight and the worse days of your life if you are caught with a drug smuggler.
Well-directed and aptly shot sequences takes the audience on a field trip to not the life exactly, but the profession of a cop. The intricacies are shown to some extent and it causes joy. A newbie is cast as Biju's fiancée because all she does is talk to him on the phone in a montage that is more music than audio. But I won't blame anyone here, because if you observe the films coming out lately (since 2013), every other one has a new face for an actress. It's because films nowadays are filled with testosterone and mostly narrate stories centred on a male protagonist. Actresses are even behind supporting actors, only put there to satiate the male gaze or to add a romantic tone to the film. People may not even go to the cinemas if the film doesn't have an actress. Who's to blame? In this film's case, had there been no actress, I am pretty sure it wouldn't have done commercially as well as it is doing now or will do. Critics may take a note and appreciate it even, but the mass of people want the action hero to romance someone, and it cannot be a bark of a tree, now can it?
Coming back to the film, the background score is the best thing about the film. Reminding me of Hollywood crime dramas like Sicario (2015) and True Detective (TV; 2014), the score consisting of drums and bass amazingly drives the story forward like it is the fuel. And this score is played at the right junctures and adds considerably to the entertainment quotient. Rajesh Murugesan has never disappointed us, and in here, he proves his genius.
Overall, the film is a pure shine. Although it goes slightly off in the start of second half, there is not a single dull moment anywhere, not even during the songs. Shine really pulls off the story with great direction and clever attention to details.
BOTTOM LINE: Abrid Shine's Action Hero Biju is an artistic depiction of a fictional tale about an ideal policeman that is well-directed, well-written, and well-acted, proving once again that Nivin Pauly is the king of Malayalam cinema at the moment. Recommended!
GRADE: B-
Can be watched with a typical Indian family? YES -
This movie was awesome. I had a smile on my face as the end credits were rolling in. I was so engaged throughout the film, my eyes were glued to the screen. In one word, it was entertaining.
Action Hero Biju is different from other kinda cop films usually seen in Indian commercial cinema. This one is very realistic in style and shows the day to day activities of Sub-inspector Biju (Nivin Pauly). I was emotionally connected to the different cases Biju had to encounter. Nivin Pauly performed well for the most part, he was the apt choice to play SI Biju. The supporting cast all played their parts well, especially Suraj Venjaramoodu who gave a brilliant performance. The cinematography was good. Loved some of the shots in the film. That definitely gave a different perspective from the usual cop films. Jerry Amaldev's songs were good and the heroine was okay though most of her scenes seemed unnecessary.
Overall, an engaging and entertaining picture. Malayalam cinema is going through a good phase. Adipoli! 8/10 -
afsalthodupuzha4 February 2016Action Hero Biju was among the most anticipated Malayalam movies in the recent times that generated huge pre-release buzz unlike any other mollywood movie in some years,even outside the state,being the immediate release of Nivin Pauly after the all-time-block-buster 'Premam' and the second directorial venture of Abrid shine who tasted both critical and commercial success with '1983'.The songs,second set of posters and theatrical trailer changed the total outlook about the film from being an action thriller to a realistic drama and naturally the hype was reduced to an extent,but somehow didn't reflect in the theatrical release that's huge considering the availability of screens for a Malayalam film in the present scenario.
"A Ride With A Police Officer" - the tag-line sums up the 145 minutes of narration that portrays the life of a normal police officer (played by Nivin Pauly) whom we may have met or might meet at least once in our lifetime.The character S.I Biju Paulose may look familiar to a good share of the audience and reminds us of ordinary policemen who are far from the larger than life cinematic depictions that we have come across in numerous films in the past.
Almost 75% of the movie have been shot inside the police station and a large number of petty cases are interpreted in between and how our protagonist Biju deals with these cases forms the crux of the storyline.
There are numerous moments to laugh and enjoy in the first half and the screenplay by Abrid Shine and Muhammad Shafeeq could succeed in taking the storyline forward well until it lost the grip some minutes into the second half where the narration lost its pace distastefully.On the positive side,Abrid managed to regain the lost drive in narration with course of time upto an extent and end the film on a passable,if not satisfactory note.Still,the fact remains that a better second half could have made this an altogether better cinematic experience.
In a way the movie is presented as a tribute to all the heroic police officers in the department who are willing and ever-ready to serve the needy,being a sign of hope that's always with and for the common people.Additionally a large number of socially relevant issues are touched and the social commentary involved went well even though a large number of dialogs felt preachy and defenseless due to the voice modulation of Nivin that doesn't suit that of a strict police officer that he is.
Nivin Pauly was good in the role of Biju,but couldn't work wonders like in Premam here as his voice failed to match the authority of the dialogs and it felt as if this might limit his decision to experiment with different genres and to handle more powerful characters with depth unlike the ones he has presented till now.Anu Emmanuel comes in 3-4 scenes and was totally wasted.The show-stealer in the movie was Suraj Venjaramood who gave a mind-blowing act even though his role was minimal-a testimony on his range of acting indeed! Joju George,Kalabahvan Shajon etc and a large number of débutant actors did their part well except a few who were struggling on their first attempt.
Rajesh Murugesan failed to produce matching backgroundscore for the movie and this affected the flow of the narration in at least a couple of situations.Songs by Jerry Amaldev were okayish,but a more youthful soundtrack could have suited the storyline better.Editng and Cinematogrpahy by Manoj and Alex.J.Pulikal were good.
Overall,Action Hero Biju is an average cop-drama with realistic narration that wont disappoint you if you go without huge expectations. -
findsarosh15 August 2020Great acting ! Fresh theme ! Entertainment ! You name it - it has it all. This is what I love malayalam movies ! Definitely Nivins best performance so far! Loved it!
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sandoc24 March 2016Thoroughly enjoyed watching this off-beat movie which has more good aspects than the usual run of the mill movies coming out from India.There is bit of over glorification of the police force. But at the same time the movie gives a sympathetic attitude to other professions like doctors, advocates,teachers and other government officials. Politicians and thugs are given their own due. .. Quite hilarious at times, didn't feel bored at all even though there is no continuous story as in other movies from beginning to end... There is bit of too much violence at times which could have avoided... The music is OK, the end scene is clearly influenced by the ending of batman movies..To be frank, the music and the narration at the end of the movie is enough to lift Nivin Pouly to stardom..! Salute to Batman of malayalam cinema..
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vjnambu3 April 2019Since the evolution of Indian cinema, we have grown up watching police films where the cop is a superhero who singlehandedly takes down the corrupt system and crimelords. Also we have seen cops in negative light who misuse their power, takes bribe from others and acts as an aide for criminals. Many actors including Amitabh Bachchan became superstars by doing cop roles. In Malayalam, cop films of Suresh Gopi carved an image of police among the minds of Keralites. When police films were turning monotonous, here comes director Abrid Shine with his second directorial venture Action hero Biju breaking all the stereotypes of police cinema. It narrates the ride of S.I. Biju Poulose played by Nivin Pauly and the various petty and serious cases handled by him. Action hero Biju showcases how actually policemen work in real life and also shows what happens truly in a police station. This movie shows that police handle multiple cases at the same time rather than the entire focus being on a single case. Several cases come in this film in which some are funny, some emotional and some of them make you proud of Kerala police. Nivin Pauly gives a superb performance as Biju but sometimes falters in dialogue delivery when he mouths Suresh Gopi trademark dialogues. Anu Emmanuel has nothing to do, Joju was nice as Constable mini, rest of the cast were decent but the true show stealer is Suraj Venjaramoodu who in just two scenes proved what he is capable of. The only drawback you will naturally find is that it has no story. From start to finish it continuously shows several cases coming to Biju. But this would be the first film which I wouldn't mind if it has no story. Except pookal pannineer pookal, all songs composed by Jerry amal dev are forgettable. Even the placement and picturization of pookal pannineer song is not apt. On the whole, Action hero Biju is not for those who expect over the top police film but for those who are open to accept a realistic and fresh police film. Note: My dad does not like much the new gen malayalam films and prefers only old malayalam films. But action hero Biju is his favorite films of recent times and loves watching it whenever it comes on TV.
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Kadher_mohideen4 July 2020The story is about the life of the sub-inspector(Nivin Pauly). The movie was very realistic. It was not like the other Indian police movies that the sub inspector was not mess with any other international criminals, it was about the real cases faced by the sub inspector in day to day life.
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tomphiliprrsk4 February 2016Action Hero Biju directed by ABRID SHINE starring NIVIN PAULY Is a movie that justifies its tag line with good amount of comedy. the movie concentrates on life of a police man named BIJU (nivin) the way he deals with problems is different .
comedy 8/10
romance 3/10
action 5/10
plot 5/10
the way the movie tells its story is good and different
not like every movie the villain of the movie appears only in the climax
not like every police story every police officers in the movie are good and descent
the movie also showcases how hard is the life of a police officer is
no body among nivins team is corrupt nor with villains -
JPEI6414 April 2020Managed to catch this only recently on Disney+Hotstar and I am glad I did. Well made original story with some great acting!! Nivin is simply brilliant! And every single other character around him has performed superbly too - I understand that most of them are not even actors by profession!
This kind of movie elevates the Malayalam film industry to several levels that other regional cinemas will find very very hard to keep up with.
Well done!! -
mi-9200124 February 2021Literary this movie impressed me by its story and screen play. This movie has no main villain well that's a different things from other cop stories. But it made happy and sad inneach scenes This is really a good one
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Dear Abrid Shine,
it was a great idea to make a police procedural with no real plot - just one case getting solved after another. Though at the end of it, I was reminded of End of Watch which did sort of have the same structure. But your film was not plagiarized in any way.
Don't think I did not notice that most of the cases handled by Biju (Nivin Pauly) and his team of officers were ones involving regular people or small time crooks. You did not take on any big shots or political parties and completely avoided mention of any religious face offs which are quite common in Kerala. That is self censorship but I discussed the film with a cousin of mine and he said something interesting. If the film targeted well known political leaders and religious figures it would have been like a Shaji Kailas-Renji Panicker film. Instead, the film was up to its neck in interesting working class characters and their problems.
The patriotic stuff and the right-wing attitude of the police officer were slight aberrations. Though it could be true to life. The speech at the school was sanctimonious crap.
Major Ravi was miscast in the role of the senior police officer. Sooraj Venjaramoodu stood out in his small role. The praise he has been getting is well deserved.
The background score was unremarkable. What happened there?
You could have done so much more with this structure. The cases could have been more interesting. Most of them were aimed at getting people to laugh. Nothing wrong with that since Action Hero Biju is a commercial film. The ending suggested that there would be a sequel. I guess I'll watch it.
Best Regards, Pimpin.
(6/10) -
achayanpt12 September 2020Atypical, realistic cop movie that impresses....Entirely different from usual mass police movies like Commissioner, Inspector Balram etc. Nivin Pauly has done his role perfectly...
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fbqdqw25 April 2021An amazing movie with an anthology type style with superb acting. This movie is a must watch.
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#ahb is a powerful attempt from from abrid shine and nivin pauly. despite of all negative reviw the film worked as it means.... social committed movie... What is the role of a policeman in the society? OK, we think it is to safeguard people and their property of the locality he is in charge of. But, our films tend to show only the extremes; either make a superhero out of him who takes on the corrupt system single-handedly and walks away in slow motion after blowing up the bad guys in the end or the link in the nexus between the politician, police and the criminal, a dark and grumpy persona without an iota of humanness in his personality. hats offf..
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mspradeesh7867 February 2016This movie fails to make impact.It's a failure from the start go...No matter how the makers love to portray a honest officer (the Jana maitri type)...this movie is full of pitfalls. Nivin should only try movies with Alphonse!!!! At-least the latter knows a know how about this lame actor. The music is not in tune with the scenes....The Actor is not in tune with Uniform...and a person like nivin should not have the globe visible in between his legs!!!!!The theme is brilliant...but it is not worth a dime!!!! The only like is...I went to see this movie with my child...who like- Nivin's son- do go to watch movies- to have pop corn.....To them theaters are places to eat their favorite soaps!!!! I did oblige!!!!!
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Vibijithnair7 January 2018~mild spoilers~ Plot: Journey with a police officer and how he handles his daily petty case.
Considering the fact that the film has no story, yet it has kept me engaged throughout. Like many stated it was indeed a realistic cop film infact I couldn't agree anymore. Despite the realistic label given to film it does has its flaws like our hero Biju remind us of Bharatchandran IPS how he bashes political head, human rights and thugs, which can be ignored blindfoldedly. Film has manage to bring many socially and sensitive relevant topics like drugs, human rights etc. Many characters made their presence here and there and ended their story without much revelation, Realistic storystelling? Maybe I suppose. Thats how real life is.
Acting wise Suraj with small appearance outclassed everyother actors, best from him so far. Nivin pauly was good in parts at times couldn't bring the intensity when needed. Anu emmanuel has nothing much to do except to look pretty. Guy who sang muthe ponne should be applauded. Characters(read actors) involved in drug scene were quite good especially the actors who portrayed parents role.
Music was pretty decent IMO. I liked chiri punchiri song played towards the end and Vande matharam was pretty good. Bgm at certain portion was really good. Technical sides were good especially helly cam shot in the end reminded me of Fahad faasil's Friday(film).
Overall, film with no story line managed to engaged me that too after repeated viewings, something that many film fail to accomplish. I'll rate this film to be the best to come out this year. Worth watching! Rating:8.5/10 -
vinodmgeorge14 December 2016In my eyes, a movie's highly successful when its closer to reality (in comparison to previous movies in that genre) and entertains at the same. Action Hero Biju hits the bulls-eye.
The key highlights of the movie are
(1) How the screenplay handles the subplots is super. Although at the end of the movie, you know there are multiple stories, you wouldn't feel it during the movie. (2) the way it interconnects each and every person in the police station. Major portion of the movie is in the station itself! (3) One impromptu song is shot very well by Abrid.
The only reason I took away a point is because I felt the songs and background music could have elevated the movie even further. But that's just nitpicking. One movie I would surely recommend anyone and everyone to watch. -
danieljames-dj17 September 2021The movie is about a police officer and the life of police officer is shown really nicely. Worth watching.
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ganesv-6142925 February 2016OK movie in general but so many loose links and very bad editing. Certain scenes, characters and songs were not needed at all and the heroine was pathetic except her looks and smile. Some characters were introduced with some problems but were left unfinished / missed out. The climax was the most unexpected one and made us sit with wide open mouths thinking how this happened with the heroine!! Very good action sequences by Nivin and he definitely has done justice to the role. Some other police officers/ constables were also good and so were the duologue's. Some good messages were conveyed throughout the movie but i doubt if everyone would like this kind of a movie especially if he is not a NIVIN fan ..and definitely not worth the 8 and 10 stars I would give a 5.5/10
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sesht18 February 2016The director and the main lead get together after one of their better outings, 1983.
At the very outset, let me mention that I prefer that over this, both in terms of storytelling, and the plot itself.
Not to say that this doesn't have meat on its bones, but its a largely plot less series of vignettes in the life of a passionate, honest cop, who believes in bending the rules to an extent, to justify his empathy for his fellow human being, whom he just happens to haul in the slammer (with reason!).
Shot much better than '1983' was, with Pauly giving as great a performance as he did in that one, along with 'Premam, 'Ohm Shanthi Ohshaana', 'Premam', 'Bangalore days', 'Oru vadakkan selfie' and 'Neram'. Listed all those just to let you know that neither this, nor 'Premam', were flashes in the pan for this young talent.
He has bulked up for the role, and I think I did see evidence of changes in his body language to be role-appropriate.
The movie is more about its sub-plots, with the main lead, and the characters in his station, being our anchors. Most plot threads reach their conclusion, but if one comes in expecting 1 solid plot that unravels all the way to the end, you're in for a colossal disappointment (not that, exactly, but a let-down of sorts, that most of my friends seem to have experienced, and are quite vocal about). All the sub-plots are decent with one featuring Suraj Venjaramoodu (national award winner for the fantastic-yet-underseen 'Perariyaathavar') and another featuring character actress Rohini ('Baahubali', 'Ala Modalaindi', 'Nenu Sailaja').
The songs, other than for the impromptu folk song at the station (gimmicky-than-organic, for a movie that's mostly organic, sadly), are completely forgettable, and could have been edited out. The background score, on the other hand, by Rajesh 'Premam' Murugesan, is pretty decent, though not as great as 'Premam' was.
Also, for a movie that gives many of its sub-plots a chance, the leading lady is given short-shrift, leading me to conclude that her track could have been completely edited out, and the movie might have been all the better for that.
Certain sub-plots also meander and go on for a while, like the one with the walkie-talkie, which ends, for lack of a better word, weirdly. Also, the irony that the makers wanted to highlight in another sub-plot, is far too heavy-handed/ham-fisted, except for the characterization of the family's patriarch, which is also something like a sore thumb sticking out.
In a kinda weirdly (there's that word again) faux-climax, the wire- fu that's been avoided all the way until them makes an unwelcome appearance. Plus, all the main lead's acting cannot hide his character's need to verbalize exposition, and perhaps breaking down the 4th wall might just have worked as a narrative method, considering the few occasions when he sermonizes for no reason, giving us his past information (alright, not us, but sub-plot characters) for little/no reason. Credit to Nivin that he pulls those off too...
All in all, definitely a good time at the movies, for a discerning audience, but something that could have been much, much more......