When you make a brutal revenge thriller, comparisons with John Wick are almost inevitable. When you take an elite assassin as the main character who can use violence with practically any object, the parallels are pretty much inevitable. But the new Indian action hit Kill in Hindi is much more than John Wick on a train and brings a breath of fresh air to an increasingly bland genre.
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Directed by Hurdang director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, the film is about an army commando named Amrit (Porus star Lakshya) who finds out that his long-time girlfriend Tulika (Tanya Maniktala of A Suitable Boy) has entered into an arranged engagement against her will. Determined to stop the impending wedding, he boards a train to New Delhi, corners Tulika and promises to marry her instead.
Soon, the romance takes a turn for the worse when a gang of knife-wielding thieves come on board, intent on robbing the passengers. Led by the psychotic Fani (Raghav Juyal), things quickly escalate as a cross-country train ride turns into a brutal – and I mean brutal – rampage.
The setup is propulsive, and Bhat perfectly packs soundtrack interludes, witty one-liners, and absolutely devilish violence into an R-rated package. So far, so good, and comparisons to similar railroad thrillers like Bullet Train and Snowpiercer are all well-deserved in this electrifying action film. While Kill’s stunts undoubtedly rival those of its predecessors, they actually hide something far more surprising than that comparison suggests.
Senseless killing
Kill doesn’t shy away from its murders, but not in a cartoonish way where the thugs’ bodies pile up and are quickly pushed aside to keep the pace going. No, the film takes its time examining its deaths, from the immediate circumstances in which they occur to the consequences they cause.
This is all due to the emotional stakes that run throughout the film. Not only is our hero fighting for the purest of feelings – love – but the gang of thieves led by Fani also has their own ties. They are all related, meaning that after an initial wave of violence, there is time and contemplation as both sides mourn their losses. Then it is this desperate feeling that fuels the next wave of murder.
“I wanted the audience to feel compassion for them and I wanted to portray the villains as human,” said Bhat Times Now News about his “bad guys” in Kill. “I wanted the audience to feel their loss and their pain too.” He succeeds in doing this throughout, not by giving the audience a lot of backstory, but by giving them space to grieve, which is actually quite revolutionary for an action film that relies so heavily on its pacing.
The line between justice and revenge is still blurred in the fight. In a poignant moment, Fani tells Amrit, “I killed four of your people. You destroyed 40 of my family.” His eyes reflect horror as he continues, “You are not a protector, you are a monster.” It makes you think: Who are we supposed to support here?
Moral issues in action heroes are nothing new, but there’s something very compelling about Kill’s approach. As an ultra-violent film about the senselessness of violence, the thriller operates in an interesting space, questioning its gruesome scenes while also foregrounding them. It’s a difficult dynamic to unravel, but the mere fact that this dichotomy is even acknowledged is sure to provoke debate among audiences. The consequences aren’t karate-chopped away here.
International enthusiasm
It’s no surprise then that Kill has already generated a lot of buzz. An early screening at last year’s TIFF got the ball rolling, and the film recently had its European premiere at the London Indian Film Festival, where it was screened in the coveted closing night slot. Lionsgate is also handling the international release, making the thriller the studio’s first South Asian feature.
Even the director of John Wick has taken notice, snapping up the film to re-release it in English with his production company. “Kill is one of the most vibrant, wild and creative action films I’ve seen in a while,” Chad Stahelski said of the acquisition, admitting they have “big shoes to fill.”
Famous fans aside, it’s clear why everyone is so in love. Kill revels in its violence and makes the most of its single location, giving audiences moments to cheer and scream. But there’s also room for genuine shock and heartbreak, so I hope audiences – and a potential remake – will take away more than just the film’s murderous premise.
After all, in this age of hype and franchise turnover, it’s rare that something like this breaks through and takes audiences in an unexpected direction. Kill does just that, making you wonder why the brutality captivates us so much while also taking you along for the thrilling ride. Be sure to reserve your aisle seat for this film in advance.
Kill is in cinemas today after premiering at the London Indian Film Festival. For more on the films, check out the rest of our Big Screen Spotlight series.
We also have a roundup of the best thrillers and action movies to watch right now.
