Kalki 2898 AD

Ashwin also employs a multi-dimensional strategy in his framing as Coscarelli did in Beastmaster, with a foreground, middle ground, and far-off background enriching the composition. There is also excellent deployment of neon patterns shining from dark metal, which is some high-end Vader loveliness. The weaving of the Hindu elements into the futuristic imagery makes all of this extra trippy. Moviegoers will be engulfed in waves of wonder by the electrifying future-show visions, especially those with legal access (or otherwise) to cannabis. When it comes to impressive sci-fi visual embellishment, Ashwin proudly picks up his blade and runs with it.

“The weaving of the Hindu elements into the futuristic imagery makes all of this extra trippy.”

So, while we are cruising high on style, what about all the substance, especially with a three-hour run time? Great news! While the storyline follows well-trodden power fantasy paths, the pacing is swift, with no spots that drag. It has a very dense concept with many references to Hindu gods that may seem daunting but is really not. Once you start watching, you can easily see who the good guys and the bad guys are. I never had any trouble keeping up with the dance card of figures battling it out onscreen. While it has the massive look of a Hollywood tentpole, the Bollywood influence springs up in the most interesting places. There are two instances where everyone breaks out into a big Bollywood dance number, though they seem to be tempered down.

The rousing musical score by Santhosh Narayanan drenches all the fight sequences in rocket fuel and ignites them. Lead actor Prabhas gives us the double-barreled superstar treatment with all the charm and swagger you can handle. Padukone also does a grand job of maintaining the emotional nerve system of the narrative while holding the audience like a magnet. Chatterjee is superb as the heavy, with that cold-as-iron evil radiating into your guts. He is ruthless, without a stain of mercy anywhere, which is perfect. Both Haasan and Bachchan do very well manipulating the special make-up FX they steer throughout. Kalki 2898 AD is the kind of widescreen majesty that makes the butter of your popcorn shine in the dark. There isn’t anything else like it in the movies right now, so jump right in.