Thangalaan is a historical drama set in the 18th century, directed by Pa Ranjith. Starring Vikram in the lead role, the film depicts the struggles of a tribal community against colonial forces, set against the backdrop of gold mines. Initially released in theaters on August 15, 2024, it became available on OTT platforms starting December 10, 2024, in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.

Plot
The story is set in a tribal village under North Arcot’s jurisdiction during the British era. The village chief, Thangalaan (Vikram), and his wife Jangamma (Parvathi Thiruvothu) lead their community amidst dire challenges. When their land is seized and they are forced into bonded labor, the situation escalates.

Meanwhile, British officer Lord Clement (Daniel Caltagirone) is determined to discover hidden gold mines in the region. Believing the tribal knowledge holds the key, he offers Thangalaan a share of the gold in exchange for his assistance. Motivated by the hope of a better future, Thangalaan agrees but warns Clement about the mystical guard of the mines, Aarathi (Malavika Mohanan), a sorceress.

The narrative unfolds with the tribe’s journey to the gold mines, their struggles, and Thangalaan’s connection with Aarathi. What challenges await them? What is Aarathi’s true role? These questions drive the plot forward.

Analysis
The story of Thangalaan is penned by Tamil Prabha, focusing on a tribal community’s struggle to escape bonded labor and confront mystical forces and venomous snakes. Set against the backdrop of forests and hills, the narrative is rooted in the 18th century during the British colonial era. While the story is set in this period, the presence of British officers on screen is minimal. However, the tribal village setup feels natural and authentic.

Given the forest-centric narrative, the director did not face significant challenges in recreating the atmospheric setting. Particular attention has been paid to costumes and makeup, enhancing the authenticity of the characters. The involvement of established actors like Vikram and Parvathi Thiruvothu adds credibility and interest, making their on-screen presence commendable.

The director maintains a serious tone throughout the film, presenting it as a unique piece of content. However, this approach distances the film from mainstream entertainment, offering limited moments of joy or light-heartedness. Consequently, it feels closer to a documentary in certain parts.

There are a few controversial scenes and dialogues, and the Telugu dubbing fails to align seamlessly with the characters. For instance, the protagonist, a tribal leader, uses formal phrases like “Niksheptamai,” “Sanrakshinchu,” and “Mitrama,” which feel out of place for the character and setting, reducing the impact of the dialogues.

Performances
Vikram shines as Thangalaan, delivering a performance that elevates the film. His physical transformation and intense acting make the character memorable.
Parvathi Thiruvothu impresses in a supportive yet pivotal role as Thangalaan’s wife.
Malavika Mohanan and Daniel Caltagirone bring depth to their respective roles, adding intrigue to the narrative.
Supporting cast members, including Pasupathy, justify their parts well.

Technical Aspects
Cinematography: Kishore Kumar captures the rugged terrains and tribal life beautifully, adding a layer of realism to the narrative.
Music: G.V. Prakash Kumar’s background score is adequate, and the songs blend well with the period setting.
Editing: Selva’s editing maintains a steady pace but struggles to make the lengthy runtime feel engaging.

Strengths
Authentic depiction of tribal life and struggles.
Vikram’s stellar performance.
Strong technical execution, especially in costume design and cinematography.

Drawbacks
Slow-paced narrative with limited entertainment value.
Overly serious tone, making it feel more like a documentary.
Lack of emotional depth in certain scenes.

Verdict
Thangalaan is not your typical commercial entertainer. It is a serious, visually compelling drama that highlights the struggles of a tribal community during the colonial era. While it may not have performed well in theaters, its unique content and historical backdrop may find a niche audience on OTT platforms. For viewers seeking a raw, unglamorous cinematic experience rooted in history, Thangalaan offers a distinct take.

The premise of Steffen Haars’ latest collaboration with Nick Frost (the two have also worked together on Krazy House, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year and received less-than-favorable reviews) in Get Away seems oddly familiar with its primary inspiration: Ari Aster’s Midsommar. The movie, written by Frost, tracks a typical family on holiday in Sweden, and things go predictably wrong. We quickly learn that they long to take the ferry to Svälta, where, every year, the inhabitants of its ‘commune’ craft an eight-hour play to remember their darkest day, known as Karantan. Expectedly so, when they arrive, the family, comprised of Richard (Frost), Susan (Aisling Bea), Sam (Sebastian Croft), and Jessie (Maisie Ayres), is unwelcome on the island. 

First, they are warned by a restaurant owner not to step foot in Svälta (if they want to remain alive, thus the title, “Get Away”). Then, they are told to leave by its inhabitants. However, they did rent an Airbnb and are, thus, reluctantly permitted to stay. There’s a political subtext that explains why they’re unwelcomed, but this doesn’t get exploited to its fullest extent. What instead follows rehashes plenty of narrative (and thematic) beats we have seen in a film like Midsommar, where the family is constantly frightened by Svälta’s community, whether being observed in secret or in planting a dead animal carcass at their front door. 

Suffice it to say things aren’t going well for this family…until Haars takes an abrupt right turn before its climax with one hell of a twist. Initially, the presentation of that reveal is respectable enough and relatively fun to watch. Haars saves all of the carnage (and a sick Iron Maiden needle-drop) for that part of the movie where the emotional connection with the protagonists is now at its highest because we now understand why they are here at this specific moment in Svälta. It’s something this reviewer won’t give away because many won’t see it coming, even if some clues in its opening section may point some astute viewers in this direction. 

After such a scene where the film’s blood-soaked gore is exacerbated by nifty practical effects and comically twisted violence, Get Away abruptly stops giving its central twist momentum and begins to peter out. The comedic punchline of that sequence is well-executed, and it gets undoubtedly over-the-top. Still, there’s an incessant disconnection with the protagonists that we begin to feel as soon as Haars takes that abrupt right turn and does nothing of interest with it. Perhaps the Midsommar sections of ‘bad things happening to certain family members who are gaslighted by others in thinking everything’s fine when it is not’ aren’t particularly inspired, but it at least puts the audience in a relatively safe place where they can attach themselves to the protagonists, because they know what’s coming. 

Because of this, the twist looks bold and certainly leans us forward to the screen once it occurs. However, when doing something like this, Haars (and, by extension, Frost) must commit to that abrupt shift and consistently make it a part of the movie’s identity. Unfortunately, it only seems to exist to distract audiences from the fact that its setting (and plot) feels awfully close to another – and better – movie. 

That said, the core relationship of Richard’s family in its pre-twist section is entertaining enough. Frost, in particular, is quite adequate, even if he plays an extension of the figures he portrayed in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy. Only when the movie reaches that twist does this character relationship become less interesting because it boxes all of the protagonists inside one-note attributes without ever fleshing them out. As a result, when Get Away reaches its comical ending, it doesn’t land with the emotional – or cathartic – feeling that it should. 

The funny thing about this is how the film’s pre-twist half set up a rather intriguing rivalry between the family and commune, with its leader (played by Anitta Suikkari) wanting to resurrect an age-old tradition that Svälta’s inhabitants are opposed to. There’s a debate within the village that could’ve truly fractured them and led the film to a subversively fun climax where, in any event, practical blood will pour down like there’s no tomorrow. It does, but not in the way you think. Of course, Haars definitely has fun killing people with as many vintage effects as he can, and we are also primed to enjoy watching this deliciously twisted feast of blood and guts. But at what emotional cost?

SCORE: ★★

Related

The first reviews for A Complete Unknown are in, and critics are mostly raving about the Bob Dylan biopic. 

Directed by James Mangold, the film follows Timothée Chalamet’s Dylan from January 1961 to his 1965 concert at the Newport Folk Festival. The singer-songwriter has just arrived in New York City from Minnesota and is ready to explore the city’s folk music scene and find chart-topping success. Along the way, Dylan stirs up controversy over his use of electronic instruments. 

Based on Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric! Newport, Seeger, Dylan, and the Night That Split the Sixties, A Complete Unknown is already receiving awards buzz. The biopic was nominated for three Golden Globes, including best motion picture – drama and best performance by a male actor in a motion picture – drama.

As of Tuesday afternoon, A Complete Unknown had a Rotten Tomatoes score of 74 percent from 58 reviews, and a 70 percent rating on Metacritic from 27 reviews. Chalamet is a producer on the film, which is set to hit theaters on Dec. 25 and also stars Edward Norton, Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro, Boyd Holbrook and Scoot McNairy in supporting roles.

The Hollywood Reporter‘s chief film critic David Rooney calls Chalamet’s performance “electrifying — in every sense” and applauds the actor’s voice, which he says is “raw, nasal, scratchy but full of passion, anger and wry wisdom” and “near enough to the original to be unmistakable and yet colored by the actor’s persona to a degree that suggests something closer to symbiosis than impersonation.”

“Any Dylan fan or indeed anyone with a fondness for the music coming out of New York City in the first half of that tumultuous decade will find ample pleasures in Mangold’s expertly crafted film,” Rooney writes. “The period recreation is impeccable, and the many music performance sequences could not be more transporting, benefiting enormously from lead actors doing their own singing with estimable polish.”

The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw writes that “Timothée Chalamet’s hilarious and seductive portrayal of Bob Dylan makes him the smirking, scowling and unwilling leader of his generation, whose refusal to submit to the crucifixion of folk-acoustic purity is his own crucifixion. Chalamet gives us a semi-serious ordeal of someone who is part Steinbeck hero, part boyband star, part sacrificial deity.”

The BBC’s Caryn James gushes about Norton, who is nominated for a Golden Globe for best supporting actor. 

“Edward Norton delivers a sly turn as Pete Seeger, who happens to be visiting at that moment and takes Dylan under his wing,” James writes. “As the film goes on, Norton is especially good at capturing the respect tinged with jealousy Dylan evokes in Seeger, benevolence turning to rigid disapproval when Dylan’s music begins to change. Like all the other supporting actors, Norton does his own singing, impressively.”

USA Today’s Brian Truitt compares A Complete Unknown to Mangold’s 2005 music biopic Walk the Line: “Mangold’s outing is an entertaining and magnetic watch, just as much as his standout Johnny Cash movie Walk the Line. The movie doesn’t bother with a backstory — only a photo album and mail addressed to ‘Robert Zimmerman’ nod to his past — and is much better for it. And while Chalamet nicely matches Dylan’s nasal delivery on all-timers like ‘Girl from the North Country’ and ‘Blowin’ in the Wind,’ his performances feel wholly authentic rather than annoyingly imitative.”

Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com writes that A Complete Unknown “is about all the variables that shape and warp creativity.” 

“Eschewing the often-shallow approach of the cradle-to-the-grave biopic to tell a formative chapter in music and world history, Mangold’s film fluidly captures the intersection of art and fame with solid performances, unshowy direction and organic editing,” Tallerico says. “As someone who generally loathes the ‘greatest hits’ storytelling of films about famous figures and how they often rely on the printed legend instead of doing anything, and someone who has a strong love for the music of the purposefully enigmatic Bob Dylan, I have to admit to expecting A Complete Unknown to be predictably out of tune. Like its subject has done so many times in his six-decade career, this one exceeds expectations.”

IndieWire’s David Ehrlich gave the music biopic a harsher review, writing that the film is “admirable yet deeply frustrating.” 

“Eager to defy the kind of beat-by-beat explainer that Walk the Line might have led people to expect from him, but also fundamentally not the sort of filmmaker who shares Dylan’s instinct for coloring outside the lines (or his contrarianism), Mangold struggles to portray Dylan as an enigma without reducing him to an empty shell — a hollow vessel for his own genius,” Ehrlich writes. “The musician spends most of the movie fumbling his way from one moment of divine inspiration to the next, seemingly as unsure as we are about what his songs mean or where they might come from.”