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

Jamie Foxx is finally telling the whole story about his hospitalization last year in the language he knows best: comedy.

In his new comedy special released Tuesday, the Oscar winner revealed that he suffered a stroke last April. At that time, Foxx’s family had released a since-deleted statement that he was receiving care for an undisclosed “medical complication.”

While Foxx continued to share updates on his recovery, he declined in March to tell the full story until he could do so “in a funny way,” Variety reported.

He made good on that promise with arrival of his Netflix stand-up special “What Had Happened Was.”

During the 68-minute show, Foxx recounts his months-long health journey — beginning with the April evening when a “bad headache” turned much graver.

“I asked my boy for a aspirin,” he recalled, “and I realized quickly that when you in a medical emergency, your boys don’t know what the f— to do.

“Before I could get the aspirin,” he continued, pausing to snap his fingers, “I went out. I don’t remember 20 days.”

With the help of friends and family, Foxx said he pieced together an account of what happened immediately after. The first doctor to see him administered a cortisone shot and sent him off with “half-star service,” he quipped.

But his younger sister Deidra Dixon, who he called “4 foot of nothing but pure love,” wasn’t satisfied. So she drove until she came upon Atlanta’s Piedmont Hospital. She had never heard of the facility before, Foxx said, “but she had a hunch that some angels is in there.”

That doctor said Foxx had a brain bleed that had led to a stroke, the comedian said, and his sister continually prayed during his entire operation.

“They put me back together again,” Foxx said. “Atlanta saved my life.”

When he finally woke up one morning in May 2023, “The Jamie Foxx Show” star said he was startled to find himself in a wheelchair and stubbornly insisted on attempting to walk. Dramatically reenacting the scene in the special, Foxx’s legs tremble, his eyes wide. In the end, he said he admitted defeat.

Throughout the special, the “Just Mercy” actor also joked about his daughter Corinne’s fears that he would be “memed” for his condition, adding that being bathed by his nurse was more scarring than the stroke itself.

“You have no idea how good this feels,” Foxx told the Atlanta crowd as he opened his set. “If I dance all night, don’t mind me. I’m happy to be alive.”

Corinne Foxx first announced in April 2023 that Foxx was being treated for a medical emergency. In response to her since-deleted announcement, speculation arose about the details of the emergency. Corinne later slammed such rumors, lamenting “how the media runs wild” and adding that her dad had “been out of the hospital for weeks, recuperating.”

The revelation about Foxx’s stroke did not come until “What Had Happened Was.” Before Tuesday, the actor had spoken publicly about the medical emergency without details. He has also regularly updated fans on social media about his health and well-being.

Meanwhile, “Back in Action,” Foxx’s action movie with Cameron Diaz, releases in theaters Jan. 17.

Filming for the movie was delayed upon Foxx’s April 2023 hospitalization. In January, Page Six published photos of the co-stars seemingly on set, though it is unclear if Foxx still had scenes to shoot.

Times staffers Nardine Saad and Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.