Toxic Movie Review: A Film With Heart And Fire Power

There are movies that are as you expect them to be. Then there are movies that constantly switch on you. Toxic, belongs to the second category. The movie initially seems to take place in the genre of a gangster movie, but it incorporates elements of family, love, loyalty, desire, and revenge. Geetu has crafted a world that feels peculiar, dark, and at times dream-like. It is not like an Amar Chitra Katha, but it fits the movie well to call it a fairy tale for grown-ups.

The movie is set in the aftermath of Goa’s independence and shows a gangster’s quest for moral integrity and redemption along with his dilemmas of loyalty and morality. Geetu avoids makes the mistake of giving importance to the crime world over the personal narratives. Geetu shows that personal stories drive the protagonists’ choices due to their own desires, love, and jealousy.

The movie takes its time to settle into its world, and thankfully it does. There are several characters and their relationships to understand, and Geetu avoids the “tell-all” approach. The story keeps evolving as the characters and their relationships mature. A character who is straightforward is flexible enough to show their eccentricity later. The writing also creates a deep sense of connectedness in the relationships of the characters beyond the context of the gangster movie.

Fans are in for a treat as Yash is seen playing two different roles, Raya and his son Ticket, and as usual the actor doesn’t disappoint at all; there isn’t a single false note in his amazing performance playing two different roles. Yash channels the quietness of Raya and the ferocity of Ticket with ease and delivers a towering performance. The contrasting characters allow Yash to channel his own madness and he has create something really special on the screen.

The supporting cast of the film is packed with names that mean nothing but sheer talent. Seasoned Nayanthara as Ganga is outstanding. Kiara Advani as Nadia bring much-needed emotion into the chaos with her vulnerability. Huma Qureshi plays the role of Elizabeth; she makes a bold statement with her role. Rukmini Vasanth’s controlled and understate role of Mellisa will knock your socks off. Then we have  Tara Sutaria as Rebecca, she brings her own spiciness to the role. The film also features Akshay Oberoi as Tony, Darrell D’Silva as Salvador and Sudev Nair’s Karmadi, adding depth and lifting the film with screen presence.

Geetu spends the first half setting the characters, their intentions and the premise of the story. Though it is slow but crucial for the second half. The deliberateness of the pace pays off in the second half when the world is erupting in chaos, but you understand every unexpected twist and turn. The film gets bigger and picks the pace in second half.

The second half is nothing but brutal and ferocious. the story shifts into action mode, and it absolute raw power on-screen, which is fun to watch. The amazing thing about the action pieces that seems forces or out of context. The action and violence is not random, it’s personal, almost instinctive at times, and that gives the action more impactful.

The best thing about Geetu’s complex and layered storytelling Is that despite all the action and brutality, the film never loses focus of one thing, the core of the story. It’s about family, loyalty and love. The relationships involving Raya, Ticket, Ganga and Nadia keeps the emotional thread intact. The filmmaker also doesn’t offer any justification immediately, the layered storytelling allows the story and characters to unfold in their due course, and certain things are left for the audience to figure out, which makes the viewing even more rewarding.

One has to admit that Geetu and Yash has tried to create an ambitious and unique film, the film offers a lot more than conventional drama, there is a depth, intensity and visually stunning storytelling which we have not seen before, and it works.

The film is backed by KVN Productions and Monster Mind Creations LLP, led by Yash’s towering presence, and Geetu’s new style of story-telling, the film is an experience and one must enjoy it.

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