It is completely understandable why Indian movies tend to have British baddies, given the colonial trauma experienced by India.

So it is that it is the dastardly British and their minions who are the moustache-twirling villains in the Pongal film of the year, “Captain Miller”.

This film was helmed by Tamil filmmaker Arun Matheswaran, who also made the widely-acclaimed film “Rocky”, back in 2021.

So, what is Kollywood’s latest blockbuster about? Well, with a runtime of 165 minutes, there is much to talk about but here’s the gist of it.

Set in the dying years of the British Raj, the film begins with a matriarch telling the story of her village’s 600-year-old Shivan temple.

Long ago, the temple was built by the villagers’ ancestors and it is said to house a precious treasure, an idol of the legendary hero Koranar.

Despite it being their birthright, the villagers are denied access to the temple by the region’s ruling rajah, who looks down on their low caste.

The story then follows Eesa (Dhanush), the old lady’s son who idles his life away after his mother’s untimely passing, while his brother Sengola (Shiva Rajkimar) is an active independence activist.

Desiring to make something of himself, Eesa joins the British Indian army, against the wishes of Sengola. Once enlisted, he is given the name Miller.

Unfortunately, things take a horrible turn when he ends up witnessing and participating in an atrocity against a peaceful protest.

Shocked and furious, Eesa deserts and turns against his former masters, becoming a vigilante of justice known only as Captain Miller.

And with many hungry hounds bearing down on his home village, it is up to Captain Miller to save the day, guns blazing in both hands.

Speaking of guns, bullets and knives go a-flying in the film a lot. And for that reason, keep the kids at home while you enjoy this 18-rated film in theatres.

To some extent, it feels like director Arun took some inspiration from cowboy westerns, especially with how Miller is a vigilante who fights corrupt authority figures.

There is the classic hero’s journey trope, with Eesa starting off as a man with no direction in life and ending it as a champion of the common man.

The climax of the film, in fact, has some resemblance to “The Magnificent Seven”, with the peaceful villagers taking up arms against their tormentors.

With the film’s very long runtime, the script writers have adequate space to build up characters and let the audience get to know them.

For that reason, “Captain Miller” thankfully does not feel rushed. That said, there is definitely a rush of adrenaline in the runup to the climax.

Regarding Captain Miller himself, Dhanush puts on a great performance, a testament to the actor’s ability to understand and to become his character.

It is easy to sympathise with his cause, and his anger against his people’s oppressors is jointly shared with the audience.

That said, one might end up complaining that the villains in the film are way too hammy, being so ridiculously evil that it approaches satire at points.

In one scene, an evil grinning Brit declares, “We are not stealing the stone. We are simply claiming what is ours.” Maybe he was a British Museum staff member.

Not that the heroes do not have completely cheesy one-liners of their own. Miller, for one, tells a baddie, “You believe in the Devil. I am the Devil. And you will call me Captain Miller.”

Cue gunshot. For folks who prefer more realistic dialogue, you will probably not find it here. If cheesiness is what you desire, you are in luck.

The film really walks the fine line between being creative and being completely absurd. There are times one might end up bursting out in laughter at some of the action scenes.

One scene in particular features 700 minions charging across a field to attack an isolated Miller. Did no one remember they were holding guns? Shoot him! That’s what Indiana Jones would have done.

Of course, logic really doesn’t replace fun, and fun is what movies ought to be. And “Captain Miller” is certainly a fun watch for this Pongal.

As of press time, ‘Captain Miller’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.