This seems to be the moral of “Good Bad Ugly”, a star-studded action blockbuster that happens to be the 63th film appearance of superstar Indian actor Ajith Kumar.
This Tamil-language outing, directed by Adhik Ravichandran and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, definitely delivers when it comes to stunts and spectacle, but is somewhat lacking in the storytelling department.
First things first, the question that’s surely on cinephiles’ minds: does it have anything to do with “The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”, the 1966 spaghetti western starring Clint Eastwood? Nah.
Instead, this 139-minute film tells the tale of AK (Ajith), a notorious gangster once known as the “Red Dragon”. After starting a family, he decides to turn over a new leaf and voluntarily turns himself in to the law.
AK plans to reunite with his teenage son Vihaan (Karthikeya Dev) after his release – but things get complicated when Vihaan is arrested for a serious crime.
He soon discovers his son has been framed and a sinister plan is in motion, masterminded by villains linked to AK’s past and that of his wife Ramya (Trisha Krishnan).
Fortunately, like Liam Neeson from “Taken”, AK has a very particular set of skills he can use to rescue his child. Well, maybe just ONE major skill: taking down bad guys while looking as stylish as possible.
The results are a rip-roaring roller-coaster of revenge, as AK seeks out the people who endangered his family and unleashes fury upon them.
Ajith fans will devour “Good Bad Ugly”, which is absolutely packed with in-jokes and references to his previous blockbusters such as “Billa”, “Varalaru”, “Mankatha” and “Amarkalam”.
Watch out for a few scene-stealing cameos, and appearances of characters from other movie and TV franchises. There’s even a surprise callout to our country!
The main attraction here is undoubtedly Ajith, who anchors “Good Bad Ugly” with a super-cool swagger and a penchant for one-liners. The actor tackles the film’s countless shootouts, chase scenes and fights with gusto, often after putting on his sunglasses dramatically.
The other actors? Well, “good bad ugly” is an apt way to describe them. Some of the supporting cast put on passable performances: the comic characters bring in the laughs, particularly Sunil as AK’s aide Baby Tyson.
Trisha Krishnan and Karthikeya Dev do their best with their parts, as does Arjun Dass in his double role as twin villains Johnny and Jammy. His characters, however, could have been more distinguishable from each other for the gimmick to truly work.
Everyone else is either one-note or over-the-top, mostly existing to be menacing for a few minutes before being gloriously shot, beaten up, or blown apart by AK.
Where “Good Bad Ugly” truly shines is in its visuals. Most of its stylish action scenes are handled well and nicely balanced with humour. One scene with criminals discussing AK’s colourful history on Whatsapp is a rib-tickling standout.
The film also has some good music tracks, with the thumping “GBU” and pulsating “Og Sambavam” being highlights. And some of the dance scenes are magnificent to behold, particularly an early sequence in a prison. Who knew hardened criminals had so much rhythm in them?
Plot-wise, however, “Good Bad Ugly” is thinner than thosai, with more holes than a henchman in the path of AK’s guns. The family elements of the film give it the potential to be a genuinely heartwarming drama; sadly, these are handled so superficially that they feel like an afterthought.
The action sequences, while thrilling, are extremely bombastic and happen so frequently, they eventually feel overwhelming. You almost start wishing for a quiet scene, where AK just paints his house or does a crossword for a while.
Overall, don’t look for groundbreaking storytelling or emotional depth in “Good Bad Ugly”. But if non-stop hijinks and high-adrenaline set pieces are up your alley, grab your popcorn and get ready for a wild ride.
As of press time, ‘Good Bad Ugly’ is screening in cinemas nationwide.