TOXIC Movie Review: Yash Starrer Shines in Scale and Style but Lacks Emotional Depth

TOXIC Movie Review

Directed by Geetu Mohandas, TOXIC is set in 1947 where India has achieved independence, but Goa remains under Portuguese rule, and Salvador (Darrell D'Silva) calls the shots. Raya (Yash) and his sister Ganga (Nayanthara) join Salvador's gang, rising through the ranks with their wit and bravado. Raya has a fling with Salvador's rebellious daughter Rebecca (Tara Sutaria) before becoming smitten with Nadia (Kiara Advani), a circus owner and star performer whose entry brings excitement as well as pain and anguish.

The film stars Yash, Nayanthara, Kiara Advani, Tara Sutaria, Rukmini Vasanth, and Huma Qureshi. Alongside Darrell D'Silva, Sudev Nair, and Akshay Oberoi, the cast delivers varied performances. Kiara Advani is noted as the best performer in the film, while Nayanthara is terrific and Tara Sutaria leaves a huge mark.

Direction and Screenplay

While the direction by Geetu Mohandas handles the film's scale well and delivers standout moments like Raya's entry, the screenplay is bizarre and sits uneasily between the commercial and artistic zones. The narrative suffers from confusing childhood portions, weak tracks for Mellisa (Rukmini Vasanth), and a climax twist that backfires for a commercial film. Additionally, slow-motion scenes and characterization give a strong KGF and Animal hangover.

Technical Aspects

Ravi Basrur's background score elevates the impact, and songs like 'Tabaahi' stand out for their melody and picturization. Rajeev Ravi's cinematography provides a grand cinematic look, supported by action choreography from J J Perry, Anbariv, Kecha Khamphakdee, and Amrit Singh, classy production design by T P Abid, stylish costumes, and top-class VFX by DNEG.

Conclusion

TOXIC relies heavily on style, swagger, and Yash's popularity, offering occasional highs through performances, scale, and action, but falls short on a compelling story and emotional connection.