Vijay Antony’s ‘Hitler’: A Run-of-the-Mill Revenge Drama That Feels Outdated
By Pavethran Batmanathen
Vijay Antony is on a roll with his recent film releases. While many of his contemporaries manage only a couple of projects each year, the music director-turned-actor starred in four films last year alone, and his latest release, Hitler, marks his third film of 2024.
Unfortunately, with almost all his recent efforts falling short, it seems he’s prioritizing quantity over quality. Hitler regrettably joins the list of underwhelming offerings.The film features a plot that feels as outdated as its namesake dictator. It opens with a scene of a group of female workers one of whom is notably pregnant who, after a long day, find themselves at a riverbank crossing.
Using a makeshift rope to navigate the swollen waters caused by relentless rains, they encounter a tragic disaster that is all but predictable.The narrative quickly shifts to Chennai, where Selva (played by Vijay Antony) becomes roommates with Karukkavel (Redin Kingsley).
Like any typical Indian film hero, Selva experiences love at first sight with a woman he quite literally collides with. Simultaneously, Deputy Commissioner Shakthi (Gautam Vasudev Menon) investigates a series of murders that share an identical modus operandi, all linked to a politician named Rajavelu (Charanraj), who is struggling to protect his black money from the killer.
As anticipated, the two storylines intersect, and if you haven’t already deduced how the film will unfold or who the killer is, you may be new to Indian cinema, and Hitler might actually catch your interest.Had Hitler been released a few decades ago, it could have served as a quintessential example of a vigilante film.
However, in the current landscape, it comes off as a tired rehash of multiple cult classics that many of us grew up watching, including Gentleman, which also starred Charanraj. Sticking to this familiar template is just one of Hitler’s issues, as it suffers from a severe lack of originality.
While there are attempts to shake things up such as a misleading subplot involving a character played by Vivek Prasanna these efforts fall flat, contributing little to the painfully predictable storyline.On a positive note, the film does effectively integrate its female lead into the plot. Riya Suman portrays Sara, Selva’s love interest, and after the usual romance-building scenes, her character is smoothly woven into the core narrative, with Riya delivering a commendable performance.
When it comes to acting, Gautam is a fitting choice for the role of an honest cop caught between duty and politics. Conversely, Selva’s character seems to have been crafted with a mysterious aura, yet the execution of this complexity varies depending on who he interacts with. Vijay Antony’s portrayal of his overly enthusiastic demeanor around his roommate often comes off as unconvincing.
Despite its political backdrop, Hitler fails to delve deeply into its central theme. While it’s great to see veteran actor Charanraj return to Tamil cinema after a long hiatus, his portrayal of a one-dimensional politician results in some unintentionally humorous decisions.
Faced with unfavorable poll predictions, he resorts to bribery to change the outcome. In a bizarre twist, he attempts to transport black money via local train to evade the election commission’s scrutiny, only to have it stolen. Even more absurdly, rather than learning from this misstep, he repeats the same flawed strategy multiple times—losing crores in the process.
Hitler is haphazardly written and lacks the compelling social commentary present in director Dana’s debut, Padaiveeran, or the emotional resonance found in Vaanam Kottattum. Although the story has potential for both elements, what emerges is a diluted vigilante action film that neither captivates nor entertains.
The tyrannical dictator, Hitler, may have produced propaganda films to advance his nefarious agenda, but this version leaves viewers wishing it had some kind of purpose we could support.
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