It was in 1895 that H.G.Wells wrote the very first science fiction novel "The Time Machine", since then all over the world; movies, Television series, novels kept surfacing this concept and why not, who in the world would not want to go back in time, change their fate or even better make some bucks out of it. IndruNetruNaalai has Vishnu and Karunakaran trotting between time, directed by debutant Ravikumar who also made a short film out of a similar concept.
Wells might have scripted the Time machine novel, but it was Spielberg’s "Back to the future" trilogy that made people fantasize about going back to one’s past, or peepinto future. IndruNetruNalai doesn’t dwell much on futuristic sights with mind boggling CGI, cars flying through the sky or even go back to Gandhian age, rather it’s about two guys who try to mint money out of a time machine and then fall into a web of chaos.
What’s a time travel movie without a troubling motive, and yes here too, the directors shows the character of Vishnu aka Ilango a guy who wants to make big on his own to woo his ladylove Mia George, and after repeated failures he gets drunk and that’s when a time machine sent from future lands near them by accident.
Now what would you do if you come by a time machine, that’s not something one sees often, but the immediate thought would be to go back and change something, make your future a brighter one, mint some easy money. That’s exactly what Ilango and Pullivetti (Karuna) do, knowing what this machine is capable of they become the official "Lost and Found" department and then life is just handsomely happy when they distort the time continuum during one of their travel.
All through the movie, there are little elements that the director gives importance to that become the key essence of the movie; for instance the poster of a dead goon, spectacles, a masked man things like these makes the movie special, for you hardly notice them but some good work behind the lens makes you go "aah, yes dejavu indeed". Kudos to the director for not making this movie all scientific and too tech saavy, you have nothing to search in google and find out, for that simple and fun is the movie.
Most of the Hollywood movies have this mad scientist, a joker outside but with a genius of a mind and somewhat inspired by it, Ravi introduces TM Karthik as Parthasarathy a somewhat of a scientist slash researcher slash mixie repairer (true!), his inclusion is a surprise package and sure to bring some laughs for his antics is close enough to his character’s intention. Then there is this goon, a cold blooded murderer played by Sai Ravi whose character plays an important space in the continuum.
A movie with such a theme is never complete without CGI and good visuals, in INN, the time travel scenes and the machine itself has been portrayed without much fuss and a believable way, that’s the best part about it. Vasanth’s camera work adding to the right dose of graphics, doesn’t sore your eyes in the CGI sequences.
There will be tad disappointment for the viewers who walk into a sci-fi movie and expect it to toast your eyes if not with some rich licking future, a past milieu that would actually make you want to go back into history. There is only one such scene when the duos of Vishnu and Karuna go back to grandma ages to sell Gold, that is the only scene where you get to see they travelled in the past with some black and white screening and streets like in the 1920’s. The romance portions too don’t click too well, could have been the situation or songs, but seem to tag along slower than expected adding length to the duration.
The screenplay is the key to INN, keeps the movie going at an interesting pace, the character of Ilango as its core, his romance, family, career, friendship everything has been taken into account during the course of time travel, and all these form the movie’s stronghold. Mia George is cute and cuddly but acting wise, could have been better for she tries to emote and succeeds just about. Yet another big boost for this movie is Hip Hop Tamizha’s music, the BGM simply spices up the situation especially around the time travel scenes, he has matured from his commercial Ambala to INN rather quickly, blending the right mix of trance and strings.
Vishnu/Karunaplay friends for life, and drive home their characters in style. Vishnu looks like a chap who can fit easily into any role, looks smart and acts smart which is more important. Karuna again, funny yet adds value to the storyline in a large way. He sure is bound to go places.
Ergo, Kollywood after a roundup of Horror movies is ready for Sci-Fi movies and INN is the mark of a new beginning indeed.
Verdict : A neat and solid entertainer on the cards.
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