Login to TheReviewMonk

I

I Poster

Critic Rating

5.7

29 Reviews
24 Ratings
63%
in favor

Audience Rating

6.1
3 Reviews
9 Ratings

Movie Info

Director

Writers

Running Time

Language

Tamil, Hindi

Synopsis

I is a film about Vikram, who plays a body builder preparing for the Mr Tamil Nadu contest. During his preparation, some kind of power is pumped into his body and he transforms into a beast.Wikipedia

I Reviews

6

There's a lesson in I for makers of masala movies everywhere: Big-budget commercial films don't have to be lazy, mindless enterprises; you can bring big ideas and apply craft. I may be far from perfect, but for the most part it's pretty entertaining stuff.

Suhani Singh
IndiaToday

6

A lot of parts of the story seem juvenile which can't be ignored because the scale is so large and so are the expectations. Full marks to Shankar's vision and Vikram's acting and that's reason enough to watch I.

6

‘I’ is definitely, a film that touches the pinnacle of technical extravaganza and special thanks to Weta Studios for an incredulous effort. But, a convincing screenplay and inclusion of newfangled rhetoric thinking could have kept it on pars with ‘Enthiran’.

Gautaman Bhaskaran
Hindustan Times

4

The only high point of Shankar's I (in Tamil) is Vikram's enthralling performance, first as a rustic body builder and later as a disfigured hunchback.

Suresh Kavirayani
Deccan Chronicle

5

While the movie is good technically, its content is just average.

Shankar's I is not to be missed, it should be watched in all its glory on the silver screen. Definitely, a treat for Pongal.

Given the lavish budget, I is visually grandiose and that's not a surprise. But the visuals don't make up for the weak script. Even AR Rahman's music doesn't make much of a difference but for remaining mostly soothing and melodic. Returning after a gap of three years, Shankar should've gauged the pulse of the audiences who now prefer short stories over a three-hour film.

Meena Iyer
Times Of India

7

While the waif-like Amy looks mesmerising, Vikram bowls you over with a heart-wrenching performance whether he is handsome or disfigured. Santhanam provides the perfect comic relief. The first fight in a local gymnasium and the BMX bike fight on Chinese rooftops are an adrenaline fix. This is pure escapist fare but will resonate with those who read fairy tales at bedtime.

In spite of its exquisite presentation, I is nothing but an ordinary story that could have been presented in a much better manner had it kept its pace up. The film is completely driven by Vikram’s performance and it is worth your watch if you are fan of this character actor. If it would have been a little less than three hours, I would have found it much better...

I, which is basically targeted at the South Indian film industry, will have to depend heavily on the word-of-mouth in order to do good business in Hindi film circuit. A very special mention to the make-up (Sean Foot and Davina Lamont) and also to the team which has done the film's VFX work. On the whole, go for I only if you are a big fan of extravagant masala films.

Sachin Chatte
The Navhind Times

4

There is no doubt that Shankar has got flair and his own style but it is the repetitiveness that gets to you. There are scenes that go on and on till the cows and buffaloes come home and what can be said in five minutes takes more than twice the amount of time.

-

Shankar balances a social critique along with technical gimmickry and here the message centres about our obsession with physical perfection and beauty. Vikram’s transformation from a man in prime physical shape to a boil-covered hunchback is truly grotesque, as are the rest of the changes in the film. The big bugbear for the film remains its run time of 3 hours and ten minutes. Hopefully, the technical wizardry will be enough to make the audience forgive this lapse …

Made with a humongous budget of Rs 180 crores (worth every penny), 'I' is certainly a big screen experience. Watch it to believe it. And yes, watch it for Vikram, not just for the fabulous actor that he's but also for the fact that he's literally gone out on a limb for this role.

Subhash K Jha
SKJBollywoodNews

8

More brilliant than the film is Vikram’s multi-personality performance which holds the film together, loopholes and all.Vikramembraces the grotesque as possessively as the glorious.It doesn’t matter which language you speak or think in. Just go for I.It speaks the language of cinema.

-

I is too long, too stupid and too regressive to be entertaining. If you're determined to watch it, make sure you see the Tamil original and not the awkward, Hindi-dubbed version, regardless of whether or not you understand Tamil. It's a little longer than the Hindi, but infinitely more fun, especially if you're with Shankar and/or Vikram fans. The wiser option, however, would be to wait for someone to put I's best moments on YouTube.

Komal Nahta
Komal Nahta's Blog

-

I has the merits to entertain. It may have started slow but it will pick up due to positive word of mouth and end up doing fair business in the final tally.

Audience Reviews for I

  • Ajay lawyer
    Ajay lawyer
    85 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    7

    story is excellent ,screenplay and direction bad,lag scenes are more

    July 24, 17
  • Midhun Ben Thomas (Dilseben)
    Midhun Ben Thomas (Dilseben)
    160 reviews
    Top Reviewer
    7

    In recent times, there has been no other film that has created as much hype as Shankar's "I". For a movie which has been in the making for more than 2 years, the expectations are kinda understandable especially when Shankar is at the helm of things. Over the years, the auspicious occasion of Pongal has played host to many big budget films; but I doubt whether there has been any as grand as "I". So the question is whether it would live upto the gargantuan presumptions???

    The films unfolds with a grotesque faced hunchback kidnapping Diya (Amy Jackson), a super model on her wedding. As the hunchback takes the victim to his abode, the audience is provided an insight as to what had subjected him to this horrific state. A year back, he was a hunk by the name of Lingesan (Vikram) who idolized Arnold & whose long hours at the gym earned him the title of "Mr. Tamil Nadu" ; a step closer to his "Mr India" dream. However underneath that bulky frame, he had a heart that fluttered at the very sight of Diya, the numero uno in the modelling world. As fate might have it, Diya seeks the help of Lingesan for a modelling assignment which capitulates him to the top & in the process ruffles quite a few feathers. What subsequently happens is a predictable tale of revenge.

    Shankar's movies has always been larger than life made at a lavish scale that we are invariably left dumbstruck when we see it on the 70mm screen. The tale is pretty much the same here as well, however his script turns out to be inferior to the ones that he had churned out previously. The script is damn predictable & doesn't offer any sort of twists that would blow your socks off. In addition, I felt that there was an overdosage of comedy which should have been more subtle due to which the so called antagonists seemed more comical than threatening.

    As to the technical aspects, everything were just "WOW"; right from P.C Sreeram's exquisite visuals for almost all the songs to the mass stunt sequences choreographed by Arasu & Yuen Wing Poo. Hats off to the team from Weat Workshop for their brilliant make-up & prosthetics which played a significant role towards the overall impact. T. Muthuraj also deserves a pat on his back for his praise worthy art direction though I felt Llewyn Antony could have made the film a bit crisper. Last but the least, A.R Rahman's music was top notch as some of the tracks were just splendid with "Mersaalyitten", "Ladio" & "Ennodu Nee Irundhaal" being my personal favourites.

    What do I say about Vikram??? he is the heart & soul of this movie..words wont suffice the amount of dedication he has shown. He was absolutely marvelous in all the forms that he appeared right from the 85 kg hunk to the 50 kg hunchback & effectively conveys his reactions through his eyes inspite of all those prosthetics. Amy Jackson seemed quite an apt choice for the supermodel & did her best, though the lip sync could have been better. Santhanam provides the comic relief throughout & was in his elements. Suresh Gopi had a meaty role & did justice to it in his own subtle manner. As for the rest, they were average as Upen Patel could have been replaced by someone else while Ojas Ramani & Ramkumar Ganesan's characters had uncanny similarities to real life personalities.

    Verdict: It's definitely a one time must watch solely for Vikram's dedication & that too in the big screen, to appreciate the hard work that the whole team has vested into this movie. So does it live upto expectations??? well the script is definitely a let down as it's damn predictable but it has all the makings of a blockbuster. In short, watch it without much expectations & you would enjoy it!!!

    Rating: 3.5/5 (but for Vikram: 5/5, even adukkum mele is justified)

    Regards...Ben

    September 18, 16
  • Ss sai
    Ss sai
    2 reviews
    Member
    7

    Firstly Vikram take a Bow. Vikram transforms into macho-man to handsome model to ugly Rumpelstiltskin. It is a simple love cum revenge story with a different treatment. After Enthiren(Robo) Shankar had to keep up to his reputation but fortunately he has not disappointed. I was very skeptical about sitting for 3+ hrs. But the screenplay was good and not boring, that made it for me.. Could have been better. limited songs and BMG of the movie is so good that it sets the mood. Ar. Rehman has done another good job. And U will fall in love with Vikram. Romantic scenes are awh. "I" raises questions like "Is love skin deep" ? we all know the answer. But shankar is otherwise. Shankar movies mostly has a message for society and this too. This is a good treat for Tamil viewers. Just dig on pop corn and enjoy. Direction 6.5/10, vikram 8.5/10,music 7/10, BGM 8/10, screenplay 6.5/10, entertainment 7.5/10. overall 7/10.

    January 27, 15