‘Kill’ review: Dir. Nikhil Nagesh Bhat (2024)

Where once cinemas were overflowing with Marvel and DC properties, there now seems to be a return to old-school action cinema. Films such as John Wick and Mr. Nobody proved that audiences were still enticed by some bare-fist brawling and 2024 has been a banner year for fighting on film. The likes of Boy Kills World, Monkey Man, and even the new Roadhouse, have proved that audiences still enjoy these types of film. It is therefore the perfect time for Nikhil Nagesh Bhat’s Kill to release in cinemas.

Pitched in early marketing as The Raid meets Train to Busan, Kill wastes no time in getting going. The story sees Commando Amrit Rathod (Lakshya) board a New Delhi train in an attempt to be close to his beloved who is in the process of being married off to another. However, once abroad, Amrit and his colleague, Viresh (Abhishek Chauhan), discover themselves in the middle of a train heist. Desperate to keep his sweetheart safe, Amrit starts subduing the bad guys, but then events unfold that cause Amrit to go from friendly foe to deadly hunter. 

With early buzz screaming about blood and gore galore, during the opening portion of Kill it becomes unclear quite how it has garnered that reputation. The first forty-four minutes preceding the late appearing title card are action-packed, but the violence is muted. The fights are well executed, but come across like any number of titles from the 80s and 90s. Then the Kill title card manifests and the action ratchets up several notches. From this moment on, Kill earns its ruthless reputation as Amrit begins snapping necks, breaking bones, and generally getting very bloody. The change-up is warranted within the narrative and it certainly helps fire up the audience. 

Whilst not quite as fresh as The Raid, Kill has plenty of fantastic fight sequences. The choreographers do brilliant work at fitting in so much action into the enclosed space of a train. There are plenty of inventive set-pieces, but it sadly can’t sustain originality for the entire run time. The lack of breakout space leads to occasions of repetition, which causes the fun-factor to slip slightly. What keeps the momentum driving forward are the performances of Lakshya as Amrit, and Raghav Juyal as the primary villain of the piece, Fani. As Fani, Juyal is especially weasley, but unlike his American counterparts, isn’t afraid to get his hands bloody. He is a vibrant and somewhat over-the-top character, but one that the audience can’t stop watching. In contrast, Lakshya is on top form as the stoic love-lorn hero; interactions between the two are some of the best in the film. 

Although not yet released in the US, Kill has already caught the attention of Hollywood, with Chad Stahelski’s team already onboard for the english language remake. It’s easy to see why Hollywood’s head would be turned, but it is a shame that the talks are happening before Kill has been given a chance to stand on its own. Until that remake materialises, audiences have a great deal of fun to be found within this original version. Whilst some of the fights don’t have quite the impact as the marketing suggests, Kill remains another solid entry into the welcome action renaissance.

Kill is out in cinemas across the UK from Friday 5th July 2024.