Pushpaka Vimanam Review: A Dull Fantasy Thriller

In the world of cinema, originality is often the key that unlocks a film’s success, but sometimes filmmakers choose to draw heavy inspiration from pre-existing movies. This is where Pushpaka Vimanam falters, as it offers a watered-down, spoon-fed version of the critically acclaimed Run Lola Run. While fantasy thrillers have great potential to engage and astonish audiences, Pushpaka Vimanam fails to deliver, instead opting for an amateurish approach that ultimately underestimates the viewer’s intelligence.

The Story Behind Pushpaka Vimanam: A Fantasy Gone Wrong

At the heart of Pushpaka Vimanam is Ajay, a young nurse whose life takes a dark turn after an unexpected accident. With a looming wedding and a guilty conscience weighing him down, Ajay’s world spirals into chaos when he receives incriminating evidence that threatens to expose him. What should have been a tense, thrilling ride through time and consequence instead feels lacklustre and spoon-fed. The film’s weak narrative structure and forced execution rob it of the intrigue and originality needed to captivate audiences.

Ajay’s friend Agrah, who works as a cab driver, helps him cover up the incident. The two then embark on a journey of survival and deception, attempting to bury the past. But the film stumbles when it introduces a time-loop concept reminiscent of Run Lola Run, but with none of the craft, tension, or excitement that made the latter a masterpiece.

A Diluted Version of Run Lola Run

Let’s get this out of the way: If you’ve seen Run Lola Run, there’s no reason to watch Pushpaka Vimanam. The latter borrows heavily from the former’s central theme a race against time but fails to execute it with the same level of energy and intensity. In Run Lola Run, each version of events unravels with frenetic pacing and high stakes, keeping the audience on edge. In contrast, Pushpaka Vimanam feels more like a monotonous rehash, with little thought put into maintaining the suspense or engaging the audience emotionally.

Where Run Lola Run shines with its crisp storytelling and bold narrative choices, Pushpaka Vimanam spoon-feeds the viewer through unnecessary exposition and flashy, over-the-top sequences. This ultimately waters down the film’s premise, making the time-loop concept feel more like a gimmick than a compelling plot device.

Character Introductions and Unnecessary Subplots

One of the film’s major downfalls is its cluttered first half. We’re introduced to a slew of characters, many of whom have little bearing on the overall story. There’s a forced effort to include irrelevant humour, shallow romance, and superficial drama that distract from what could have been a more focused narrative. The film spends too much time on mundane scenes before it finally gets to the fantasy elements, making the journey feel tedious.

The character of Agrah, played by Balu Varghese, is meant to provide comic relief, but his anxious, womanizer persona feels tired and cliché. Meanwhile, Siju Wilson, who plays Ajay, is portrayed as a “cool” action hero, complete with forced stunts and over-the-top physicality. The character lacks the depth needed to drive a story that relies so heavily on suspense and character evolution.

Failed Execution: Forced Action and Forgettable Music

What’s even more disappointing is the action. Rather than delivering smooth, gripping chase scenes, Pushpaka Vimanam forces unnecessary acrobatics onto its hero, making you wonder why he couldn’t simply walk to his destination. In one scene, Ajay flips through the air, winking at a child an awkward moment that breaks the immersion of an otherwise serious plotline.

The film also suffers from a forgettable soundtrack. Rahul Raj, a talented composer, unfortunately fails to leave a mark here, as the background score never elevates the scenes to their full potential. The songs are largely skippable, which is a missed opportunity for a fantasy film that could have used its score to create a magical atmosphere.

The Underestimation of the Audience

What ultimately dooms Pushpaka Vimanam is its clear underestimation of the audience’s intelligence. The film takes every opportunity to over-explain itself, making the time-loop mechanic and other fantasy elements feel condescending. The editing even goes as far as to show flashy, repetitive recaps of what’s happened in each version of events, as if the audience can’t follow along on their own.

In contrast, films like Run Lola Run trust the viewer to piece together the puzzle, creating an engaging and immersive experience. Pushpaka Vimanam, on the other hand, strips away any potential for viewer participation by spoon-feeding every plot detail, removing any sense of mystery or excitement.

Unnecessary Cameos and Wasted Talent

To make matters worse, the film throws in a cameo of Chitraguptan a character who serves no real purpose other than to momentarily distract from the film’s narrative flaws. This feels like a desperate attempt to salvage a sinking ship, and it falls flat.

The supporting cast, which includes talented actors like Lenaa, Sidhique, and Manoj KU, is wasted in insignificant roles. Sidhique’s dialect feels forced and unnatural, while Manoj KU is given an embarrassingly irrelevant part that adds nothing to the story. Even actors like Padmaraj Ratheesh and Dheeraj Denny, who play characters with some significance to the plot, fail to make a lasting impression.

A Missed Opportunity in Fantasy Thriller

Fantasy thrillers should evoke awe, suspense, and excitement, but Pushpaka Vimanam never quite reaches those heights. The movie had the potential to explore time loop mechanics in a fresh, engaging way, but instead, it succumbs to lazy writing, a lack of narrative coherence, and an overall disregard for cinematic craft.

If you’re new to fantasy thrillers, Pushpaka Vimanam might hold some entertainment value. But for anyone who has seen a well-executed film in this genre, the movie will come across as an uninspired and shallow attempt to replicate a far superior concept.

Final Thoughts: A Dry and Disappointing Fantasy Thriller

In the end, Pushpaka Vimanam is a diluted version of Run Lola Run that feels more like a chore to watch than an exciting ride. With its spoon-fed storytelling, weak character development, and forgettable action sequences, the film falls short on nearly every front. While it may appeal to those with limited exposure to fantasy films, for most viewers, it will be an underwhelming experience.

For a genre that thrives on creativity and innovation, Pushpaka Vimanam offers neither. It’s a sad reminder that even the most fascinating concepts can be reduced to mediocrity when poorly executed.

Rating 2.5/5