Baby John Review {3.5/5} & Review Rating
Starring: Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamika Gabi
Director: Kareese
Baby John Movie Review – Synopsis:
Baby John is the story of a father who takes matters into his own hands. John D’Silva (Varun Dhawan), a restaurant owner, lives in Alappuzha, Kerala with his daughter Khushi (Zara Gianna). He loves her very much and brings her up with the right values. John bonds with Khushi’s teacher Tara (Wamika Gabi). When Tara helps the girl and contacts the police, she accepts the help without John’s knowledge. John is horrified to learn of Tara's actions, which stem from her past with the police. A complaint is filed against the feared subordinate's boss (Jafar Sadiq). John files a complaint with the police and, assuming to be a simple man, the boss and his subordinates attack him. But John turns out to be a beast. He finishes them off mercilessly. Tara witnesses him attacking the gangsters and finds out that it is none other than Satya Verma, the former head of police and husband of Dr. Meera (Kerthy Suresh). However, a confrontation with Nanaji (Jackie Shroff) marks a turning point in his life and he decides to quit the police force and lead a mundane life. What happens next sets the tone for the rest of the film.
Baby John Movie Review:
Atlee's story is far-reaching but also somewhat dated. Kareese's screenplay tries to go beyond the plot and is infused with mass moments. However, the screenplay could have been better. Sumit Arora's dialogues add to the mass vibe.
Kareese's direction is commercial. The film was designed for a gigantic format and was handled accordingly. The bond between father and daughter is endearing and has a romantic edge to it. But the best bits are reserved for the big riot scenes. The most memorable scenes are John's night raid on the gang, Sathya and Meera's first meeting, Sathya's search for Amba (Sniguddha Suman) and the events that follow. The block before the break is the moment when the film reaches a new level and is greeted with whistles and applause. After the break, Sathya's meeting with his parents and the shooting at his home are the standouts. The scenes with Bhima Rane (Shrikant Yadav) and the boy from the Northeast are well thought out.
On the other hand, BABY JOHN has a sense of déjà vu, like SIMMBA [2018] and JAWAN [2023], and it's too late. The implementation is generally satisfactory, but haphazard in some places. The product placement of Center Flesh and Astral Pipe is quite intrusive. But the biggest problem is the screenplay. BABY JOHN is a remake of THERI, which was released eight years ago. A lot has changed since then, in terms of tastes and trends, and Atlee had to adjust the script accordingly. Moreover, the hero versus villain paradox is not convincing. Usually, the villain needs to be so powerful that the audience wonders how the hero can defeat him. But in BABY JOHN, the hero becomes omnipotent when he causes great harm to Nanaji and faces no punishment from the police or the government. It is only much later that Nana gets his revenge. But then it becomes clear that Sathya can take down Nanaji whenever he wants. This aspect has a major impact on what is going on.
Baby John Movie Review - Performances:
Varun Dhawan delivers a heartfelt performance and shines in the action and emotional scenes. But his showing as DCP is not convincing. He seems too young for the position. Ideally, there must have been a reason why he could have climbed the ladder so early in life. Keerthy Suresh makes a great debut in Bollywood and has a captivating presence on screen. Wamiqa Gabi, though in a supporting role, predictably rocks the show. Jackie Shroff looks intimidating but does a fine job. But the script let him down. Zara Gianna is adorable. However, some of the dialogues are hard to understand. Jafar Sadiq is perfect for the role. Shrikant Yadav provides expert support. Rajpal Yadav (Ram Sevak) will be seen in a different role and will be very popular among the audience. Sheeba Chaddha (Madhvi Varma, Satya's mother) is reliable as always. Zakir Hussain (Baldev Patil) and Prakash Belawadi (Yashraj Mukherjee) are perfectly fine. Omkar Das Manikpuri (Badrinath) and Mona Ambegaonkar (the doctor who tries to revive Amba) are passable. And Salman Khan's cameo is quite entertaining.
Baby John's Music and Other Technical Aspects:
Thaman S's music is not a hit. Only the title track stands out. "Nain Mathakka" is well-drawn, "Pikri Pom" is passable. "Bandobast" sounds too much like "Zinda Banda", "Hazaar Baar" and "Gudda Guddi" are forgettable. The background music by Thaman S is energetic. Kiran Koushik's cinematography is satisfactory. The cast includes Anur Arasu, Stunt Silva, Ambarikh, Yannick Benn, Sunil Rodriguez, Kaloyan Vodenicharov, Manohar Verma and Bronwyn. October's action is brutal but works well in a film like this. T Muthuraj's production design is rich. Sheetal Iqbal Sharma's costumes are adequate while Shruti Manjari's Keerthy Suresh's costumes are attractive. NY VFXWaala's visual effects are outstanding. Ruben's editing could have been better, especially in the first half.
Baby John movie review conclusion:
Overall, Baby John is a mass entertainer that works thanks to its applause-worthy moments, message, Varun Dhawan's energetic performance and Salman Khan's cameo. At the box office, the film will benefit from a long holiday season and less competition till Republic Day.
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