'Laxmii' movie review: An Akshay Kumar show all the way

'Laxmii' is a remake of the Tamil movie 'Kanchana'

Director: Raghava Lawrence

Cast: Akshay Kumar, Kiara Advani and Tarun Arora

Rating: 3.5/5

The Akshay Kumar-starrer Laxmii, which was released on Disney+Hotstar on Monday (November 9), is a compelling horror-comedy that makes a solid impact. The film, directed by Raghava Lawrence, is a remake of the director's popular Tamil movie Kanchana and revolves around what happens when a man is possessed by an angry 'female spirit'.

The basic storyline is engaging and has enough 'masala' to enthrall the target audience. The promising storyline reaches its full potential due to the deft writing. The screenplay relies more on 'showing' rather than telling, making it easy for the aam janta to relate with the reel action.

The opening 30 minutes establish the universe of Laxmii, laying the foundation for what is to follow. The first half features quite a few comic sequences, which make a decent impact despite being a bit Over-The-Top (OTT). The spooky pre-interval block is terrific and sets the tone for the second half.

Also read: Akshay Kumar's 'Laxmii' would have opened on a terrific note had it released in theatres, says trade tracker

The scenes focusing on Akshay's transformation into the titular character are top-notch to Akki's acting abilities. The flashback portions, which form the emotional core of Laxmii, strike a chord. The scenes involving the death of an innocent character has the desired 'shock value'.

The action-packed climax hits the right notes despite being a bit rushed. Coming to the performances, 'Khiladi' is the heart and soul of Laxmii and does full justice to one of the toughest roles of his career. His physical intensity is a highlight of the film.

Kiara Advani does not really have much to do but ups the glam quotient when needed. Tarun Arora fails to make his presence felt as he is burdened with a generic character. Actor Sharad Kelkar delivers the goods despite getting limited screen time. The supporting cast is decent.

The editing could have been a bit better as the film feels a bit disjointed at a few points. The background score and the sound design are awesome, adding a new dimension to Laxmii. The film features a handful of songs and they gel with the narrative. The expertly-choreographed Bam Bholle number is a big attraction of Laxmii. The other technical aspects are upto the mark.