2018 Movie Review

Disaster films are not often made in Indian Cinema. Whereas 2018: Everyone Is Hero belongs to this rare category. It attempts to depict the story of Kerala’s biggest tragedy on the big screen. The film has been making a great noise and turned out to be the biggest blockbuster in Malayalam. The film is dubbed into Telugu. Will the film live upto all its hype? Let’s find out.

Plot

Massive floods hit Kerala in 2018 and officials are forced to open the gates of dams. This puts the lives of so many people in danger. Former soldier Anup (Tovino Thomas), Fisherman Lal and his two sons Narain, Asif Ali and Ramesh (Vineeth Srinivasan), who returns from Dubai to see his ailing mother, Sethupathi (Kalayirasan), a truck driver, and many others lives are affected. The film is about how such a natural calamity is fought with grit and courage.

Performances

Tovino Thomas breathes life into the role. The character arc for his role evolves gradually with the film. Lal and his two sons Narain, Asif Ali (model) shouldered the film at the crucial juncture. They play a major part as the fishermen and inspire others. Aparna Balamurali does justice to her role of TV journalist which has limitations. Kunchacko Boban and Vineeth Srinivasan are under-used. Their roles don’t rise beyond a point. The best part of 2018 is none of the characters deviate from the story and each role has some significance.

Technicalities

Technically, 2018 has solid elements. The writing and screenplay worked brilliantly. Jude Anthany Joseph’s direction is an asset. Production design, Visual effects and Cinematography are the pillars of the film. The flood visuals give a realistic experience.

Thumbs Up

Realistic Portrayal
Fishermen & Rescue Ops
Gripping Action & Emotion In Second Half
Visual Effects

Thumbs Down

Scenes In First Half
Telugu Dubbing

Analysis

Disaster films and survival stories have an interesting premise. Here in 2018, there is more. The film has humankindness at the heart. When a national calamity strikes and lives of so many people are at stake, even the government is helpless. It looks for the aid of the Armed forces. But then comes the unsung heroes.

Fishermen community voluntarily came forward to rescue the people in danger. This is the biggest strength of Jude Anthany Joseph directorial. The action elements are intense. The emotion is heartfelt. The gripping narration combined with natural performances make 2018 a thrilling watch.

The first half introduces several characters and their short stories. But there is a tragedy looming large that makes one care for these characters. The director builds curiosity. The genre of disaster is optimally used to keep the tension till the end. The visuals are endearing.

The characters and their arcs show the director’s hold on the craft. The inspirational scenes act as a big boost. The grit and courage of people in the tested times is shown well. The soul of the film is humanity and putting one’s own life at risk to rescue others lives. This subtle message in 2018 tugs at the heartstrings.

It is the gripping second half which gives an edge-of-seat experience. The sound-design is flawless. The production scale and design scores well as well. Technically, there is nothing much to point at. 2018 has its own share of issues. The Telugu dubbing puts us off. Definitely the dubbing portion and dialogues could be better. Some portions in the first half act as hindrance. The film has cinematic liberties. Some of the characters were not rounded off. Barring these, 2018 is a thrilling watch and well-made disaster film. Go for it.

Verdict: Thrilling Watch

Rating: 3/5