The movie “Japan” serves as yet another illustration of the timeless adage: having good intentions does not automatically translate into creating compelling cinema.
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Japan, directed by Raju Murugan, attempts to be sardonic and fatalistic regarding the government, the system, and otherworldly matters. However, beneath this facade, there lies a sentimental and hopeful core that desires change. The central concept revolves around creating a character born out of a corrupt system. Similar to the country, Japan has emerged from adversity, but the individual named Japan is distinct. He isn’t diligent; instead, he is a pleasure-seeking thief renowned nationwide for looting jewelry shops, banks, and more, leaving no trace behind, thus eluding capture. Surprisingly, he is also a filmmaker, confidently incorporating his real-life exploits into his film plots. His notion of true love is platonic, leading him to abstain from consummating his love with Sanju, the current glamorous heroine of Tamil cinema, portrayed by Anu Emmanuel. Adding to his idiosyncrasies, he is living with HIV. In essence, Japan, the movie, is entirely centered on Japan, the person.
Raju Murugan aimed to craft a whimsical character with eccentric and amoral traits, primarily conveyed through dialogue. However, these attempts, as seen in snippets from his films, fall short, resulting in a mediocre outcome for the movie.
In his pursuit of character development, Raju Murugan neglects to flesh out the screenplay adequately. While a film could delve into a character study, “Japan” fails to deliver on this front. Despite the information provided about Japan, his peculiarities remain elusive. There’s a missed opportunity to showcase his uniqueness, perhaps through a daring heist, especially given the shocking revelation of him contracting HIV. Instead, Japan reacts conventionally by resorting to drinking and seeking his true love.
The plot involves Southern states’ police suspecting Japan of robbing a jewelry shop tied to a powerful entrepreneur with political influence. Despite the high stakes and the twist that Japan is innocent, the film’s elements, including the chase, villains, and collateral damage, lack originality and fail to captivate. Japan’s distinctive character is overshadowed by a stale premise.
Karthi appears to have accomplished something noteworthy in his role, portraying a character teetering on the edge of being a clown. While the potential for missteps was high, Karthi successfully avoids any moments where his intonation becomes laughable. His portrayal of a character who is HIV-positive is a commendable and much-needed representation in an industry often dominated by machoism. However, the film’s main issue lies in its exploration of this thread, which is left largely unexplored.
In Japan, the film seems to revolve around the idea of “Singathuku sikku vandha (When the lion falls sick),” emphasizing the character’s lowest point in life. Yet, the film falls short as Raju Murugan, the writer, fails to establish the character’s highs. Unlike the impactful tragedy in Logan (2017), where we knew what Wolverine was capable of, Murugan’s approach enters the film in the second act without providing sufficient context from the first act. The film attempts to compensate with a tear-jerking flashback prologue, describing the hero as “Japan…made in India.” While I agree with the sentiment, the execution leaves much to be desired.
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