Rating: 2.5/5

Action unlimited. It is just the right phrase to describe Billa 2. A prequel to Ajith's earlier hit , Billa 2 ends up a bloody battle of revenge, with Ajith Kumar at his best flexing his muscles.

The rise of David Billa as international don is what the movie is all about. What begins in a refugee camp in Rameshwaram, proceeds to Goa and ends in Georgia.

An action flick doesn't require much logic. Perhaps that is the exact reason whey director Chakri Toleti and Ajith have opted for all guns blazing in this two hours and nine minutes flick, shortest in Tamil cinema standards.

For those who have not watched much of Hollywood gangster flicks, Billa 2 may leave an impact. The life and struggles of underworld mafia is dealt with well.

But sadly for the Tamil audience who expects a strong storyline laced with some sentiments, Billa 2 may be a disappointment.The cast include Parvati Omankuttan, Bruna Abdullah, Vidyuth Jamwal and Sudhanshu Pandey (all alien faces for Tamil masses).

Cinematography is by R D Rajasekar and music is by Yuvan Shankar Raja.Check out what's in store in the movie

Story:

The bloody civil war in Sri Lanka forces David Billa (Ajith) to seek asylum at a refugee camp in Tamilnadu. He is an angry young man, who speaks little and ensures his action does the rest.

His upright ways incurs the wrath of policemen and David Billa is forced to find himself in difficult situation. But he uses his brains and his physical strength to overcome the odd situation.

Soon he comes into contact with men involved in mafia. As events unfold, David Billa aspires to become a don involving in illegal trade. He meets Abbasi (Sudhanshu Pandey), a mafia shark in Goa.

He helps him out in a difficult 'deal' and wins his heart. The pordinary young man slowly movies towards his mission. After making a beginning to his dream, he embarks on a trip to Georgia where he meets an international don Dmitri (Vidyut Jamwal).

Soon David Billa and Abbasi part ways. Now Billa moves further to build his own empire. All hell breaks loos and there is loos of many lives eventually leding to a showdown between Billa and Dmitri.

Performance:

Ajith manages to do what he did to his best in Billa. He shoulders all responsibility to deliver a convincing performance. he is a revelation to watch in action sequences.

Interestingly the punchlines, penned by Era Murugan, draws huge applause in theatres. Parvathy and Bruna appears and disappears. They end up losing their lives. Vidyut Jamwal as Dmitri is good.

His encounters with Ajith are nice. However he looks lost in the film at many places. Sudhanshu is at ease playing a interesting character. The cast also includes Manoj K Jayan, Rahman, Ilavarasu and Sriman.

Analysis:

A gangster film needs loads of action. Obviously Chakri Tolet and Ajith understanding this well, has opted to go all guns blazing. The stunts are the mainstay for the film.

Rajasekhar has choreographed them in such an interesting manner.Cinematographer R D Rajaekhar captures the scenes in different shades providing a right feel.

Especially the scenes at Goa and Georgia shot by him, fit the theme well. Yuvan Shankar disappoints with the music, but manages to leave his presence with background score. Era Murugan's dialogues  and art by Selva worth a special mention.

Billa 2 is an gangster flick that proceeds from nowhere and ends nowhere. There are too many loose ends and less conviction.

But  all said, watch Billa 2 for the sheer screen presence of Ajith.

Review 2

'Billa 2' lacks pace, but watch it for Ajith if you must

There was much in favour of 'Billa 2' right from when it went on floors. First of all it was touted as a prequel to 'Billa' the remake of Rajinikanth's original classic - the stylish film that worked wonders for the star at the box office. He then topped up the hype with his 2011 release 'Mankatha' directed by Venkat Prabhu. Despite his two films in between 'Aegan' and 'Aasal' having done miserably at the box office, 'Mankatha' easily became arguably the highest grosser at the box office.

Billa 2 was adequately well-promoted. And even though Ajith chose not to make any public appearances or promotions for the film - it opened to packed houses across the world. But what's it that fans want from a 'Thala' film and does 'Billa 2' really measure up to the hype?

The film opens with a wounded Billa secured firmly by a band of goons, with a gun pointed at him. And there comes the same punch dialogue that’s featured in the first promo that was released of the film "En vaazhkkaile..ovvoru naalum". And that is the intro scene. And here is the bait — for you immediately get a sense that this is the present and this is where the story will lead us up to somewhere down the narrative.

Much of David Billa's childhood is told through still slides during the opening credits. And as the film opens, along comes a David Billa who walks into a refugee camp - rugged and weary - but attitude intact. He stands up for his fellow refugees and soon becomes a favourite — not without making some enemies along the way.

David Billa makes use of the opportunities that come his way — he’s not lured but trapped into smuggling diamonds — he outsmarts his foes and delivers the goods to the destination. Billa's naive, but also brave and ambitious enough to take on everything. He wins the favour of a powerful don and becomes his trusted assistant.

Much of the film from now on follows the same pattern - Billa takes up risk after risk — the stakes for each correspondingly higher. And as the backdrop change from the refugee settlement to Chennai to Goa and to Georgia and Ajith's looks too undergo transformation. Soon rifts develop within the gang - Billa betrays and is betrayed in return and a series of murders follow. The rest of the film is all about settling scores and avenging his betrayers and in the end of it all, he comes out unscathed as is expected of David Billa.

The few personal moments that Billa shares with his Mariam played by Janaki Sabesh are hardly moving enough. Parvathi Omanakuttan or Bruna Abdullah in miniscule roles add no worth to the story line if any and their equations with David Billa are never revealed clearly enough throughout the film.

The biggest strength of Billa 2 is undoubtedly its hero. He does his part of looking good whenever he's allowed to, wields his gun in style and delivers the dialogues in his signature style. The film in general lacks pace and drama. The experimental style editing hampers the narrative than improve it. Though the film’s not longer than a quarter and two hours Billa's story until his transition takes its own sweet time to unveil itself.

And yet you wish there was more to it than you saw, perhaps a bit more of drama. You comes out feeling his past somehow isn’t as gruesome as to make him as dreaded a don as he later becomes, or his circumstances are not as cruel as to win our instant sympathy. Nor are his moves to eliminate his rivals as clever, calculating or cunning as we’d have liked them to be.

David Billa hardly has any fun in life except for that one dance instance. His intimacy with anyone, for that matter even his partner Ranjith played by Yog Jappee, who remains faithful to him throughout, is hardly ever explored.

We've forgiven many a films for their lack of story lines or defective screenplays if only they make the best of our heroes. And that might just be what fans will wish for once they comes out watching Billa 2. There're hardly any interesting song sequences in the film—and we get to watch Thala dance just about a bit in 'Bounce...bounce...'. Ajith looks cool and at ease with his role, but we'd have liked more of those flashy suits, stylish accessories and some nicely choreographed stunt sequences. And these are lapses that we can hardly even forgive in a gangster flick.

If you liked 'Billa' and 'Mankatha', and expected as much from the prequel, it falls well short of expectations. As a film I'd hardly have stayed put through its entire length if it were not for Ajith alone. And if you must watch that'll be advise too - watch it only for Thala.

Review 3

Action, amazing & Ajith  

A sequel but a prequel. Billa 2, directed by Chakri Toleti (of Unnaipol Oruvan-fame) traces the journey of David Billa and his transformation into a dreaded gangster. It is more style over substance attempting to camouflage cliches.

Billa 2 has a wafer-thin storyline. But Chakri Toleti has intentionally kept the pace swift enough, leaving no time for the viewer to notice loose ends.

Ajith plays a bravado who is forced to turn a warlord. Being an action flick all through, the director seems to have taken some cinematic liberties and ensured that gun-toting men run around with vigour, baying for blood, spraying bullets all around. It is bad versus bad in a bid to assert their supremacy.

The film begins in a refugee camp ar Rameshwaram where David Billa (Ajith) comes seeking aylum from the neighbouring island nation. Billa gets acquainted with rough life in the refugee camp and raises his voice against those who treat them in an unfair manner.

This leads Billa to incur the wrath of police officials and he is forced to go on an assignment planned with an aim of finishing him off. But a brawny Billa overcomes all odds and completes the task given to him with ease. He comes across a few influential men in the society invoved in mafia. There begins a new journey in his life. He comes across Abbasi (Sudhanshu Pandey), a dreaded gangster in Goa. David Billa's brave acts help Abbasi come out of a tangle. He then begins to like Billa. He gives him new assignments and with them come more risks for Billa. But he completes them in style.

There is a twist when Billa embarks on a trip to Georgia to meet an international don Dmitri (Vidyuth Jamwal) on Abbasi's behalf. But soon a misunderstanding between Abbasi and Billa crops up and they part ways. Now arrives Billa the Don after he bumps off Abbasi. But fresh troubles begin here. Dmitri crosses swords with him. A bloody battle for supremacy then ensues.

Ajith carries the movie on his shoulders literally. A suit-clad Ajith sports a stylish look as the don. Thanks to his screen presence, he manages to pull a few rabits out of the hat. Though he is predomiantly a baddie on a killing spree, yet it has to be said he adorable.

Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah have little to do in the film. Sadly none of them have any song sequence with Ajith. Vidyuth Jamwal's pleasant looks adds credibility to the character. He is at ease before the camera though language is a problem for the Bollywod actor. Sudhanshu Pandey tries hard to look menacing and he does partially succeed.

Adding strength to Billa 2 besides Ajith are cinematographer R D Rajasekar and dialogue writers Era Murugan and Mohammad Zafar. The former captures the locales in Goa and Georgia in its pristine beauty. Several punchlines by Ajith (penned by Era Murugan) is a treat to Ajith fans. Yuvan Shankar's music disappoints big time.

Produced by Sunir Khetarpal, George Pius and Suresh Balajee, Billa 2 is strictly for Ajith fans who want their favourite star to be seen as an invincible person on the screen always. But one would have preferred to see Ajith as brain than brawny hero.

Review 4

Gangster movie that doesn’t pack a solid punch

Releasing today amidst humongous expectations, Billa 2 has widely been acclaimed as being India’s first prequel. Audiences are already familiar with David Billa as a character, thanks to the impact of the earlier Billas which showcased the aura, the daredevilry and the sheer guts of this man.

Now, Billa 2 was supposed to trace the roots of David Billa. Billa is a man who is always on the lookout for the next big thing and loyalty counts as his biggest virtue. The journey that David Billa goes through in his quest for total control and domination in his domain is what Billa 2 is, in a nutshell.

It is a typical gangster movie with loads of villains and an invincible hero who has truckloads of charisma and style.

The fairly engaging first half of Billa 2 happens in coastal Tamil Nadu and later moves on to Goa. The intro scene wherein Ajith is engaged in a ferocious fight sequence and the indigenous title credits are gripping. The dialogues by Era Murugan and Mohamed Zafar are the highlight in this segment. They are filled with punch and meaning. Sample this “Na Agadhi da, Anaadha illa”, “Mathavanoda Bayam dan nambaloda Balam”. There are more such dialogues that are guaranteed to please Ajith’s fans.

The tempo is lost in the second half. The two heroines, Parvathy Omanakuttan and Bruna Abdullah are more like guest cameos. It is disheartening to note that Parvathy doesn’t live up to the hype. Bruna Abdullah looks ravishing and the scenes where she flaunts her bikini body are sure to please the male populace.

The villains, Sudhanshu and Vidyut are majestic and have terrific screen presence. Vidyut’s prowess at stunts has been positioned in his introductory fight sequence. Sudhanshu has to remain the cold and calculating don and doesn’t get to flex his muscles like Vidyut.

Rahman has a blink and you miss type cameo while Manoj K Jayan, Krishna Kumar and Sriman have negative roles which they have done adequately. Ilavarasu impresses in the first half and he is missed in the second half when the action shifts gears.

Ultimately, this movie is made for Ajith’s fans. Ajith looks fit in the first half while in the second half we get to see him in his typical suave avatar. The ferocious eyes in the fight sequences are Ajith’s biggest strength. His daring guts in the climax helicopter stunt have already been well documented but one does feel that the impact created by this aerial fight isn’t as great as expected.

The fight sequences done by three separate stunt masters stand out for their ruthless nature. The fist cuffs are fast and they are violent to say the least. The A certificate seems justified. There are lots of stylish gun shots and blasts that send the pulse racing. But the impact created by all these explosions isn’t great, again.

The editing by Suresh Urs could have been tauter. The ‘Yedho Mayakkam’ song and the needless short belly dance number in the second half hamper the movie’s flow. That said, the editing and VFX in the ‘Unakkulle Mirugam’ song remind you of the flashy style that you see in Guy Ritchie movies.

It is also disappointing to see the ‘Gang Gang Gangster’ song being reduced to a mere end credits song.

R.D.Rajasekhar’s cinematography has made sure that the movie has a grand look. The songs look glossy, the picture resolution is extra-ordinary thanks to the Red Epic camera and RDR’s work in the helicopter sequence earns extra brownie points.

To conclude, Billa 2 will please hardcore action fans and Ajith fans in particular. The emotional connect goes down thanks to a laborious second half. But, the idea of making a prequel and the grand scale of the movie make sure that the movie isn’t a tiresome experience either. Given the expectations, somehow you feel that the end product hasn’t been delivered.