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‘Baby John’ Review: Varun Dhawan in a Flashy, Twisty, Exhaustingly Extravagant Hindi Actioner
The Hollywood ReporterStory by Angie Han
scrn logline
Varun Dhawan stars in a flashy, overstuffed Hindi actioner that pummels audiences with style over substance, despite the director's signature blend of action, emotion and social commentary.
beat sheet
- Despite the extravagant visuals, ear-blasting sound, and Dhawan's committed performance as the quintessential masala hero, the film fails to hold the viewer's attention, with a knotty plot that shifts abruptly between romance, action, and abducted girls.
- The film treats the cop protagonist's brutal actions with reverence, valorizing police brutality, while female characters are largely disposable fodder for violence, making the 'hero' look more heroic in 'protecting' them.
call sheet
Varun Dhawan, Zara Zyanna, Honey, Nadia, Vijay, A. Vijay Kumar, Joseph Kuruvilla, Prashanth Neel, Vikram Rathore, Kalees, Atlee, Priya Atlee, Mahendran, Jackie Shroff, David Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, Citadel: Honey Bunny, Cheeni Kum, Baby John, Theri, Dishoom, October, Devara: Part 1, Pushpa 2: The Rule, Singham Again, Yudhra, Mahanati, Jubilee