Jallikattu
Jallikattu

Movie spotlight

Jallikattu

2019
Movie
95 min
Malayalam

An escaped buffalo triggers a frenzy of ecstatic violence in a remote village.

Insights

IMDb7.4/10
Rotten Tomatoes94%
Metacritic83/100
Google Users89%
Director: Lijo Jose PellisseryGenres: Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller

Plot Summary

In a remote village in Kerala, a buffalo breaks free from its enclosure and runs amok through the community. The villagers, led by a butcher and his accomplices, embark on a chaotic and violent hunt to recapture the animal. As the pursuit escalates, primal instincts take over, blurring the lines between humanity and beast, and revealing the dark undercurrents of the community.

Critical Reception

Jallikattu received widespread critical acclaim for its direction, cinematography, sound design, and visceral portrayal of human nature. It was lauded for its technical brilliance and its unique narrative approach, though some found its lack of conventional plot challenging.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its audacious and relentless direction that creates a visually stunning and intensely immersive experience.

  • Celebrated for its masterful use of sound design and cinematography to evoke a primal, almost overwhelming atmosphere.

  • Noted for its bold exploration of human desires and the animalistic nature that lies beneath civilization's veneer.

Google audience: Audiences largely applauded Jallikattu for its unique cinematic vision, powerful performances, and its raw, energetic depiction of a community descending into chaos. Many appreciated its innovative storytelling and technical prowess, finding it a truly unforgettable and thought-provoking film.

Awards & Accolades

Selected as India's official entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Won Best Film at the 50th Kerala State Film Awards. Awarded the Audience Award for Best Film at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) 2019.

Fun Fact

The film's title, 'Jallikattu', refers to a traditional Tamil sport involving bull-taming, though the film itself focuses on a buffalo rampage in Kerala and serves as a metaphor for human nature.

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

1 reviews
SWITCH.

SWITCH.

In one key scene, an old man sitting in the warmth of a night fire observes, “this land had once been full of animals, and it is still so, look at those two-legged creatures.“ Are humans still basically Neanderthal hunter-gatherers, scoopin...