Kesari

We get bloodshed in slow motion, a few good men fighting until their last breath and a plaintive soundtrack to underline their immense sacrifice. It gets a little exhausting.

Akshay Kumar is the film. And he pulls it off, keeping that 'kesari pagdi' aloft right till the end, delivering thundering speeches while keeping his men's morale up.

It would have, perhaps, worked with good casting and performances supporting the main lead. However, in the one-man show, none of the other characters or actors turn out memorable.

A barely disguised propaganda vehicle [that chronicles a] remarkable episode [of Indian history] with self-defeating twists.

Just a whole lot of killing, slashing and humans cutting up humans. Yes, the cinematography soars, but the violence is so much, so prolonged, and begins to give you a headache.

Overall, the splendidly saffron-tinted visuals and a few spectacular stretches can't compensate for Kesari's shockingly ludicrous finale and too much dilly-dally.

The only way Kesari could have done justice to its source material is if it didn't exist.

The brave and bloody Battle of Sargarhi will remain in the history books, but Kesari is unlikely to join it there.

A movie that should have been about a legendary last stand becomes yet another star vehicle for Akshay Kumar, who is the only character with a back story.

Much like the battle in this period war drama, Singh stretches proceedings interminably.