Baahubali 2: The Conclusion

Both a sequel and a prequel (though swift recaps mean you don’t need to have seen The Beginning), BB2 is structured to exploit S.S. Rajamouli’s maximalist tendencies. Indeed, it became the most expensive Indian film, and India’s biggest ever box office hit.

“Here, once again, is thunderous spectacle unlikely to be surpassed in several summers, and clinching proof of writer-director S.S. Rajamouli’s position among world cinema’s boldest image-makers… The action throughout remains joyous. Baahu’s quasi-cartoonish strength permits the film to take mightily imaginative leaps: one minute our guy’s casually surfing flaming oxen, the next he’s converting himself into a human cannonball with the assistance of a coconut tree. This time, however, we’re more aware of the stakes underpinning such flights of fancy.” The Guardian

Everything I want but rarely get from superhero and big-budget fantasy movies… The action choreography is exciting, the operatic plot is compelling, and a genuine sense of optimism undercuts the geysers of blood and thunderous sound effects that accompany the film’s stirring set pieces. Here’s a splashy, big-budget film with an infectious sense of momentum that wins you over any time key plot points are glossed over for the sake of establishing the next big confrontation. It’s loud, it’s gory, and there are musical numbers.

Simon Abrams, rogerebert.com

The budget’s big, the muscle considerable, but they’re nothing compared with Baahubali’s heart.

Mike McCahil, The Guardian