At the end of Batman Begins (2005), Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) says: “We start carrying semi-automatics, they buy automatics. We start wearing Kevlar, they buy armour-piercing rounds.”

He is, of course, talking about escalation, and how, unmitigated, that can be detrimental; especially where, when it comes to films, a certain level of motivation is lacking within the story.

In simplistic terms, and perhaps overly simplistic terms, Kill (2023) is an exercise in escalation — the eponymous kills escalate in the brutality with every execution.

However, while it does provide the requisite visceral visual thrills it is very much going for, this isn’t without purpose.

The story could have worked as just a basic thrill ride set in a cramped Indian commuter train and most audiences who enjoy ‘that sort of thing’— this reviewer included —would have had no complaints whatsoever.

Rated ‘R’ for Violence — trailer may contain spoilers | Trailer for Kill

Kill, though, is a much more mature beast. There are layers to this story which make it all the more appealing than just your average ‘good samaritan at the wrong place at the right time’ yarn.

The direction, by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat, is sure. The performances, by Lakshya, Raghav Juyal and Ashish Vidyarthi in particular, are brilliant, believable and largely relatable. And the story, by Bhat again, has an internal logic that cannot be denied — it is driven by emotion even as every adversary is ‘unalived’ with ever-escalating violence and gore justified within the story.

The rights for an American remake have already been acquired by the makers of John Wick (2014) and while I’m unsure how they’re going to improve upon this story — or even if they can — that action alone speaks to the pedigree of this gem of a violent/emotional story.

Directed by Bhat, from a screenplay by Bhat and Ayesha Syed, and fight choreography by Oh Se-Yeong; Kill stands its own in the genre of bulletproof protagonists.