Khalifa

The result is a film caught between two ambitions: exposing systems of power and celebrating the charismatic men who manipulate them. It may not be the political thriller it aspires to be, but it succeeds as a stylish, star-driven spectacle.

Pretty much every frame in director Vysakh's Khalifa exudes opulence. A hollow spectacle, Khalifa might even make one wonder where it all went wrong, particularly since, in retrospect, it would appear that the story had pretty much all the elements for a serviceable mass entertainer.

However, the narrative lacks the intended emotional pull or the expected thrills. The similarity to umpteen films released in the 1980s and 90s adds to the movie's dullness.