Review: ‘Care of Footpath 2’ an exercise in excess

Evidently a huge fan of Danny Boyle’s hyperkinetic filmmaking style, director Kishan SS has made “Care of Footpath 2” (a.k.a. “Kill Them Young”) as a bombastic, overlong melodrama that doesn’t recognize the occasional need to takes things down a decibel or three.

Claiming to be inspired by “true stories of juvenile offenders,” the film follows a quartet of adolescents in the slums of New Delhi who are being tried for plotting the murder of a sadistic police inspector (Jaya Karthik). Esha Deol plays the compassionate youth advocate assigned to defend them.

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The film’s writer-director, who also plays one of the youths, at least deserves points for moxie. He made his behind-the-camera debut in 2006 at the tender age of 9 with the first “Care of Footpath” installment, earning a listing in the Guinness Book of World Records in the process.

But whatever well-intentioned statements Master Kishan, as he’s also known, may have had in mind regarding the real-world issues of media sensationalism and police corruption, have been effectively squashed beneath the weight of his annoyingly unrestrained approach.

Anything left unscathed by excessively showy editing or pitch-heavy performances is ultimately slammed to the wall by an overwrought score, which unlike that juvenile justice system, takes no prisoners.

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“Care of Footpath 2.”

No MPAA rating.

Running time: 2 hours, 15 minutes.

Playing: Laemmle’s Playhouse 7, Pasadena.

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