Varavu review: Joju George's action thriller is all noise, little substance
Varavu movie review: Featuring Joju George in the lead, alongside Arjun Ashokan, Saniya Iyappan, and others, this revenge-driven action thriller seems like a mass feast at first glance but is hollow in content.
Varavu, which translates to 'arrival' in Malayalam, took its own sweet time to arrive in theatres. Following multiple delays, the Shaji Kailas directorial finally released on July 16. Featuring an impressive cast, including Joju George, Arjun Ashokan, Murali Gopy, Baiju Santhosh, Vani Viswanath and Saniya Iyappan, among others, and with the trailer promising an intense action thriller, Varavu seemed like it would be a fun outing while booking the ticket. But was that the experience? Let's find out.
Varavu begins with the arrival of its protagonist, Paulson (Joju George), and the action kicks off almost immediately on the bus he is travelling in. Slow-motion punches, goons flying through the air and shattering glass initially create the impression of a stylish, high-octane entertainer. Unfortunately, that promise doesn't last long.
Paulson is returning to his town from jail on a 10-day parole as his sister Daisy, a nun, is leaving for Italy soon. Both of them are on the lookout for their younger brother, Willi (Arjun), who went missing four years ago, just before Paulson was imprisoned. With the police investigation going nowhere and several powerful people in the town having a motive, Paulson, with the help of his ride-or-die friends Paapan and Sethu, sets out to seek revenge.
So, does Paulson know what happened to Willi? Is Willi still alive? Who is behind Willi's disappearance? Why was Paulson imprisoned? The answers to these questions, delivered through one of the most dated screenplays the action thriller genre has to offer, make up the film's plot. There is masala, there is action, and the film tries to be a thriller, but it offers little entertainment with its barely engaging plot.
Often, we speak about how writing for the thriller genre has become increasingly difficult because audiences today have such vast exposure to the format. They often end up predicting what happens next. Despite that, when a film manages to make the audience question their own theories, it instantly becomes engaging.
Writer AK Sajan, however, has written one of the most generic thriller stories with Varavu. The film does not even attempt to be anything more than a standard '90s tragic love story centred on a younger brother and an older brother out for revenge.
Veteran director Shaji Kailas's approach to filmmaking feels just as dated. He has tried to add more flair to the film through the use of modern technology, but when the foundation is weak—both in terms of the director's understanding of technology and the story itself—such efforts can be acknowledged, but not appreciated.
The film's runtime is 143 minutes, and at least 20 minutes could have easily been trimmed. While the first half is slightly more engaging as it sets up the premise, by the interval, it becomes clear that the film is unlikely to impress. The second half plays like a montage of all the important beats required to take the story towards its conclusion. The climax, especially, almost feels as though the team had run out of both budget and shooting days and simply wrapped things up with a bare-minimum sequence.
The only redeeming factor in the film is some of its performances, especially Joju George (and his striking orange-brown lenses). Joju George's physical presence adds significant value to the action sequences. The actor conveys rage, grief and vulnerability with subtlety, and that is the best part of the film. Murali Gopy, Sukanya, Baiju Santhosh and the rest of the cast deliver what is expected of them.
99.9% of the time, Malayalam cinema excels in the technical departments, even when the content is not as strong. However, with Varavu, that is not the case. Cinematographer S Saravanan has tried many things, especially with the action sequences, but none of them complement the story. At certain points, his work is reminiscent of the cinematography seen in Telugu and Tamil films of the 2010s. Sam CS's music is engaging in moments, but eventually becomes repetitive due to overuse. Editing by Shameer Muhammed is underwhelming.
Varavu had all the ingredients to be an entertaining commercial action thriller—a capable cast, a veteran filmmaker and a revenge-driven premise. Unfortunately, it squanders them all with a painfully predictable screenplay, dated execution and uninspired technical choices. Apart from Joju George's committed performance and a handful of action moments, there is very little to hold on to. This is one arrival that was simply not worth the wait.
Varavu, which translates to 'arrival' in Malayalam, took its own sweet time to arrive in theatres. Following multiple delays, the Shaji Kailas directorial finally released on July 16. Featuring an impressive cast, including Joju George, Arjun Ashokan, Murali Gopy, Baiju Santhosh, Vani Viswanath and Saniya Iyappan, among others, and with the trailer promising an intense action thriller, Varavu seemed like it would be a fun outing while booking the ticket. But was that the experience? Let's find out.
Varavu begins with the arrival of its protagonist, Paulson (Joju George), and the action kicks off almost immediately on the bus he is travelling in. Slow-motion punches, goons flying through the air and shattering glass initially create the impression of a stylish, high-octane entertainer. Unfortunately, that promise doesn't last long.
Paulson is returning to his town from jail on a 10-day parole as his sister Daisy, a nun, is leaving for Italy soon. Both of them are on the lookout for their younger brother, Willi (Arjun), who went missing four years ago, just before Paulson was imprisoned. With the police investigation going nowhere and several powerful people in the town having a motive, Paulson, with the help of his ride-or-die friends Paapan and Sethu, sets out to seek revenge.
So, does Paulson know what happened to Willi? Is Willi still alive? Who is behind Willi's disappearance? Why was Paulson imprisoned? The answers to these questions, delivered through one of the most dated screenplays the action thriller genre has to offer, make up the film's plot. There is masala, there is action, and the film tries to be a thriller, but it offers little entertainment with its barely engaging plot.
Often, we speak about how writing for the thriller genre has become increasingly difficult because audiences today have such vast exposure to the format. They often end up predicting what happens next. Despite that, when a film manages to make the audience question their own theories, it instantly becomes engaging.
Writer AK Sajan, however, has written one of the most generic thriller stories with Varavu. The film does not even attempt to be anything more than a standard '90s tragic love story centred on a younger brother and an older brother out for revenge.
Veteran director Shaji Kailas's approach to filmmaking feels just as dated. He has tried to add more flair to the film through the use of modern technology, but when the foundation is weak—both in terms of the director's understanding of technology and the story itself—such efforts can be acknowledged, but not appreciated.
The film's runtime is 143 minutes, and at least 20 minutes could have easily been trimmed. While the first half is slightly more engaging as it sets up the premise, by the interval, it becomes clear that the film is unlikely to impress. The second half plays like a montage of all the important beats required to take the story towards its conclusion. The climax, especially, almost feels as though the team had run out of both budget and shooting days and simply wrapped things up with a bare-minimum sequence.
The only redeeming factor in the film is some of its performances, especially Joju George (and his striking orange-brown lenses). Joju George's physical presence adds significant value to the action sequences. The actor conveys rage, grief and vulnerability with subtlety, and that is the best part of the film. Murali Gopy, Sukanya, Baiju Santhosh and the rest of the cast deliver what is expected of them.
99.9% of the time, Malayalam cinema excels in the technical departments, even when the content is not as strong. However, with Varavu, that is not the case. Cinematographer S Saravanan has tried many things, especially with the action sequences, but none of them complement the story. At certain points, his work is reminiscent of the cinematography seen in Telugu and Tamil films of the 2010s. Sam CS's music is engaging in moments, but eventually becomes repetitive due to overuse. Editing by Shameer Muhammed is underwhelming.
Varavu had all the ingredients to be an entertaining commercial action thriller—a capable cast, a veteran filmmaker and a revenge-driven premise. Unfortunately, it squanders them all with a painfully predictable screenplay, dated execution and uninspired technical choices. Apart from Joju George's committed performance and a handful of action moments, there is very little to hold on to. This is one arrival that was simply not worth the wait.
Varavu, which translates to 'arrival' in Malayalam, took its own sweet time to arrive in theatres. Following multiple delays, the Shaji Kailas directorial finally released on July 16. Featuring an impressive cast, including Joju George, Arjun Ashokan, Murali Gopy, Baiju Santhosh, Vani Viswanath and Saniya Iyappan, among others, and with the trailer promising an intense action thriller, Varavu seemed like it would be a fun outing while booking the ticket. But was that the experience? Let's find out.
Varavu begins with the arrival of its protagonist, Paulson (Joju George), and the action kicks off almost immediately on the bus he is travelling in. Slow-motion punches, goons flying through the air and shattering glass initially create the impression of a stylish, high-octane entertainer. Unfortunately, that promise doesn't last long.
Paulson is returning to his town from jail on a 10-day parole as his sister Daisy, a nun, is leaving for Italy soon. Both of them are on the lookout for their younger brother, Willi (Arjun), who went missing four years ago, just before Paulson was imprisoned. With the police investigation going nowhere and several powerful people in the town having a motive, Paulson, with the help of his ride-or-die friends Paapan and Sethu, sets out to seek revenge.
So, does Paulson know what happened to Willi? Is Willi still alive? Who is behind Willi's disappearance? Why was Paulson imprisoned? The answers to these questions, delivered through one of the most dated screenplays the action thriller genre has to offer, make up the film's plot. There is masala, there is action, and the film tries to be a thriller, but it offers little entertainment with its barely engaging plot.
Often, we speak about how writing for the thriller genre has become increasingly difficult because audiences today have such vast exposure to the format. They often end up predicting what happens next. Despite that, when a film manages to make the audience question their own theories, it instantly becomes engaging.
Writer AK Sajan, however, has written one of the most generic thriller stories with Varavu. The film does not even attempt to be anything more than a standard '90s tragic love story centred on a younger brother and an older brother out for revenge.
Veteran director Shaji Kailas's approach to filmmaking feels just as dated. He has tried to add more flair to the film through the use of modern technology, but when the foundation is weak—both in terms of the director's understanding of technology and the story itself—such efforts can be acknowledged, but not appreciated.
The film's runtime is 143 minutes, and at least 20 minutes could have easily been trimmed. While the first half is slightly more engaging as it sets up the premise, by the interval, it becomes clear that the film is unlikely to impress. The second half plays like a montage of all the important beats required to take the story towards its conclusion. The climax, especially, almost feels as though the team had run out of both budget and shooting days and simply wrapped things up with a bare-minimum sequence.
The only redeeming factor in the film is some of its performances, especially Joju George (and his striking orange-brown lenses). Joju George's physical presence adds significant value to the action sequences. The actor conveys rage, grief and vulnerability with subtlety, and that is the best part of the film. Murali Gopy, Sukanya, Baiju Santhosh and the rest of the cast deliver what is expected of them.
99.9% of the time, Malayalam cinema excels in the technical departments, even when the content is not as strong. However, with Varavu, that is not the case. Cinematographer S Saravanan has tried many things, especially with the action sequences, but none of them complement the story. At certain points, his work is reminiscent of the cinematography seen in Telugu and Tamil films of the 2010s. Sam CS's music is engaging in moments, but eventually becomes repetitive due to overuse. Editing by Shameer Muhammed is underwhelming.
Varavu had all the ingredients to be an entertaining commercial action thriller—a capable cast, a veteran filmmaker and a revenge-driven premise. Unfortunately, it squanders them all with a painfully predictable screenplay, dated execution and uninspired technical choices. Apart from Joju George's committed performance and a handful of action moments, there is very little to hold on to. This is one arrival that was simply not worth the wait.
