'Retro' full review: Suriya is the only saving grace in this taxing drama

Cast: Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, Jayaram, Prakash Raj and Nassar

Director: Karthik Subbaraj

Music director: Santhosh Narayanan

Rating: 2/5

Synopsis: Paarivelan, a gangster, tries to leave his violent past behind for the woman he loves. But the shadows of his past return to haunt him time and again.

Filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj has shattered the stigma around sequels in Tamil cinema with Jigarthanda DoubleX, one of 2023’s biggest hits. The director has joined forces for the first time with Suriya meaning that Retro released amid soaring expectations.

The story begins in the 1960s, where Thilagan (Joju George), a gangster, and his wife Sandhya (Swasika) adopt Paarivelan Kannan (Suriya). Although Thilagan isn’t particularly fond of his stepson, he raises him as a henchman after witnessing his violent tendencies. Years later, Paarivelan falls in love with Rukmini (Pooja Hegde) and resolves to leave his brutal past behind in hopes of building a peaceful life. But when a gold smuggling deal goes awry, a rift develops between father and son, pulling Paarivelan back into a world of bloodshed. He ends up in prison, and Rukmini disappears. The rest of Retro follows his search for her and his path toward redemption.

From the very first scene, the storyline swings like a pendulum between romance and violence. With a solid setup of characters and a fascinating 15-minute-long single-shot wedding sequence, Karthik sends out a clear message, 'cut n right', that the film is more character-driven than script-centric. However, the pace remains inconsistent and fails to build momentum. Karthik leans into his trademark experimental storytelling, as seen in Iraivi and Jagame Thanthiram, but this time, the risks don’t quite pay off. While the subtle details he layers into the narrative tries to be promising, they fail to come together as a cohesive or engaging screenplay. Thankfully, the occasional witty one-liners provide some much-needed relief.

Just when it seems like the steam would pick up in the second half, it sinks deeper into a black hole. The story abruptly shifts into a larger-than-life hero worship, with the protagonist transitioning to a village savior. It follows the familiar, formulaic path of Jigarthanda DoubleX but fails to create an impact. At the into the midpoint of the second half, the film begins to wear thin, making its 170-minute runtime feel even longer.

The only saving grace of Retro is Suriya. His performance stays measured, especially in the first half. His portrayal of Paarivelan Kannan, a character with layered emotion, brings out the best in him. Years have passed, but his charisma continues to dominate the screen , and for fans, that smile in the interval will be a real high point. Pooja Hegde plays her part well, while Joju George stands out with his menacing portrayal of Thilagan. The rest of the cast aptly justify their roles.

The second hero of the film is Santhosh Narayanan. With such a wide variety of sounds in the album, one could almost call this a musical drama. As the saying goes, visuals speak louder than words, and cinematographer Shreyaas Krishna does impressive work in capturing the film’s tonality. As noted before, the film feels overly long, and trimming 10-15 minutes could have significantly tightened the pacing.

Karthik Subbaraj’s intention to step outside his comfort zone is evident and commendable. However, the writing feels detached from the characters, lacking the emotional resonance needed to make them compelling. While the film is stacked with ideas one above the other, none are explored to their potential. Sadly, Retro may well be Karthik Subbaraj’s weakest outing yet.