'Retro' quick review: Suriya brings life to this testing Karthik Subbaraj 'padam'
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
'Retro' movie poster (X)
Cast: Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George, Jayaram and Nassar
Director: Karthik Subbaraj
Music Director: Santhosh Narayanan
Rating: 2/5
Following the success of Jigarthanda DoubleX, filmmaker Karthik Subbaraj teams up with actor Suriya for Retro. With a slick trailer cut by Alphonse Puthren and a chart-buster album by Santhosh Narayanan, the film releases amid soaring expectations. But does the film as a whole live up to the hype?
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 story-focused. However, the pace remains inconsistent and fails to build any momentum until interval.
Just when it seems like the steam would pick up second half, it just sinks deeper into a black hole. The story abruptly shifts into hero worship, with the protagonist taking on the role of a village savior. The demon turns into god. By the midpoint of the second half, the film begins to wear thin, making its 170-minute runtime feel even longer.
The only saving grace 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.
The wait for Suriya's perfect box office hit continues.
Detailed review to follow...
