Thug Life has generated plenty of buzz, thanks to the reunion of kamal haasan and mani ratnam after their iconic Nayakan (1987). With A. R. rahman on board for the music and a cast featuring trisha and simbu, expectations are sky-high. Let’s see if they’ve managed to raise the bar once again. The movie begins with Rangaraya Shaktivel (Kamal Haasan) taking us through his past. The movie starts well and then it falls into familiar territory and there is no depth in relationships. Even the action and drama fall too flat.

Thus far, the drama is effective at moments, particularly in the opening scenes.  There is some intrigue in the plot line, which keeps things somewhat interesting.  However, this drama is hampered by the film's plodding pacing and predictability.  Some parts of the music are good, but most of it is ineffective. mani ratnam needs to understand that it's tough to keep the audience engaged with a lengthy screenplay. The length is clearly a major issue and many scenes could have been trimmed easily.

Just when we thought at least we might get a solid second half, the second half turned out to be a lame duck. The audience felt worn out. After watching the second half, the first is at least watchable due to some interesting portions and the initial setup. The narration was long in the tooth and failed to keep us engaged. mani ratnam is clearly struggling and it's tough when you're past your prime. Just like director Shankar, mani ratnam also fails to recreate the magic with Kamal Haasan.

The casting and performances are appropriate.  As anticipated, Kamal Hassan is a standout.  Simbu performs admirably, but the writing makes his range seem constrained.  Trisha's position feels pointless and is a waste.  Actually, Trisha's part might have been eliminated entirely.  None of the other characters have any noteworthy storylines, although they are all good in their performances. Technically, the movie is sound with top-notch production values and rich visuals. AR Rahman's music was completely out of sync and with such a dull narration we can't blame him either. 

Overall, This gangster Drama Had us on Pins and Needles for Hours

Ratings: ⭐⭐
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Thug Life

SIBY JEYYA

05/06/2025 07:39 AM