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The Ghost Movie Review: Nagarjuna’s action thriller doesn’t give us breathtaking, tense action
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The Ghost Movie Review: A boy who gets dramatically saved from a rioter in his childhood grows up to become the underworld’s nightmare. He is Vikram Gandhi (Nagarjuna), who swears by his ambition to root out the mafia on an industrial scale. He may suffer from occasional panic attacks, he may have to contend with heartbreak, his estranged family may have left him to confront his loneliness, but he is that superhero-type freelance Interpol agent who gets to execute massive missions that could have cross-border ramifications in real life. But in the oversimplified universe of ‘The Ghost’, even earth-shattering events tend to sink without a trace.
Like in ‘PSV Garuda Vega’, director Praveen Sattaru’s previous film, the premise is larger-than-life and the landscapes are quite a few. The scene shifts from Dubai to Ooty to Goa, tracking the changing beats in Vikram’s life. But the writing doesn’t quite suck the viewer into the unfolding action and the very many events.
Vikram’s estranged sister Anu (Gul Panag) urges him to keep her and her teen daughter Aditi (Anikha Surendran) from being attacked by their enemies. Since he comes with years of experience in tackling the most fearsome criminals, it should be a cakewalk for him. And it turns out to be the walk in the park that the audience is made to believe it is.
The ultimate clash in the climax is proof that the script attempts to place a Rocky Bhai-esque burden on the shoulders of Vikram. The action block was supposed to feel like a saga. Instead, it ends up looking half-baked.
The Ghost Trailer:
If ‘Godfather’ (the other major Telugu release this Dasara) is about political power games, ‘The Ghost’ has got corporate power games at its centre. The characters played by Srikanth Iyengar and Ravi Varma are failed by cliched writing; it’s hard to believe they are big shots of the corporate world.
None of the mercenaries look even remotely scary. The junior artists wielding big weapons are wooden. The baddies speak like non-native Telugu speakers and with even Vikram’s sister doing that, the film’s nativity quotient takes a beating. Characters, at times, scream on phone.
The film’s idea of masala entertainment begins and ends with the one-dimensional thought of infusing a dozen action blocks. Despite all this, the tension is zero. Two bad guys arguing maniacally doesn’t build tension in 2022.
Call it flawed execution or superficial writing or both, but there is no sense that danger is lurking in many corners. The track involving Aditi tries too hard to show her as a spoilt brat; so much so, there is a needless song set against the backdrop of Goa. The uncle-niece duo’s bonding is one feature that makes some emotional impact. Since Sonal Chauhan‘s character becomes important eventually, she deserved more space and lines. Manish Chaudhari’s character doesn’t give the impression that it is distinct.
Nagarjuna’s performance is arresting in some segments. Mukesh G’s cinematography is another positive feature. While the action blocks are not explosive, the action choreography by Dinesh Subbarayan and Kecha Khamphadkee shows flashes of creativity.
Also Read| GodFather Movie Review: This Chiranjeevi starrer is a pack of power games and whistle-worthy moments
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