Retro’ movie review: An excellent Suriya carries Karthik Subbaraj’s admirable experimentA supercharged Suriya shoulders Karthik Subbaraj’s genre-bending film, yet some joyless stretches in this overstuffed screenplay test our patience
Suriya powers an entertaining, layered, but slightly shaky Karthik Subbaraj film
Suriya and Pooja Hegde are compelling in Karthik Subbaraj’s entertaining star vehicle that is made to serve a higher purpose, even if it goes around in circles.
What cinematographer Shreyaas Krishna, composer Santhosh Narayanan, and editor Shafique Mohammed Ali have achieved in Retro is nothing short of brilliant. Each of them, and a lot more, have stepped up to the plate to make sense of the multiple layers written into the screenplay to make it all into a cohesive film. The background scores for a lot of the characters, and the innumerable fight sequences, is Santhosh having a lot of fun, and of course, there is a beautiful Ilaiyaraaja number and Karthik’s hat-tip to Rajinikanth that puts a smile on our faces.
In the outlandish phase of the film, which involves Rajadurai (Nasser) and Michael ruling the island with an iron fist, leading to exploitation of generations of people, war games, crocodiles, and crucifixion, Karthik dials up the quirks, but isn’t necessarily backed by the writing. But there are one too many quirks in the film, and there is just too much happening for all of them to land well. It almost feels like the film spends too much time in the incredulous zone, and this doesn’t allow the final act to reach the impact that was felt in some of his previous works. But this incredulity is also a smokescreen for a commentary on war profiteering, and the sheer ignorance towards the oppression of the many. While Karthik doesn’t really spell out a lot of things in the film, it is clear what he has tried with Retro. He has delivered a film that aims to showcase the best of Suriya, and the actor has reciprocated by giving it his all. He has delivered a film that is high on quirks, and even higher on randomness. He has delved into a genre that he hasn’t tried yet, and it is quite a bold experiment.
What is the purpose of life? Some figure out on their own. Some people need a guiding light. Some die struggling. Director Karthik Subbaraj’s ‘Retro’ is a story of an orphan with a Trishul (a trident) birthmark, who has a strong purpose in life. ‘Retro’ is Subbaraj’s ‘Jigarthanda Double XL’ meets Arun Matheswaran’s ‘Captain Miller’. Is it as effective as ‘Jigarthanda Double XL’? Let’s find out!
Paarivelkannan (Suriya) gets adopted by Sandhya (Swastika) and her gangster husband Thilagan (Joju George) after the two follow a few spiritual signs. Thilagan despises Paari as he is not his kid. His childhood drama rips off his smile and happiness, leaving him brooding all the time. When Sandhya dies, Paari is left with no one, but in a quick turn of events, Thilagan accepts Paari when he gives first-hand proof of how he can be an A-class henchman. This whole episode also brings Paari and Rukmini together – both of whom are also grieving the loss of their mother.
14 years later, when Paari meets Rukmini in Coorg, sparks fly. After four years of courtship and several changes in his personality, Paari is now a transformed man, ready to leave his gangster life behind. But, is there a way out when you are neck-deep into a life that’s all about gore and blood? Director Karthik Subbaraj answers this and more in over two hours and 48 minutes.
Retro’ begins on a spectacular note. The 15-minute single-shot sequence, featuring the catchy ‘Kanima’ song, showcases varied emotions and brilliantly choreographed stunt sequences. The rollercoaster of emotions that Suriya and Joju, as son and father, go through sets the stage for bigger conflicts. The story begins in the 1960s with Paari’s life coming to an abrupt halt with the death of his speech-impaired father. After the flashback, the film takes us to the 90s when Paari and Rukku are trying to live like a normal couple.
The conflicts begin with Paari and Joju’s characters being at loggerheads over a costly dealing with foreigners. As the story shifts to Andamans, it also treads a treacherous slope that bogs down the impressive start. It is here the film falters majorly. Absurd ideas galore with random sermons on authoritarianism and democracy. So much so that the film feels overloaded at one point – a recurring problem in Karthik’s films. While the world-building, umpteen meta references and political takes add depth, the story is so redundant that none of this matters.
The references to the Lord Krishna-Rukmini story, the difference between Buddha and Krishna, its take on colonialism and democracy are all factors that could have contributed to a well-rounded story about one’s purpose in life. But, the quirky nature of certain characters introduced later in the story drags the excitement down.
Suriya, as Paarivelkannan, shoulders the film with his incredible range of expressions. ‘Retro’ is a great canvas for him to showcase who he truly is and what a director like Karthik Subbaraj could bring out from an actor like him. However, there is only so much that he can do in a film that drags on more than intended. Karthik Subbraj promoted ‘Retro’, calling it a love film. But, it is the love portion that has the least impact. While Pooja Hegde’s Rukmini embodies Buddha, there is a lack of a character arc that makes you want to root for her. The film also introduces two quirky characters in the form of Nasser and Vidhu, who take it a little too far with their performances.
‘Retro’s’ story progresses in chapters and the first two chapters – Love and Laughter – are its weakest and there lies its biggest problem. While the film is technically sound, and composer Santhosh Narayanan’s music and songs do their thing, ‘Retro’ suffers from schooling its audience. It not only shows but uses its characters to spell out everything to the audience.
Ratings : 2.9/5
