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Sathru Review - Excuse the lack of finesse and Sathru is not a bad watch!

PUBLISHED DATE : 09/Mar/2019

Sathru Review - Excuse the lack of finesse and Sathru is not a bad watch!

Sathru Review - Excuse the lack of finesse and Sathru is not a bad watch!

Bharath Vijayakumar

 

Cop thrillers in Tamil cinema rarely strike a balance. They more often than not end up glorifying the police. Sathru too starts off on a similar note. It also hypes up its hero in the initial scenes and we think that this is an attempt to transform the erstwhile performer in Kathir into an action hero or 'star'.  But where Sathru makes an impression is in the way  director Naveen Nanjundan has sketched and treated his villains. They are an evil bunch but they stick together and ensure that revenge is served red hot when one among them is killed. Laguparan who plays the leader of this young gang is very good and one of the main reasons that makes Sathru work despite its shortcomings. He plays his part with an intensity that is hard to miss and feels so real as well. Kathir is earnest. But the supporting cast does not really match up.
 
The issue with Sathru is that it  looks amateurish at times, the acting in particular. I couldn't help but laugh in a tension filled scene when a nurse goofs it up in the most sincere manner to end up being killed. When there are sufficient scenes to show the potential of the makers, there are also an equal number where the shortcomings are glaring. Budget might be a reason but Sathru could have been so much better with a little finesse. Despite the shortcomings there is a genuine engagement factor going for the film. Maybe it is the performance or the screen-time but there are times we feel we are rooting more for the villain.  While the lead up to any murder is thrilling we hardly feel the pain when anyone close to the hero is the victim. Bonus points for doing away with unwanted songs and romance.

Bottomline
Sathru has a strong cat and mouse game at its crux and this sees it through despite its issues.
  
Verdict: 2.5/5

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