Pathaan Review - Sure to Satisfy the Action Movie Lovers!

Ashwin Ram

Pathaan is a spy action thriller starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham along with Shah Rukh Khan who is back on the big screen after four long years. It is directed by Siddharth Anand of WAR fame and produced by Yash Raj Films.

Premise:

John Abraham has planned a dangerous attack over India by joining hands with a terrorist organization. Shah Rukh Khan as Pathaan, the Indian RAW agent is in charge to save the nation.

Writing/ Direction:

The crime has been well-thought of and the detailing surrounding it is shown well. The three central characters have valid backstories that are linked neatly with the story arcs. The film convinces us with the script and the intentions of the leads. What is missing is a smart screenplay, which WAR the previous spy flick from universe had. There is a good amount of high-octane action here that drives the flow forward, but the parts in between are flat. The first half is passable and doesn’t bore much, but the latter suffers from knowing the right path. There are a few theatre moments that peaked with the solid cameo appearance of Salman Khan. Spilling seeds early and seeing them pay off big towards the end is a great formula, sadly this works only once in the flick. The twists are weakly presented, in a way they don’t strike hard. Not-so-powerful emotions create a detachment over the happenings. Lack of exciting situations and interesting sequences despite creating plenty of artist combination scenes. Plenty of talkie portions that, thankfully the dialogues are good, especially certain lines are very apt for the hero. The mid-credit scene is such a joy, also the stars make an important statement which will be a delight for the fans.

Performances:

Shah Rukh Khan as a full-fledged action hero is momentous throughout the film, he has his own signature sweet moments with the heroine. Deepika Padukone has used her role efficiently, she graces both in the action portions and carries herself perfectly for the no-nonsense skin show. John Abraham is physically strong, his beast-like physique boosts the fight sequences, but his character could have had some brain-weight as well. Salman Khan’s cameo is justified smartly and the roar was worth it. Rest of the characters are underwhelming, Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana have the scope, they could have been utilized better.

Technicalities:

Vishal-Shekhar’s songs are dull, both the peppy dance numbers are unimpressive. Satisfying background score from the duo that elevates the heroism and thrilling action to the right level. Rich camera work shot in exotic locations, job done as the visuals prove to be on a large scale. Huge accolades to the visual effects team for a very neat work, not perfect but they haven’t spoiled anything. Splendid action stretches, no logic, the team has tried to provide a believable cinematic experience. It is undoubtedly racy, but the editing pattern missed out on something punchy.

Bottomline

Not the smartest of spy thrillers out there, the quality story demands a more gripping screenplay. Nevertheless the masala is rightly mixed with action and convincing backstories.

Rating - 2.75/ 5