Thunivu Movie ReviewBOTTOM LINE
Only For The Brave

OUR RATING
1.75/5

CENSOR
U/A, 2h 26m


AjithKumar_Thunivu_Vijay_VarisuWhat Is the Film About?
A bunch of goons target Your Bank for robbery. They devise a perfect plan but are taken aback by the presence of Ajith Kumar. Who is he and why is he in the bank? What are his intentions, and who gave him the intel? The movie’s core plot is how does the whole heist end up?

Performances
Ajith portrays a different getup in the movie while continuing his salt-and-pepper look. The styling, especially the beard and goggles, makes the difference. The whole thing enhances his appeal on screen and perfectly suits the gangster role. However, all these are mere physical details. When it comes to performance, it doesn’t match the same high standards.

The first half sees Ajith get back to his Mankatha days. There is that touch of evil and negative shade, but they are all done superficially and don’t gel well with the narrative. There is fun only due to him in some parts, but they are limited. Nothing stands out or impresses (as a whole) despite a visible effort to impress. It is, in particular, true to the general audience as the fans can easily be satisfied with simple things.

Manju Warrier is technically the female lead. It is not the usual heroine role but turns into a cliche nevertheless after a point. All we see here is Manju Warrier doing the action, and that’s it.


Analysis
H Vinoth directs the movie. It is his third consecutive collaboration with Ajith. His previous films were Nerkonda Paarvai and Valimai.

The good thing with the collaboration first. The director has come up with three unique subjects for Ajith. A progressive courtroom drama, a high-octane action thriller and now we have a heist drama involving banks.

However, barring the first one (Nerkonda Paarvai, a remake), H Vinoth has yet to provide the right package dealing with a star like Ajith. The issues seen with Valimai are now seen in his latest effort Thunivu.

It doesn’t take much time for the problems to surface. The first half feels rushed from the start. There is a messy feel, and the impression here is that H Vinoth is trying to utilise the ‘star’ Ajith to further the narrative. The swag, laughs and dancing bits are part of the oeuvre. But, they fail to make the necessary impact on the flimsy ground.

Director-h-vinothThe clueless screenplay trying to mix the swag and content makes the whole thing look messy in the first half. The action happens without any conviction and misses the necessary intensity. Things remain the same until the interval, where little hope of a better second half emerges.

Unfortunately, the second half comes with its own set of problems. The most obvious is the genre switch from a thriller to a social drama. The topic here is banks, and the content is about mutual funds. Instead of bringing a relatability and engaging narrative out of it, the proceedings stick to the surface details and jump from one thing to another in a vigilante fashion.

The change in tone from social drama to vigilante drama and then to over-the-top action derails the proceedings from time to time, just when one might seem interested. It is slightly better than the first half regarding the content, but the lack of effectiveness doesn’t change the eventual fate.

Overall, Thunivu has a relatable core central point that relies heavily on the star’s enigmatic presence to pull through. Even the ‘content’ takes different turns, leaving the viewers dazed and confused. Ultimately, it is a movie strictly for the fans and a huge disappointment for others.


Performances by Others Actors
Apart from Ajith and Manju Warrior, the cast has very few known faces. Among them, Samuthirakani plays a typical honest, sincere cop. He is alright, even though it’s a minor role. Ajay gets a decent part after a gap and does well in what’s given. The rest of the actors are okay, but they don’t have anything highlighting them among the crowd. 


Music Director -GhibranMusic and Other Departments?
There aren’t many songs in the movie; even the ones present are strictly part of the narrative and serviceable. Regarding the background score, Ghibran fails to live up to the high expectations. The BGM gives a cartoony feel whenever there is action reminding one of the Diwali cracker noises. Even apart from that, there is no outstanding work in the dramatic moments as well. 

Nirav Shah’s cinematography is okay but lacks the grand appeal due to the subject’s limitation. Most of the movie happens inside a bank which makes it difficult. The production values, too, reflect the same. The special effects, at times, look very tacky. The editing could have been better. The writing lacks the depth of previous movies from H Vinoth.


Highlights?
Ajith
Message
Core Relatable Point

Drawbacks?
Messy Narrative
Uneven Tone (Two Different Halves)
First Half
Clueless Direction
No High Moments in Both Halves


Manju WarrierDid I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts

Will You Recommend It?
Yes, But With Huge Reservations

Thunivu Movie Review by M9News

Thunivu Movie Review

Final Report:

Thunivu’s second half feels like an entirely different movie as H Vinoth turns it into a social drama exposing the bank frauds. It doesn’t work either way (thriller or drama) and is a big disappointment. Only people with strong will (#Thegimpu) can give it a try.

First Half Report:

Given the overexposure to the heist and bank robbery thriller dramas, H Vinoth’s attempt to freshen it up comes across as clueless and messy in the first half.

Ajith hasn’t been utilised to his potential barring a few moments. We have to see whether things are back on track in the second half.

— Thunivu (Thegimpu) show started with a bank heist. Digital rights with Netflix.

Thunivu U.S. Premiere will begin shortly. Stay tuned for the first half report.

Thunivu Cast: Ajith Kumar, Manju Warrier, Samuthrakani, John kokken, Veera, Bucks and others.

Written & Directed by H Vinoth

Produced by Zee studios & Boney Kapoor
DOP: Nirav Shah
Music director : Ghibran
Art director: Milan
Editor: Vijay Velukutty
Stunts: Supreme Sundar
Sounds Mixing: Tapas Nayak
Choreography: Kalyan