Thalavan Movie Review: Critics Call Asif Ali and Biju Menon's Crime Thriller 'Weak and Boring'

Thalava, directed by Jis Joy and starring Biju Menon and Asif Ali, intricately weaves a tale of two police officers embroiled in a clash of ideologies and strategies. Set against the backdrop of the scenic Malabar countryside, this investigative thriller delves deep into the complexities of law enforcement, duty, and morality. As the narrative unfolds, viewers are drawn into the tension and conflict between the protagonists, each embodying a unique approach to justice. Through their interactions and confrontations, the film not only propels the plot forward but also delves into the intricacies of human nature. With a talented ensemble cast including Biju Menon, Asif Ali, Anushree, Mia George, Dilish Pothan, Kottayam Naseer, Shankar Ramakrishnan, Joji K John, Dinesh, Anurup, Nandan Unni, and Bilas.  Bhaiyya Ji Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee Deserves A Better Milestone for His 100th Film Than This Dull Revenge Thriller (LatestLY Exclusive).

Alright, folks, the long-awaited film hit theatres on May 24, and we've got the critics' verdict fresh off the press. Before you rush to snag those tickets, let's take a peek at what the critics have served up on their plates. It's time to weigh in on whether this movie is worth your time and dime!

Indian Express: However, as soon as the flashback commences, Thalavan begins acting weird and feels disjointed, as if many earlier scenes were injudiciously chopped off. Without laying any groundwork or even a few shots that could serve as some sort of introduction to the characters of Jayashankar and Karthik, Thalavan’s flashback immediately shows the two behaving irreverently to each other, given this is the first time they are meeting and it is Karthik’s first day at the Cheppanamthotta station. This issue persists throughout the film, with even the duo’s colleagues shown to be either pro-Jayashankar or anti-Jayashankar, sans any justification, and the only explanation given is in the case of CPO Raghu (Kottayam Nazeer). In fact, the entire movie gives off the feeling that a significant number of scenes and incidents have been thoughtlessly edited out, leading to sequences that start and end abruptly. One of Thalavan’s biggest flaws is its poorly crafted dialogue, written by Jis himself, which often sounds artificial, clichéd or bizarre and lack natural flow.

The Hindu: People can get branded easily in the current social media atmosphere, often making it hard to break out of the image forced upon them. Filmmaker Jis Joy, whose string of feel-good films ended up making him a frequent subject of memes, has been making an earnest attempt to break that image over the past couple of years. Innale Vare, his first attempt at making a dark thriller, faltered. In his latest project Thalavan, Joy appears to have learned a few lessons from that misstep, yet he still has some way to go. Max: Leaked Pic From Kiccha Sudeep's Upcoming Kannada Film Sends Fans Into Frenzy!.

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Lensmenreviews: The thing with the script written by Anand Thevarkkatand and Sarath Perumbavoor is that it tries to find the cinematic balance by placing familiar blocks in the film. The subtle foreshadowing of the antagonist and his backstory was really good. But there are several decoys in the film, that somewhere become very evident by the time we reach the final act. A thriller script becomes a successful one when you, as an audience, are manipulated to believe in a possibility that has a decoy character placed by the makers. Here, that cleverness was not there. You could easily identify the inconsequential ones. The wide aspect ratio and the medium close-up shots give a sense of intensity to each frame in the movie. Technically, one of the weakest parts of the movie was the fights. Be it the fight inside the jail or the final one inside the house of the antagonist, it just felt very staged, either due to bad editing or a lackluster action choreography. I was slightly disappointed with the use of that appealing Thalavan title track for an area that looked ambiguous rather than thrilling.

Alright, folks, we've got the critics' review for Thalava. Now, the big question is: are you ready to make a beeline for the theatres, or are you planning to sit tight and wait for it to drop on the OTT platform?

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