Retro, starring Suriya and directed by Karthik Subbaraj, created a lot of buzz with its promotional material. The big film has now released in cinemas in multiple languages, including Telugu. Here’s our review to see how it turned out.

Story:

Tilak (Joju George) is a notorious gangster involved in smuggling. His adopted son, Paarivel Kannan (Suriya), falls in love with Rukmini (Pooja Hegde) and decides to leave behind his criminal past, his family ties, and his old life in pursuit of peace. But Tilak is after a mysterious entity called the ‘Gold Fish,’ and only Paarivel knows its whereabouts. After getting arrested, Paarivel escapes prison with the help of King Michael’s (Vidhu) men. What follows is a journey that unravels Paarivel’s motive for escaping, the intentions behind Vidhu’s support, and the extremes Tilak goes to in his obsession with the Gold Fish. These answers form the heart of the narrative.

Plus Points:

Suriya delivers a dedicated performance, appearing in multiple looks that suit the story’s timeline. He’s convincing in action-heavy moments and brings intensity to key emotional scenes.

Pooja Hegde looks elegant on screen. Although her character is significant to the plot, she doesn’t get much scope to showcase her acting potential.

Joju George performs reasonably well within the boundaries of his role. Vidhu impresses as the unpredictable antagonist, adding some tension in the latter half.

Some of the action sequences are well-executed, and the single-shot sequence before and after the Kannamma song is worth mentioning. More notably, Santhosh Narayanan’s music elevates many scenes, adding energy and emotional weight. The supporting cast fares decently.

Minus Points:

The story tries to juggle multiple genres, romance, action, and others but lacks clarity in direction. It begins as a love story, transitions into a crime drama, and changes course again in the pre-climax, leaving the audience confused about Karthik Subbaraj’s core message.

The narrative grip is a major issue. The film starts off engagingly but quickly loses momentum. The second half, in particular, feels meandering and unfocused, making the experience underwhelming.

The screenplay lacks depth, and many scenes fall flat without a meaningful emotional payoff. Character arcs and relationships are weakly developed, limiting the impact of pivotal moments.

Jayaram’s role feels insignificant, Nasser is barely utilised, and Prakash Raj is reduced to a couple of generic dialogues. With stronger writing, these actors could have contributed far more to the film’s emotional and narrative core.

Technical Aspects:

Director Karthik Subbaraj aims to create a genre-blending story that casts Suriya as a saviour figure. While the ambition is evident, the lack of narrative coherence and structural discipline weighs the film down. The first half is serviceable, but the second half collapses under its own weight.

Shreyaas Krishna’s cinematography is decent, with a few striking visuals that stand out. Santhosh Narayanan’s music is a clear highlight, injecting life into otherwise dull stretches. Editing by Shafique Mohamed Ali could have been sharper – many scenes feel unnecessarily stretched, hurting the pacing. On the brighter side, production values are solid, and the film looks visually polished.

Verdict:

On the whole, Retro is a love-action drama that clicks in parts but falters in execution. Suriya’s performance and the music are definite strengths, but the film is let down by its muddled storytelling and an underwhelming second half. What starts with promise eventually fizzles out. Apart from Suriya loyalists, others may find it difficult to stay invested. Watch it with tempered expectations—if at all.

ibomma1.com Rating: 2.75/5