24 (Tamil, 2016)

There has never been any question raised about Suriya’s dedication & performance in the roles that he has played across recent years. It is script selection that lets him down more often than not. While he got it almost right in Mass he has hit the bull’s eye with Vikram Kumar’s 24. Suriya the performer shines as he seamlessly alternates between villainy, innocence and cheekiness with aplomb. The subtle changes in look & body language are also done effectively for his 3 characters.

Vikram Kumar who delighted us previously with Yaavarum Nalam & Manam has come up another innovative script where he explores the Sci-Fi element in the commercial space. The way he pulls the strings with the bluffs & double-bluffs shows a creator in full control. It should be added here that he doesn’t overdo the smartness angle at any point nor does he depend too much on coincidences to move the script. Cheeky stuff like the family that doesn’t speak on Fridays & Mani’s run ins with neighbor Saravanan (Sathyan) show the comic side of Vikram.

Saranya Ponvannan can do run-of-the-mill mother roles in her sleep. However, here even though it looks that way initially in the 1st half, she comes up with her best in an emotional conversation with her adopted son. In a limited space, Samantha shines in a cute role that does not overdo the glamour part but concentrates more on comedy. Nithya Menen in a cameo is adequate.

It is not often that one can call the VFX & production design as the pillars of a film made in Kollywood. In a Sci-Fi script these departments are of prime importance and they have come to the party big time. Their work results in an almost Hollywood-like experience for the viewer and most probably done at a fraction of the budget. Hats off Amit, Subrata & the rest of the team.

A.R.Rahman’s background score & the songs that feature in the film gel well with the main content. The technical departments such as editing, cinematography & stunts combine well to give a very rich experience.

Although extremely cool, the dialogue “Basically, I’m a watch mechanic” does get on to the nerves due to over-repetition. This perhaps pulls down an otherwise decent romantic track and seems to slow the movie down just a notch.