Rating: 2/5
Story:
After the death of his presumed father, a watchman, Paari (Suriya) is adopted by Sandhya (Swasika) and Tilak (Joju George). Following Sandhya's passing, Tilak, who is involved in smuggling, raises Paari to be his assistant/henchman. Rukmini (Pooja Hegde) first meets Paari as a child and later as an adult. To be with her, Paari tries to control his anger, leaves his illegal activities, and plans to marry her. However, Tilak is unhappy because Paari had hidden a smuggling shipment consisting of "Golden Fish" before quitting. This causes a conflict between them. What happens at Paari's wedding? Can Rukmini prevent Paari from reverting to his old ways? What is Paari's true identity and purpose? These questions drive the rest of the story.
Performances:
Suriya puts a sincere effort into working out his character and the film, but the poor/ineffective characterization prevents him from performing to his fullest. Pooja Hegde appears in a different appearance than in her other films, but her character does not have much to do. Jayaram, Karunakaran, Joju George, Prakash Raj, Nassar, Sujith Shankar, and others do not get much opportunity to excel, and they appear ineffective.
What worked for the film:
The first twenty to thirty minutes of the film are appealing. Especially, the single-shot sequence around the Kanima Song stands out, and a major incident at that episode raises the interest towards the upcoming proceedings. There are a few scenes/ideas that look good on a surface level. The music by Santosh Narayanana is good and tries to help the movie in almost every scene.
What did not work for the film:
Karthik Subbaraj's story is good in concept, but he struggles to execute it perfectly. The slow pace is frustrating, and his direction, heavily influenced by Quentin Tarantino, feels excessive. The reliance on a non-linear narrative and stylized action fails to create an engaging impact, as many scenes appear random and clueless. The film gives the feels of going nowhere near the end of the first half itself, and in the second half, it goes completely off track. The pre-climax and climax are ridiculous.
Retro Review and Verdict:
Karthik Subbaraj's Retro starts strong but loses steam as it progresses. Despite Suriya's efforts, the film suffers from chaotic storytelling and lackluster scenes. Especially, the second half goes completely off track.
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