Imagine that you are reading Harry Potter and JK Rowling's name is on the front cover with her lovely picture inside the book.You have read the book and fallen in love with it.You idolize her writing and her. So, you will surely recognize JK Rowling whenever you see her on the roads. Correct?
Wrong. According to Vivegam, the Director of the squad couldn't identify AK in the first scene when he throws a so-called military book on the table and proudly announces that they are following the strategies (written by AK) verbatim as in the book that has enabled them to gain an upper hand to produce successful field results. Does that mean that the Director did not even know who the author was when he memorized the book?
Similarly, the moment when the 2 men in the introduction tells one another that the place is an impregnable fort and no one can enter it other than wind, there is god damn no what-a-wow moment as to who would enter the premises.
There is no question that Ajith is fit as a fiddle and has given his heart and soul to the movie by undergoing hardships in the freezing weather. His James Bond-esque hot quotient keeps on staggeringly increasing day-by-day. Unfortunately, it's the script that does not fit him like a shoe. All the hyper-glorification and apotheosizing makes AK seem like an insurmountable juggernaut who simply quells his opponents by his brute force and mental fortitude. To put it in more lucid terms, it's like The Big Show taking on a 1 month old child. No competition. That's exactly how he was projected throughout the film.
Even his famed bike stunts weren't up to scratch. It was more like "This Bike chasing scene should be there. It will enrapture his fans" instead of seamlessly integrating into the script like how he does it in Mankaatha and together with Yuvan's BGM took the whole stunt sequence into another planet! Sadly, in this case, it was a forced rescue mission to save Akshara.
Speaking of Akshara, she does her job neatly in the allotted screen share though there is tremendous scope to improve to whet her acting skills especially where she cries in shock and pain. Kajal Agarwal has a meaty role to play in the film and she does it with ease. But, there were moments where you will feel where did she disappear and then suddenly she resurfaces like a mouse out of the hole! It's a good thing that she wasn't turned into a forced spy on AK by giving the fossilized defense that she did it to protect their child or even worse - Show her gruesome death to hit back at Ajith like Samantha's character in 'Theri'.
A special mention to the cinematographer who has done a phenomenal job in capturing the luscious and verdant sceneries of the landscape particularly in the "Kadhalada" Song. It had a rich, chilling and refreshing effect on the eyes.
As we are on the topic of songs, had it been not for Anirudh's high energetic and loud music, 'Vivegam' would have been like a cracker which wants to fully burst but doesn't due to the dampness. With Anirudh's BGM and feverish-toned beats, 'Vivegam' bursts out with an audible sound though not with the intended explosiveness.
The film could have been racier and better instead of focusing on cheap stunt thrills or labored intelligence or absurd exaltation built into the screenplay. For instance, when Kajal Agarwal uses her eyes using Morse Code to communicate with AK in the climax - Vivek Oberoi also has realization - Yeah! That scene - it should have been eliminated and AK should have applauded Kajal for her cleverness when they were driving before the credits rolled up so that the last piece of puzzle gets wrapped up in the fag end of the movie instead of breaking the suspense there itself with Oberoi's artificial sense of illumination. I don't want to say anything more on Vivek Oberoi. He just didn't fit the character. At All. Maybe, Ajith could have played the role himself. Dual role.
For the amount of dedication and commitment that Ajith has given here, he really needs a movie like 'Vaali' or 'Villain' so that he could rope in everyone with his astounding performances rather than just be contented to satisfy his fan base. If he is not capable or does not have the talent, then he can unswervingly continue with his current strategy when he chooses his movies. Fortunately, he has got immense capacity and skills. He can definitely wow us with a performance-packed yet commercial screenplay with the right director and story.
It's up to him.
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