Movie: Laththi
Rating: 2.25/5
Banner: Rana Productions
Cast: Vishal, Sunaina, Prabhu, Ramana, Thalaivasal Vijay, Munishkanth, and others
Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja
Director of Photography: Balasubramaniam
Editor: N.B.Srikanth
Producers: Ramana and Nandaa
Written and directed by: A Vinoth Kumar
Release Date: Dec 22, 2022
Vishal has aggressively promoted "Laththi" and has expressed confidence in the film's success.
Let's see if his confidence is justified.
Story:
Constable Murali Krishna (Vishal) is suspended for beating an innocent person with his baton. He was accepted six months later on the recommendation of a higher-ranking officer (Prabhu).The notorious criminal Veera (Ramana), son of don Sura, harasses the officer's daughter one day.
Officer kidnaps Veera and contacts Murali Krishna and instructs him to beat Veera.
A video of a police officer goes online. However, the video conceals the officer's identity. Sura eventually tracks down Murali Krishna, the constable who beat him, and decides to take his life. How does Murali Krishna protect his family?
Artistes’ Performances:
Vishal has acted out the role of Murali Krishna with conviction. He portrays himself as a conscientious police officer and doting family man. He gets to perform the actual action sequences in the latter part of the film.
Ramana is a natural as the villain Veera. As Vishal's wife, Sunaiana has little to do.
Technical Excellence:
Cinematography, production values, and action sequences all meet regular standards. The two songs are forgettable, but the background score is fine.
Highlights:
First half
Vishal
Drawback:
Predictable narration
Climax sequences
Analysis
Vishal is given room in "Laththi" to showcase his talents. Maybe this is why Vishal put so much effort into this film. The director's approach to the story is what initially keeps us interested, despite the story's lack of originality.
In the initial portions, we learn why Vishal is taken off patrol and the moral quandary he faces after being reinstated. From there, the drama progresses to the essence of the story: the villains trying to track down the hero while the hero, using his cunning, manages to trap them.
Our attention is held throughout this long sequence in which the villain is trying to track down the constable who defeated him, and in which the constable (hero) demonstrates his superior intelligence.
When our hero and antagonist finally meet, however, the paper-thin plot falls flat. The director's skill, which was on full display up until the break, is completely gone.
While it's commendable that the director and hero Vishal keep the focus on the story rather than digress into duets and item songs, the dragging sequences in the film's middle act are wearing. Furthermore, the emotional monologue that Vishal performs during the climax is difficult to swallow.
Despite the fact that the police department is aware that their constable is fighting a don, no one has shown up to back him up. This makes no sense at all.
To sum up, "Laatthi" has a promising beginning but falls short of its potential. It has a decent premise and some interesting parts in the middle, but it falls flat in the end.
Bottom line: Mixed Material