BOTTOM LINE
Routine-Hood
RATING
2.25/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 36m
What Is the Film About?
Robinhood as the title suggests is the story of Ram (Nithin), an orphan who robs the rich and supports the needy orphanage. He goes to a Village as a Security of the daughter (Sreeleela) of a Rich NRI and runs into a Big Problem there. What is that issue? How Robinhood tackles it to save the girl and the village forms the rest of the story.
Performances
Nithin is usual in Robinhood. The role is easy for the most part and is in his Comfort Zone. He looks fit and walks through without much stress. The challenge comes in the second half in the Ganja Man fight. He struggled with expressions in that particular sequence.
Sreeleela plays a typical Beauty with No Brains commercial heroine. She looked beautiful with good styling but repeats a routine act. In some comedy portions in the second half, she fell flat. It looks like some dubbing artist dubbed for Sreeleela in the film.
Among the remaining cast, Rajendra Prasad and Vennela Kishore gets meaty roles. While their performances do not deviate from their usual selfs, they managed to tickle the audience here and there. There are numerous other characters but barely anyone register. David Warner plays a little cameo towards the end and is fine.
Analysis
Venky Kudumula has directed Robinhood. Comedy is the forte of Venky Kudumula. His previous outings – Chalo and Bheeshma worked in that space. Venky and Nithin aims to repeat their Bheeshma with Robinhood but he falters with shallow writing.
Robinhood starts giving us a feeling of Ravi Teja‘s Kick with the Orphanage setup and the ‘Robbing the Rich and Feeding the Poor‘ acts. We usually expect the robberies to be thrilling but the director chose to rush and the robberies do not leave an impression. And also the ‘Kick‘ feeling quickly ceases.
The Heroine – Village Problem thread begins with the introduction of Rajendra Prasad and Vennela Kishore. This is the best part of the film with the comedy between them works in parts and brings relief to the audience. The story nosedives when it moves to the village. The backstory of the Village Episode is poorly written and gives a feeling of clichedness.
The Chitekelu fight preceding the interval is neatly designed but the conflict that is revealed during the interval is ineffective.
The second part of the film does not get anything better. The track between Nithin and Sreeleela is boring. The scenes involving CCTV Cameras and Phone Hacking are convenient writings and adds to the routineness. A couple of dialogues when the motive is revealed are good. The item song, Adhida Surprisu is fine but the Controversial steps have been censored.
The climax is intended to impress with a Cat and Mouse type of Tussle and the last fight where the hero destroys the Villain without touching. These are supposed to be give a feeling of innovation. But then, the idea is good but again lack of depth in the writing becomes a problem. The much-hyped David Warner cameo arrives too late. Even though it appeals to the crowd, the impact is minimised due to timing.
The Best Part of Robinhood is the classy making due to the Production Values of Mythri and the comedy that works in few parts. But the Major issue with the film is both the story and the Execution. Even with the familiarity with Kick, the proceedings appear fresh initially but the real problem begins with the introduction of the Villain. The way Hero tackles the Villain should be fresh but that happens to be the disappointing part. If the Robinhood character and track are effectively written, it will automatically cover the flaws but then, it does not happen. Venky Kudumula has himself to blame.
It is a great disservice by the director to waste the uncompromising Production Values of Mythri Movie Makers. Time and again, you would not get such an opportunity but he missed it big time.
Finally, Robinhood has a Passable First Half with comedy working here and there despite the issues. The second half nosedives into the zone of predictability and shallowness due to poor writing ending up as a disappointment.
Performances by Others Actors
Sreeleela plays a typical Beauty with No Brains commercial heroine. She looked beautiful with good styling but repeats a routine act. In some comedy portions in the second half, she fell flat. It looks like some dubbing artist dubbed for Sreeleela in the film.
Among the remaining cast, Rajendra Prasad and Vennela Kishore gets meaty roles. While their performances do not deviate from their usual selfs, they managed to tickle the audience here and there. There are numerous other characters but barely anyone register. David Warner plays a little cameo towards the end and is fine.
Music and Other Departments?
GV Prakash has composed the music and background music for Robinhood. One More Time and Adidha Surprisu works even though both of them come between the most expected proceedings. The background score registers here and there. But as a whole, do not make any significant impression.
Sai Sriram‘s camera work is good. The visuals look grand because of Mythri‘s uncompromising Production Values.
As said before, Venky Kudumula‘s writing disappoints big time with lack of proper depth and strict template setup. Some comedy punches work and that’s only about it. There is an attempt to try something different in the action sequences. One sequence works but do not matter in the overall scheme of things and the another one misfires completely.
The Editor should have been stricter in the second half.
Highlights?
Rajendra Prasad – Vennela Kishore Track in Parts
Mythri‘s Production Values
Drawbacks?
Template Story & Shallow Writing
Entire Villain Track
The Climax Portions
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, In Parts
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, if minor fun is all you look for with not much emphasis on story
Robinhood 2025 Telugu Movie Review by M9
