BOTTOM LINE
Amateurish Spy Thriller
RATING
1.25/5
Story, Screenplay, Director: Akki Viswanadha Reddy
Cast: Nihal Kodhaty, Surya Srinivas, Harshitha Bandlamuri, Sreesha Nulu, Kamal Kamaraju, Srikanth Iyenger
Music Director: Karthik Rodriguez
DOP: Suresh Ragutu
Editor: Marthad K Venkatesh
Producer: Moon Light Dreams Pvt Ltd
Presented By: Moon Light Dreams Pvt Ltd
Production Company:Moon Light Dreams Pvt Ltd
U.S. Distributor:
Related Links: Trailer
What Is the Film About?
Vali and Prudhvi are extremely close friends. The former, owing to his religion, always feels targeted and thinks it’s necessary to prove his patriotism time and again. With that intention in mind, he trains to join the army, but is rejected.
As fate would have it, when one door closes, another opens, as Vali gets a chance in the form of TAW (Threat Analysis Wing). What happens when Vali is branded a traitor? The movie’s basic plot follows Prudhvi as he uncovers the truth about Vali and restores his name’s dignity.
Performances
Surya Srinivas and Nihal Kodhaty are the movie’s main leads. They get equal screen time in whatever the story offers. Surya plays the more casual and mature of the two, while Nihal is impulsive, angry, and reckless, and often lands in trouble.
Both start well initially, bouncing off each other. However, as the movie progresses and the execution falters, their actions turn progressively weaker. In the end, we only remember the beginning parts, when it was all about the fun and banter. They were decent in that opening segment, and that’s it.
Analysis
Akki Vishwanadha Reddy directs the movie. Secret Soldier is a spy flick that follows the journey of two friends from different religions.
The opening shows the kind of problems you expect in the spy genre when it isn’t handled with depth. We have seen these issues in many films in this space, and this is no different.
Things settle into a decent rhythm when the flashback commences, taking us back to the small-town world and two guys bonding. Some dialogue flows naturally with punches. It all gives a decent vibe and contrasts with the opening.
However, the issues creep in quickly as the narrative turns repetitive. We get that they are friends; it doesn’t need to be hammered home. Similarly, the religion-related issues and key turning points in the story feel poorly executed. The whole branding of Vali as a terrorist – the jail sequence talking to a suspicious guy in the cell and the subsequent scenes. They all reek of amateurishness.
They all lead to the interval, which has a twist. But it leaves one cold, feeling nothing. Even with low expectations, you can tell where things are headed, and that’s exactly what is seen as soon as the second half begins.
The film literally uses a device to take the proceedings forward, revealing all the details. Even so, the dialogue and execution leave a lot to be desired. As soon as the device findings, aka the flashback, are over, the movie too feels done and dusted. The rest of the conclusion feels like a formality, and things go through the motions.
The final climax stretch is the weakest of the entire movie. In the first half, some parts at least had decent visuals for the small budget. Here, the film not only looks cheap but also shows a clear lack of experience. The performances, the close-ups, the dialogues everything gives a spoof vibe of spy genre tropes. The end, therefore, is the most forgettable part.
In the end, what we have is a movie where the narrative feels rushed from the start. It never settles, giving the characters room to breathe and become relatable. The spy sequences are bland and lifeless, with no thrill.
Secret Soldier is run-of-the-mill stuff within the spy genre. However, good writing and depth could have salvaged things. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case here. The movie is as forgettable as it gets within the space.
Performances by Other Actors
Harshita Rao and Sreesha Nulu are female leads who have something to do. They play the usual parts in the spy genre, but the execution is such that they have hardly any impact. Deeksha Panth is wasted.
We also have some known faces like Kamal Kamaraju, Srikanth Iyengar, and Vinod Sagar. Everyone plays stock characters and is forgettable.
Music and Other Departments?
Karthik Rodriguez’s music and the background score offer some redeeming quality. The music and BGM do their best to hold things together. At times, they’re used to move the narrative forward, explaining the characters’ motives and situations. The mixing could have been better, though, as the dialogue gets drowned out in places.
The cinematography is decent in a few parts but largely poor, reminding one of small-budget films. The editing gives the movie a rushed feel. It’s a common mistake, mostly among makers who think quick cuts and short scenes avoid lag, not realising they are falling into another trap where nothing registers.
The writing has few punches concentrated in small segments. A short conversation involving ‘Kadupu’ after the marriage is cancelled is an example. However, they are very few, and even those scenes are cut hurriedly.
Highlights?
Core Idea Of Patriotism Linked To Religion
Music Usage
Drawbacks?
Rushed
Amateurish In Large Parts
Writing
Editing
No Emotional Connection At All
Spy Portions With Zero Thrills
Predictability
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Secret Soldier Movie Reviewed by Kalyan
