sky-force-hindi-movie-review-

BOTTOM LINE
Force Missing, Soft Landing

RATING
2.25/5

CENSOR
2h 5m, U/A Certified


akshya-kumar-sky-force-hindi-movie-reviewWhat Is the Film About?

A group of Indian fighter pilots, led by Om Ahuja (Akshay Kumar), is tasked with the destruction of a fleet of modern American F-104 Starfighters at the Sargodha airbase in the 1965 war. Meanwhile, a young pilot T Krishna Vijaya (Veer Pahariya), disobeys orders and ventures into enemy territory to rescue his fellow pilots. Haunted by the disappearance of his protégé, Ahuja embarks on a quest to uncover the truth while facing resistance and bureaucratic hurdles.

Performances

Akshay Kumar delivers a sincere performance as Om Ahuja, maintaining his composure, with sharp dialogue delivery and excelling in the action sequences with his agile body language. With better writing, it could’ve been one of his most memorable roles. Veer Pahariya in his debut has an inspiring role and the youngster has a decent screen presence, while he could loosen up more in the emotional sequences.


director-sandeep-kewlaniAnalysis

The success of Top Gun: Maverick, Tom Cruise’s global sensation in 2022, continues to pave the way for a series of aerial combat films with similar treatment and visual aesthetics in Indian cinema. Starting from Fighter to Operation Valentine last year (on the Pulwama attacks), we have another patriotic film in the genre, based on a real-life account of India’s 1965 war with Pakistan.

The story focuses on the everlasting friendship between Air Wing Commander Ahuja and a young pilot, Squadron Leader Tabby. Against the backdrop of growing political tensions between India and Pakistan, which led to a war, the film marks the country’s first airstrike at the Sargodha airbase (Pakistan) and casts a light on Tabby’s mysterious disappearance while guarding the nation.

The characters in the film – from uniformed men to their ‘vulnerable’ wives – are single-minded people. The women are fully devoted to the men and the men, to the nation. If the talks among men revolve around professional competence, their readiness to fight for the country and defence protocol, the women are worried about their husband’s safety, concealing their fears beneath the mask of national pride.

The story unfolds over a flashback where Ahuja interrogates a Pakistani war prisoner, in an attempt to trace Tabby’s whereabouts. The film later takes you through the highs and lows in Ahuja-Tabby’s friendship over the years, offering glimpses of the training regime, technicalities surrounding aircraft and possible strategies to employ in critical war situations.

Tabby looks upto Ahuja, places him only next to his father and also gifts him a special malt to appreciate the value he holds in his life. Similarly, Ahuja sees his long-lost brother in the youngster and admires his zeal to be better than the best. The men may not talk much, but the film does enough to suggest their mutual respect. While the intent behind the scenes is clear, they only work superficially.

Sky Force makes the costly mistake of establishing the personal lives of the protagonists perfunctorily, hurrying through their conversations and not pausing much to explore the lives of their female counterparts (which could’ve helped the film find its way in the weak second hour). The staging of the sequences is plain and mechanical and not for once, does it even try to leave you moist-eyed.

For an Akshay Kumar film, the tone of the film is surprisingly not jingoistic. The dialogues are sharp and precise but the action choreography is too comfortable, and safe (only in place to glorify the men’s bravura acts) to be labelled edgy. The attention to detail in the events leading up to the aerial war is still praiseworthy and contributes to the film’s authenticity.

The drama loses its way in the second half. The absence of any tension around Tabby’s disappearance is the film’s primary folly – the scenes roll on casually, with a cold approach and the actors struggle to use a potentially inspiring story to their advantage with the dull performances. The casting choices aren’t particularly great either. The understated treatment and the refreshing portrayal of Pakistan in a politically volatile climate are a few surprise takeaways.

Overall, Sky Force has good intentions but falls short. Still, it’s an emotional watch for Republic Day, honoring our army’s sacrifices. At the box office, Akshay’s wait for a hit continues.


Performances by Others Actors

Nimrat Kaur and Sara Ali Khan’s roles are limited to extended special appearances; their characters are poorly fleshed out and limited to their men. Sharad Kelkar walks away with one of the more interesting characters as the Pakistani war prisoner Ahmed Hussain. Manish Chaudhary, Varun Badola, and Soham Majumdar add value to their parts within minimal screen time.


music-director-tanishk-bagchiMusic and Other Departments?

Justin Varghese’s score is patchy, for it tries too hard to suggest the tone of the sequence to the viewer, without trusting their intelligence. Among the songs (composed by Tanishk Bagchi), Rang has a catchy vibe to it. Santhana Krishnan Ravichandran’s cinematography (son of Ravi K Chandran) is among the brighter spots of the film, helped by the decent CGI/VFX. The crisp runtime isn’t always a bonus and the film struggles to find its rhythm in the narrative.


veer-pahariya-sky-force-hindi-movie-reviewHighlights?

Akshay Kumar’s performance

Impressive cinematography, VFX

Attention to detail, no jingoism

Drawbacks?

Sara Ali Khan’s casting/performance

No emotional impact

Poor action choreography


Did I Enjoy It?

In parts, mostly for the story

Will You Recommend It?

If you like patriotic tales and have a taste for aerial combat films




Sky Force Movie Review by M9