Agent (2023) Movie
Agent Movie Review Rating: 2.5 Stars
Star Cast: Akhil Akkineni , Mammootty, Dino Morea, Sakshi Vaidya
Director: Surender Reddy
What’s Good: Akhil’s performance, especially in action sequences, is so good to watch on the big screen.
What’s Bad: The second half is a big letdown for the movie as it is not much engaging as the first half. The climax portion looks so silly. The emotional part didn’t work well in the second half.
Loo Break: The placement of songs is not well-executed.
Watch or Not?: You can wait for its OTT release and maybe watch some of it to decide if you can bear the entire film.
Language: Telugu
Available On: In Theatres Near You.
Runtime: 100 minutes.
Budget: ₹ 80 Crore
Box Office Collection: N/A
User Rating:
Story:
Ricky aka Ramakrishna (Akhil), is an aspiring spy from a middle-class background. Despite facing multiple rejections in his attempts to join the intelligence agency ‘RA,’ he remains determined to fulfill his dream. Using his ethical hacking skills, he tries to grab the attention of RAW chief Mahadev, alias Devil (Mammootty), by hacking into his system. However, due to Ricky’s mischievous behavior, he is once again rejected.
Meanwhile, the antagonist God, also known as Dharma (Dino Morea), plans a dangerous conspiracy called Mission Rabbit in collaboration with China, aiming to harm India. When Mahadev’s attempts to stop the conspiracy fail, he decides to deploy Ricky, disregarding his lack of official affiliation with ‘RA.’ This decision puts Ricky at great risk and raises questions about his ultimate goal of becoming a true spy.
As the mission unfolds, Ricky faces numerous challenges and dangers. Will he be able to stop Mission Rabbit? What impact does his romance with Vaidya (Sakshi Vaidya) have on his mission? And what role does Union Minister Jayakishan (Sampat Raj) play in this story? The answers to these questions form the rest of the narrative in the film “Agent.”
Agent Movie Review: Script Analysis
“Agent” is a spy thriller that follows a standard Hollywood action template, lacking a cohesive story. The film seems to have borrowed scenes and elements from various Hollywood spy thrillers, resulting in a lack of originality.
Dino Morea, a Bollywood actor, plays the role of a villain in the film. However, the real villains of “Agent” are the writer Vakkantham Vamsi and director Surender Reddy, who have failed to deliver a compelling narrative.
The film starts with promising RAW operations, and Mammootty’s stylish acting adds intrigue to the initial setup. However, the sequences involving Akhil and the heroine Sakshi Vaidya, along with other scenes in the first half, can be dull and uninteresting.
The first half follows the typical formula of a masala Telugu film, but the second half is a complete mess. It becomes increasingly ridiculous and headache-inducing as the film progresses.
Akhil has put in sincere efforts and seems to have followed the director’s instructions diligently. However, his hard work goes in vain as the director and writer fail to create engaging proceedings. The only scene that manages to capture some interest is the one between Akhil and Sampath Raj before the interval.
In the later portions, the female lead Sakshi is sidelined and only appears in a single song, “Govinda Govinda.” This raises questions about the relevance of her character in the film.
Despite the blazing guns, flying bullets, Akhil’s impressive physique, and the substantial investment in visual effects, the impact of the film remains underwhelming.
“Agent” serves as a reminder that action elements alone cannot compensate for the absence of a solid script.
Overall, “Agent” attempts to present itself as a wild and wacky spy thriller but ends up being messy. The writing, direction, songs, and editing departments compete with each other in delivering a tedious output.
Agent Movie Review: Plus & Minus Points
Plus Points
Akhil Akkineni’s performance in a different and well-designed role is commendable. His portrayal, especially in action sequences, is captivating and a treat for fans. Akhil’s dedication and transformation for the role are praiseworthy.
Malayalam Megastar Mammootty delivers a decent performance in his role, adding intrigue as to whether he is a RAW chief or a negative character. His dubbing for the role adds authenticity.
Sakshi Vaidya’s adorable presence and her limited scenes with Akhil are enjoyable to watch.
The first half of the film offers a delightful experience for Akhil’s fans, with his unpredictable character, entertaining actions, and engaging interactions with Minister Jayadev (Sampath Raj). The pre-interval fight sequence deserves applause.
Minus Points
The story is somewhat predictable, and the screenplay could have been more engaging in the second half. The slower pace in the latter part of the film may lead to boredom.
The second half disappoints in comparison to the first half, lacking engagement and featuring a climax that feels silly. The emotional aspects fail to make a strong impact.
The portrayal of the villain character played by Dino Morea could have been supported by a better explanation for his motives against India.
Some characters, such as Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, have limited significance in the film, and their inclusion feels unnecessary. Similarly, Murali Sharma, Anish Kuruvilla, and others have minimal involvement in the story.
While the action sequences are well-designed, the visual effects fall short, lacking the quality expected in a film of this scale. Additionally, the placement of songs hampers the film’s flow.
Agent Movie Review: Direction & Cinematography
Surender Reddy, the director, effectively taps into Akhil’s full potential and presents him in a compelling manner, highlighting his mass appeal. However, the storytelling in the second half falls short, lacking the engagement expected after a promising first half.
Cinematographer Rasool Ellore delivers an adequate visual presentation, while the music by Hiphop Tamizha maintains a decent level. The editing by Naveen Nooli could have been improved, as several unnecessary scenes in the second half could have been trimmed. Overall, the production values of the film are commendable.
Agent Movie Review: Acting
Akhil Akkineni’s complete physical transformation for the role of a spy is commendable, and he effortlessly portrays the character with great intensity. Despite the shortcomings in the writing of his character, Akhil’s dedication shines through in his performance.
Sakshi Vaidya, though visually appealing, has a limited presence in the film, appearing only in two songs and two scenes.
Mammootty, the legendary Malayalam superstar, delivers a fantastic performance as a RAW agent, bringing depth and gravitas to the otherwise lackluster narrative.
Bollywood star Dino Morea is aptly cast as the antagonist God, but the role lacks the necessary strength and impact.
Agent Movie Review: Music
The songs and music composed by Hip Hop Aadhi in the film are below average, lacking the desired quality. The editing could have been significantly improved to enhance the overall experience. While the action sequences are well-designed, the VFX is so poor and to be honest, many mid-budget films have had better VFX. Additionally, the placement of songs is not well-executed, often becoming an obstacle to the flow of the narrative.
However, some of the songs in the film felt unnecessary and disrupted the pace and emotional flow of the storyline. Despite this setback, the background score was decent and effectively contributed to the overall atmosphere of the movie.
Agent Movie Review: The Last Word
In Last Word, Agent as a Spy thriller does not live up to the expectations. While Akhil’s performance and a handful of action sequences bring some appeal to the film, it is let down by a weak screenplay, overwrought scenes in the second half, and a dull climax that creates a sense of boredom. However, if you are a fan of action movies, you can consider watching this movie over the weekend.
Agent Movie Trailer
Agent releases on 28 April 2023.
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