While leaving the cinema hall after watching 'Spyder', you may want to clear two doubts—the first, what is the connection between the story and the title, (granted there is a 'spy' as the lead) and the second, is this really a Murugadoss product?
'Spyder', starring 'Prince' Mahesh Babu, was released on Wednesday amid high expectations. The coming together of Mahesh Babu and A.R. Murugadoss had generated a lot of hype among movie lovers. In a recent interview, the actor had even said the bilingual flick is his most expensive movie.
Now, do not try to look where and why was so much money spent while watching the film. We did, and it was easier spotting a cobweb in some corner of the theatre than getting the answer.
Coming to the plot, Mahesh Babu once again tries his hand at maintaining law and order, this time without uniform. The khaki clothes are junked and the protagonist is a plain-clothed Intelligence Bureau operative named Shiva (Mahesh Babu). His job requires tapping phones to find out about illegal or suspicious activities. He goes out of his way to curb crimes or save lives following the leads from phone conversations.
Mahesh Babu in Spyder | via IMDB
Snooping in on a casual chat between two friends, he meets his lady love Rakul Preet Singh,who becomes his arm candy for the rest of the movie.
Shiva's tryst with a psycho killer begins after he chances upon a phone call which eventually leads to the murder of two woman, including a constable who is a friend of his. Deeply disturbed by the murders, which could have been averted, he sets out on a manhunt and zeroes in on the serial killer Bhairavudu (S.J. Surya) and his aide and brother played by Tamil actor Bharath. The dark past of Bhairavudu and the extraordinary circumstances that made him a grave threat to the society is narrated interestingly. The movie progresses and Shiva gets his hands on Bhairavudu's brother and kills him. Will Shiva successfully save himself and his family from the wrath of Bhairavudu and will the mass murders plotted by the antagonist be executed, forms the rest of the story.
Mahesh Babu is at ease in front of the camera and his female fans won't be disappointed with his stylish avatar, but besides that there is nothing extraordinary about his performance. It is S.J. Surya who stands out with his mannerisms resembling Heath Ledger's Joker in The Dark Knight. Rakul Preet as a young medico looking for a fling, has a forgettable role, showing up in songs which pop up without any rhyme or reason. The movie is sure to disappoint admirers of Murugadoss' work because of amateurish screenplay coupled with a number of illogical and over-the-top action sequences.
Though there were attempts at humour, they fall flat. The first half is racy when compared to the second half. The director did incorporate some unique scenes to try and provide a visual treat to the audience, including the hero and the villain slugging it out on a roller-coaster ride and a huge rock rolling on a crowded street trampling vehicles and people. The way Shiva convinces housewives of a colony to set free some people in captivity also has a recall value.
A one-time watch at best, this 'spy' is more cringe-worthy than impressive.
Film: Spyder
Cast: Mahesh Babu, Rakul Preet Singh, S.J. Surya, Bharath, Priyadarshi Pulikonda
Director: A.R. Murugadoss
Rating: 2/5
