Eleven Review: Naveen Chandra shines in this otherwise over-ambitious thriller

Eleven Story

A series of murders strikes the city of Vizag, and top cop Aravind (Naveen Chandra) is assigned to crack the case. Upon his investigation, Aravind finds out that the murders are connected to a school named Twin Bird, which only enrolls twins as its students. Who is behind these murders? What is happening in the school? You need to watch the film on the big screen to know the answers.

Eleven Review

Eleven is written and directed by Lokkesh Ajls on a very low budget. The basic premise is a murder mystery, but Lokkesh adds a twist by introducing a story connected to a school that only enrolls twins. This gives the film a fresh look and grabs your attention right away. Lokkesh scores brownie points as he sets up the conflict point in a very interesting manner. The series of murders and how Naveen Chandra investigates them creates a lot of interest.

However, once this is done, the narration becomes uneven and sidetracks the film time and again. There are no episodes that truly grab your attention or keep you on the edge of your seat. If you follow the film carefully, the killer is disclosed early through various hints, and a person who enjoys thrillers will be able to figure out the twist quite easily. That said, the flashback episode and the reason for the crimes are introduced quite well. The emotions showcased during this time are also effectively portrayed.

But once this segment is over, dull scenes follow. The film feels like a roller-coaster ride, as a few good scenes are followed by some very silly thrills that don’t make much sense. These are seemingly added just to drag the runtime. Additionally, some scenes are confusing for no reason. The crime-related sequences are convoluted and feel repetitive.

Coming to the performances, the Month of Madhu actor Naveen Chandra delivers a solid performance and is the mainstay of the film. For some reason, cop characters are a cakewalk for him, and he does well in Eleven, too. His performance ties the film together and adds depth. 

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Shashank gets a meaty role and is very good in his cop portrayal. Abhirami is one of the best characters in the film—she gets a solid role and impresses. However, the female lead, Reyaa Hari, is not very impressive. She has a lot to learn and looks tense in key scenes. The rest of the cast is okay.

D. Imman's music is just about adequate, but his background score is amazing and elevates the film to another level. The best part of the film is the camerawork, which is top-notch. The production design is also good, though the thrills showcased are not very impactful.

Director Lokkesh has made the film in such a way that only a few thrills work, while the rest of the scenes feel bland. For some reason, the film derails from its main plot and ends up boring the audience. Eleven is best suited for OTT viewing and will likely struggle at the box office, as such thrillers may not appeal to the general audience. 

A fan of thrillers? Stream Prasanna Vadanam, Eagle, and KA on OTTplay Premium.

Eleven Verdict

On the whole, Eleven is a dodgy thriller that has strictly a few thrills that impress. The rest of the narrative is bland and has repeated scenes. Watch it only if you have nothing else to do this weekend.