Enemy movie review: This action thriller, starring Vishal and Arya, is a lost opportunity despite some entertaining moments

2.5/5

Story: Two brilliant school boys, who aspire to become cops, become estranged after a murder happens at one of their homes. When they meet after 25 years in another country, they realize that their priorities, ambitions and lifestyles are different. Little did they know that the two, who were once close to each other, would turn out to be dreaded enemies.   

Review: Anand Shankar's Enemy has garnered good expectations ever since the project was announced, thanks to Vishal and Arya teaming up as the protagonist and antagonist respectively in it. The movie had hit the headlines a few times during the shooting, especially when Vishal was said to have pulled off a dare-devil stunt sequence in Dubai. 

The news of Arya playing a ruthless villain and the face-off between him and Vishal were claimed by the makers as the highlights of the movie before its release. Moreover, its been a while since a hardcore action flick has released in Tamil. Has the film met the expectations?  

The story of Enemy begins in Ooty. Two school friends Chozhan (Vishal) and Rajiv (Arya) are neighbours. The former's father Ramalingam (Thambi Ramaiah), a middle-class man, is worried about his son's future and often instructs him not to take unnecessary risks in life. 

However, the latter's father Paari (Prakash Raj), a retired cop, wants his son to be a brilliant police officer and starts training him at a small age. As time passes by, Chozhan, too, joins Rajiv and learns a lot of things from Paari. A few months into training, Paari understands that Chozhan is smarter and intelligent than his son Rajiv. However, a murder at Rajiv's home leaves him and Chozhan separated.

Around 25 years later, we are told that Chozhan, who has settled in Singapore with his father Ramalingam, is running a provision store. He also lends a helping hand to people who belong to the Tamil community there. In an unexpected circumstance, he meets his old friend Rajiv. But they soon realize that they are no more the friends they used to be. 

While Chozhan uses his skills for the welfare of the public, Rajiv, who is now a dreaded criminal, is planning an attack on Minister for Foreign Affairs. Upon knowing his old friend's dangerous plans, Chozhan tries to stop him and the network which controls him. 

The movie, which begins on a promising note, has all the ingredients required for a high-octane action thriller. The characters of Vishal and Arya as school going kids are elevated slowly, but steadily in the initial scenes of the film. Prakash Raj's presence is a big advantage which helps in convincing the viewers about the proceedings on screen.

However, the story starts falling off when the whole set up is shifted to Singapore. Vishal comes across as a typical hero and reminds us of things which he has played in many films of his. He dances, fights and is a do-gooder who goes to any extent to help people around him. 

The female lead essayed by Mirnalini Ravi slows down the screenplay and adds no value to the script. Among the three okayish songs, the two of them are unnecessarily inserted just for the sake of it, leaving us disappointed. The story becomes interesting with Arya's entry as a dreaded antagonist. 

However, despite an earnest attempt from him, his characterization becomes weak as the story progresses, thanks to his equation with the role essayed by Mamta Mohandas. Nevertheless, Vishal and Arya impress in action scenes, especially in the climax episode. Thambi Ramaiah, too, comes up with a solid portrayal of a doting dad.             

The big let down of the movie is its logical loopholes. There are massive crimes happening and the cops in Singapore seem to be way too inefficient in curbing them or nabbing the ones behind them. Vishal's character gets arrested by cops for shooting down a Central Minister, but his father gets to know about his adventures only towards the end. 

A few predictable sequences also spoil the huge scope the story had. Had the director concentrated more on the screenplay and characterizations of Vishal and Arya, Enemy would have been a solid thriller.  

Verdict: Despite an intriguing premise and a few impressive action scenes, Enemy couldn't cash in on the myriad of opportunities it had.