Rocky movie review: Vasanth Ravi, Bharathiraja excel in this blatant blood-splattered tale of revenge

3.5/5

Story: A young gangster comes out of jail after 17 years of imprisonment. To his shock, he realizes that his mother and sister are missing. While he learns that the former has passed away, the latter is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, an aged underworld kingpin decides to finish off the gangster as he thinks his life would be in danger if he let him go scot-free.

Review: Arun Matheswaran's Rocky, which has been lying in the cans for sometime, has finally released. The trailer of the film hinted at a story that revolves around gangsters and their unflinching desire for revenge. The recent promo video escalated the hype, though it had also put out feelers that the movie may not be everyone's cup of tea.  

Gangster flicks are nothing new to Tamil cinema. We have come across several incredible films which fall under the genre made by different filmmakers in various style over the decades. How is Rocky different from all those? Has it lived up to the hype?

The movie has a wafer-thin storyline which is as old as the hills. But Rocky is another testimony to the fact that an engaging screenplay, intriguing characters and captivating making style would hold the interest of the viewers. The film, which has been divided into multiple episodes, begins with Rocky (Vasanth Ravi) getting released from jail.

He has changed a lot after 17 years of imprisonment. Having worked under Manimaran (Bharathiraja), an aged underworld don, Rocky now realizes that he has been wasting his life by associating with him. He also knows that Manimaran wouldn't spare him if he gets to know about his release. 

Rocky, who undergoes redemption, sets out in search of Malli (Rohini) and Amudha (Raveena Ravi), his mother and sister respectively. He gets to know that his mother has been killed long ago and that his sister has been missing. But after repeated enquiries, he learns where his sister stays.  

But his visit to her place turns his life topsy-turvy again. He decides to avenge Manimaran for ruining his family, but little did he know that the latter possesses something valuable which the former isn't aware of. Where will the feud between the young and the old gangster lead to?

First things first. Rocky is an unabashedly violent film. Having said that it isn't the typical gory movies you often come across. There are brutal murders, involving slitting throats, poking out eyes and tongue chopped off. But as a few filmmakers say, the situations demand it, if one may say so, at least for argumentative purpose.

Though the whole film is all about the protagonist avenging the death of his mother and sister, the hero-villain conflicts, intriguing character detailing and fantastic cinematography by Shreyaas Krishna keep the viewers glued to the happenings on screen. Darbuka Siva's background score elevates the compelling visuals which together aid the slow and steady screenplay. Watch out for the one-shot action sequence which has been choreographed brilliantly in the first half and the usage of effective long shots in the climax.

Arun takes ample time to establish the premise and introduce the unabashedly violent universe which has unpredictable and brash characters. After a crucial turning point in the story, the movie becomes a slow burner with neatly choreographed action sequences by Dhilip Subbarayan. But we realize later that those were just tip of the iceberg until the climax fight happens.

Vasanth Ravi oozes swag in a revenge-oriented character which requires him to emote more when he fights. He is aptly cast in the role of an underdog who takes a mighty gangster. Bharathiraja's Manimaran will be added to the list of menacing antagonists in the history of Tamil cinema, thanks to the effortless manner in which he pulled off the bloodthirsty character.

Verdict: Rocky is an undiluted action film which is nothing short of a feast for fans of gangster flicks. It isn't everyone's cup of tea, though.