The Warriorr Movie Review: The routine cop saga

This gritty action entertainer directed by N Lingusamy is literally two films for the price of one
The Warriorr
The Warriorr

As cops in films go, The Warriorr's Satya, played by Ram Pothineni, feels closer in spirit to Pawan Kalyan's straight-talking Gabbar Singh from the eponymous film (2012) over larger-than-life super-cop Narasimham from Yamudu (2010).

This gritty action entertainer directed by N Lingusamy is literally two films for the price of one. Set in Kurnool, the first half has our protagonist playing a doctor who believes in building trust and saving the lives of the people while the second hour has him arriving as a fiery cop smashing the goons in slow motion. The two halves have a common enemy called Guru (Aadhi Pinisetty), a menacing rowdy who rules the roost in Kurnool.

The film opens nicely and coasts along well until it threatens to come incomplete in its final act. A commercial potboiler's potential considerably revolves around the interval bang, and here's where Lingusamy uses it to shift gears completely, albeit with a predictable 'twist'.

Movie: The Warriorr
Cast: Ram Pothineni, Krithi Shetty, Aadhi Pinisetty, Nadhiya
Director: N Lingusamy
Rating: 2.5/5

Lingusamy opts for an entirely different tone in the second half, and it is where The Warriorr adopts many of the typical clichés of masala entertainers. In fact, it is after the interval that the real plot kicks in when Satya begins to find ways to nab Guru and uncover his organised crime racket. Soon he is involved in high-voltage action scenes and chilling confrontations and leaves no stone unturned to get over Guru's maze of accomplices. But Satya moves with the sole purpose of working on settling scores with Guru, who has transformed Kurnool into a fortress for his criminal activities.

The camaraderie and the banter between Satya and Devaraj (Brahmaji) and other cops ring true, and the dialogues about the police department never feel out of step. And Satya has emerged into a one-man fighter by the time we reach the clunky climax. He's pretty much Gabbar Singh at this point.

Blame it on the disjointed screenplay if The Warriorr works not so much as a gripping, coherent, and racy entertainer, but a string of set pieces. As a result, the film feels way longer than its 155-minute run time, and the climax fight scene that takes place at the historical Kondareddy Buruju seems never-ending.

To be honest, the film has a fascinating premise and an especially unlikely character for Ram. I must say, he submits to his role by delivering a restrained and quiet performance. But the film cannot decide what it wants to be: an action thriller or a revenge drama with some twists and turns. The action scenes are impressively staged, but the narrative is slowed down by a couple of unnecessary songs and a boring love track between Ram and Whistle Mahalakshmi, played by Krithi Shetty.

Krithi's character of a radio jockey doesn't seem to be a crucial figure in the story. The film barely does any justice to her character, giving little room for her to breathe life into it. The other character played by Nadhiya seems like an extension of her portrayal in Prabhas-starrer Mirchi (2013). Her performance in the vegetable market scene and the penultimate one plays to the gallery with clap-trap lines.

The music by Devi Sri Prasad has its high points, especially the songs - Bullet and Whistle - which received a roaring response from the front benchers. The film is enhanced by brutal action and its striking camera work by Sujith Vasudev.

The Warriorr is not a perfect film, but it's way better than many of the super hits our commercial directors churn out regularly. It's a masala entertainer that has its moments, but it's a light years away from being called a masterpiece.

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