Movie Review - 'Commando 2' - Non-Stop Thrills And Action With A Well Spun Plot

Rating: 3/5

Let me begin my review with a fact. If only Commando 2 would have been a Hollywood flick and starred the likes of Mark Wahlberg or Matt Damon, many would have been going gaga already. Yeah, it could have been termed as a Hollywood escapist thriller but it certainly wouldn't have been dismissed. It would have been called slick, thrilling and a true popcorn entertainer that is thankfully devoid of any song or dance routine.

Well, the fact also remains that Commando 2 is exactly on the same lines. It is basically a no frills affair where action unfolds at a rapid pace, thrills are quick to come by, no songs feature right through the entire narrative (yup, that's true) and slick narrative is there for all to be seen, courtesy some quick-fire editing and not even a single unnecessary plot.

And yes, this is one of those films which actually has a balanced first and the second half. You don't end up exclaiming that post a terrific interval point, there isn't much for the film to add! In fact the film continues to have several twists and turns involving Vidyut Jammwal (good) and Freddy Daruwala (impressive), so much so that by the time a double twist comes towards the climax, you are truly reminded of plot points that Abbas-Mustan have traditionally devised. No wonder, by the time you are through with the film, you do realize that there were red herrings all along and pretty much there for the taking.

There is one point in the film though, especially in the first 30 minutes, where you do wonder why the makers Vipul Shah, director: Deven Bhojani> had to go for their choice of villain. A newcomer actor is established as the kingpin of the 100,000 crore worth of black money laundering and honestly, neither his persona nor his performance actually goes in line with the scale, setup and theme of the film. However, as Commando 2 progresses, you do realize that all that you saw was a clever plot point of the film, something that leads to something bigger and far more sinister.

No wonder, you end up appreciating all such twists and turns in conjunction with some stunning stunts that Vidyut Jammwal pulls up right through the course of the film. Yes, Commando 2 is an action film but the film as a whole is much more than that. Vidyut does feature in five-six major action sequences, all of which are entirely performed by him and that too without cars flying in the air or chases happening on bikes across busy streets. Most of it is hand-to-hand combat in motion, though it is the sequence during the climax that takes the cake. The one-on-one that happens at the top of a high-rise between Vidyut and newcomer Thakur Anoop Singh (an impressive find with good looks, tough physique and nice acting) is a highlight indeed.

What is also a highlight is the manner in which the double/triple crosses take place at ease, and just when you think you have cracked it all, some other twist comes around the corner. Deven Bhojani makes sure that the film is well spun and since there are no songs to ease up the narrative at a few points, there is Adah Sharma roped in who brings on some smiles with her effortless act. As a Hyderabadi corrupt cop, she impresses with her dialogue delivery (without going overboard) and catches your eye with her styling and the way she carries herself. She is a sweet spot in the film which compliments Esha Gupta's oomph quotient.

As for Esha, she has a very meaty role in the film and her presence indeed adds a lot of value to Commando 2. Yes, whenever she or the other actors in the film call Vidyut literally as 'Commando', it appears to be taking things a little too far since it comes across as artificial. However, what does impress is the manner in which the background score is integrated in the film because for such a 'masala' film which is designed for the masses, it is quite elementary to have something on-your-face, and this is where the film scores.

Commando 2 is clearly the surprise of 2017 so far. As a leading man, Vidyut reminds one of the kind of action, performance and films that Akshay Kumar and Ajay Devgn boasted of when they started their career in the early 90s.