Retro Review

 

Retro directed by Karthik Subbaraj and features actors like Suriya, Pooja Hegde, Joju George and Nassar. With a cast this strong and music composed by Santhosh Narayanan, the film promised a lot. Karthik Subbaraj is known for his unique style, strong narratives and creative visual storytelling. However Retro turns out to be a film that fails all regards. From the very beginning the film struggles to establish a consistent tone and direction.

The plot is the weakest aspect of the film. A well written story usually progresses with each scene born from the previous one, creating a natural flow. In Retro every scene feels artificially placed. It is as if the director had specific moments in mind and built disconnected scenes just to reach them. The film heavily relies on coincidences. While one or two coincidences can be overlooked, the entire film moves forward based on random events and connections. This kind of writing makes the narrative feel unconvincing.

The performances are decent. Suriya portrays a character that reminds me of roles often seen in Selvaraghavan's films. His body language, emotional shifts and even certain shots feel directly influenced by Selvaraghavan's style. Joju George and the rest of the cast perform well within the limits of the script, but the writing does not give them enough space to explore their characters deeply.

Technically, the film is disappointing. The screenplay feels flat. Cinematography is below average and the visual tone is off. CGI effects are poorly done also the colour grading and exposure seem inconsistent throughout the film. Only one scene that was shot in a single take stands out for its execution. Otherwise the film struggles to maintain visual interest.

The music by Santhosh Narayanan is the only element that brings some life into the film. His background score and songs elevate a few scenes and keep the film from falling apart completely. However even his work could not rescue several weak moments. The ideological angle the film tries to convey has been repeated in the director's previous works and now feels more like a lecture than an organic part of the story. Retro is a film that lacks the essence of a true Karthik Subbaraj creation. 

Rating:5/10 ⭐️