Veera Dheera Sooran: Part 2

This marks the first occasion in my life where I have encountered a film that deliberately defies chronological order; I cannot remember any prior instances where the creators opted to unveil 'Part 2' of a series before presenting the first instalment.

Now, many may mistakenly believe that such an unconventional approach would lead to narrative inconsistencies and possibly make the storytelling disjointed, but I assure you, that was far from the reality here.

The plot unfolds with clarity, allowing audiences to clearly grasp the events on screen while simultaneously igniting curiosity about the characters, just as intended, leaving one eager for further revelations.

The only moment it falters is shortly after the intermission, when it briefly revisits a flashback scene, this segment, aside from one standout scene in the police station, felt inferior compared to the rest.

And I guess this wouldn't really come off as a surprise but Chiyaan Vikram, as 'Kaali', overshadowed nearly everyone else, with the sole exception of SJ Suryah, who once again proved his mettle and held his own ground on his own merit.

The technical crew behind cinematography and sound designing deserves commendation as well, for they had crafted a film that is both visually and aurally sumptuous. Some of the visuals were simply breathtaking, and the background score by G. V. Prakash Kumar infused the necessary vigour and energy into the mix.

Synopsis With tense scenes that offer thrills and mas moments, SU Arun Kumar's Veera Dheera Sooran - Part 2 soars in its first half but comes crashing to the ground with a routine third act

Veera Dheera Sooran - Part 2 Movie Review: A solid action thriller undone by a conventional, weakly written third act.

Veera Dheera Sooran - Part 2 Movie Synopsis: A gangster who has given up his violent ways agrees to take up one last hit job to save his former boss' son, who is the target of a police officer seeking to settle an old score. With all three using his family as a threat to bend him to their will, can he outsmart them all and remain the last man standing?

Veera Dheera Sooran - Part 2 Movie Review: SU Arun Kumar's Veera Dheera Sooran begins in a most intriguing manner. The filmmaker drops us in the middle of a developing situation with hardly any setup to give us an idea of why things are happening. This instantly makes us get involved with the film - even though we hardly know anything about its plot or character. A woman lands up at the door of Periyavar/Ravi (Prudhvi Raj, cast against type in a serious role), a local big shot with criminal links, of doing away with her husband. Her husband, meanwhile, complains to SP Arunagiri (SJ Suryah, fine balancing the greyness of the character to keep us guessing) that his wife and daughter are missing. This provides the cop with the ammo that he's been looking for to take down Periyavar and his son Kannan (Suraj Venjaramoodu, making an impressive debut in Tamil), who had played dirty with him a decade ago. Arunagiri plots an encounter killing prompting Periyavar to reach out to his erstwhile viswasi Kaali (a robust Vikram who offers a peek into the mass avatar of his Dhool and Saamy days), who has given up his violent ways and is now leading a peaceful life with his wife Kalai (a competent Dushara Vijayan even makes us overlook the huge age gap between her and the male lead) and their two children. Arun Kumar keeps the tension alive by making Kaali vulnerable as he pits him against three individuals who he cannot trust and yet do their bidding as they slyly use his family as a threat in their own ways. At least until the intermission, the director holds back from giving us any peek into their shared history. All we get are mere mentions of events and names from their past - especially an incident that they refer to as 'Sudhakar sambavam' - which has led them all to this powder keg of a situation. This actually forces us, the audience, to individually imagine what might have happened, and pick characters to root for as well as hate.

And tense action keeps unfolding as there are cat-and-mouse-game-like scenarios and near-miss episodes that keep us hooked. One particular scene, involving landmines (or "kezhangu", as the characters call it) delivers edge-of-the-seat thrill, and another, which marks the meeting of Kaali and Arunagiri gives us a whistle-worthy mass masala moment. The film would have remained unique and engaging (and also justifying the Part 2 in the title) if Arun Kumar had trusted his audience and chosen to show us only the events that unfold during this one night. Perhaps he felt breaking the convention of providing a flashback would be too risky a move, but the director decides to give us the back story (at least the portions that matter), including the 'Sudhakar sambavam'. This is where the film begins to lose its individuality as the back story that we eventually get doesn't match with what we have all built up in our heads all through the first half; rather, it just feels so routine!

The film does recover from this minor setback when it gets back to the present with an ambitious one-shot set piece (shot with dynamism by Theni Eswar, whose night-time cinematography is one of the film's strong points) that begins with a group of characters discussing who among them could be the black sheep and moves on to a shootout between cops and gangsters, and then to a heroic moment. But then, just when we expect it to soar higher, it helplessly remains stuck on the ground. Like someone painstakingly building a house of cards and finally making a move that brings most of the structure down, Arun Kumar undoes all the earlier good work with a weakly written third act (despite its title, this is not the film where we can willingly suspend disbelief when its hero gets back up after being thrashed and even shot at by over a dozen men) that leaves us with a slightly bitter aftertaste. And the director himself seems to have realised this and decides to bank on nostalgia (yes, with THAT Vikram song!) to inject some energy into his limp climax.

Verdict: Super Hit.

Ven though the story itself is not anything new, the screenplay brilliantly makes it feel fresh. The way, the film shows the events of one night slowly giving the audience information piece by piece and letting us solve the puzzle for the most part while keeping the tension alive was so fun. The rawness of everything around was elevated by the great performances, obviously expected from Vikram but also most of the other cast. The flashback portion in the middle felt a little bit unnecessary and slowed down the film but the way it ended was satisfactory. The drama and the rawness were strong points of the film but the action itself was mostly just okay when everything surrounding it was really great. The action scene near the end was a bit of a mess. Narratively, it makes sense because how even at that point the characters are revealing their intents and character by their actions but it was shot in a weird way. The way a lot of small, small things are connected to the main story, a reveal at the very end which shows how everything happened because of coincidences that were meant to be and connected to each other way more than we thought was very interesting as well as giving a bit of levity after all the brutality.

The decision to call this Part 2 still feels a bit gimmicky and just a promotion tactic. There's not really much need for a part 1 but if they make it, they better make it worthy of this.

I am happy to finally watch a Vikram film from the theater and be satisfied. The screenplay was brilliant but there were a few compromises without which this could've been truly great.

Veera Dheera Sooran is a unique take on the thriller genre, with all the right ingredients to keep you on the edge of your seat. Though branded as an action thriller, it surprises by blending family drama with intense suspense. It's rare for a film to keep you hooked without relying on action in the first half, yet this one does just that, cleverly using restraint to build tension and make the eventual action feel earned.

The film takes its time to establish the characters, the atmosphere, and the world they inhabit, and it does so wonderfully. Even without grand action sequences initially, Veera Dheera Sooran remains engrossing, with the first half maintaining a forward momentum that keeps you invested.

Vikram is on fire, delivering one standout performance after another in recent years-Mahaan, PS1 and PS2, Thangalaan. In Veera Dheera Sooran, he adds incredible depth to a genre often dominated by spectacle. His performance grounds the film, and his chemistry with the effervescent Dushara brings an emotional authenticity to their relationship. Together, with the Mom character and the two kids, they create a powerful family dynamic that keeps you deeply invested in their journey, balancing both the tension and drama effortlessly.

SJ Suryah adds yet another dimension to his acting repertoire. From Iravi and Jackie Pandian to his cunning portrayal of Arunagiri in VDS, his range is remarkable. Suraj Venjaramoodu delivers a fantastic Tamil debut, conveying so much through his eyes, while Prudhviraj's character arc adds a sinister, multi-layered complexity. Another standout performance is from Venkat, who holds his own brilliantly against Vikram in key scenes. Two moments in particular highlight his strength-first, the intense landmine (Kizhangu) sequence, and second, the gripping climax where Vikram confronts, chases, and ultimately kills him.

The film's pacing and buildup are intricately woven through the relationships between these characters, especially the constant push and pull between loyalty, trust, and betrayal. From the lead to the supporting cast, every character has a well-developed arc that adds layers to the story.

What stands out in Veera Dheera Sooran is how it subverts genre expectations. While it fits within the action-thriller mold, it doesn't rely on the usual mass tropes we often associate with such films. Instead, it's far more grounded and layered, blending family dynamics with crime and suspense in a thoughtful, nuanced way. The attention to detail is what makes it so rewarding, and the screenplay doesn't hold your hand-mysteries and small details unfold naturally, keeping you engaged in a way that few thrillers manage to do.

SU Arun Kumar has truly redeemed himself since Chittha. With VDS, he has elevated his craft to the next level. He's one of the new-age directors who knows how to scale up from smaller films to larger ones while keeping the storytelling grounded and realistic.

That said, the film's final payoff, while impactful, doesn't entirely deliver the emotional release that it seems to be building toward. It's like having a delicious full-course meal where the dessert, though tasty, doesn't quite live up to the expectations set by the main course. The buildup was compelling enough that the ending felt a little bit like it could have used a bit more punch. But that's a minor quibble in an otherwise well-executed movie.

In conclusion, VDS is a film that deserves to be experienced in theatres. It's an ambitious and refreshing take on the thriller genre, one that skillfully mixes family drama with crime thriller elements, keeping you engaged throughout. Despite a slightly underwhelming payoff, the film has more than enough to offer in terms of performances, tension, and world-building. If you're looking for a movie that keeps you hooked from start to finish, this is a must-watch in theatres.

A crime lord seeks help from his ex-henchman to save his son from an encounter.

The story starts from the first second of the movie. So, don't miss the first few minutes. The writer put his main character in a difficult situation and how he is going to escape from it was a great plot.

This type of plot is not new to us but the way the writer handled the story in the screenplay was excellent.

The screenplay kicked into top gear early on and kept going at almost the same pace until the climax, but the gears wore out in the last few minutes.

I haven't seen any film in recent times that accurately evokes the tension created by the scenes in this film.

We have to appreciate the writer for writing this adrenaline rush screenplay.

Nothing is 100% perfect in this world we live in. If there is, then we could name it as a mystery.

Similarly, this film can easily be criticized for its screenplay knots and one or two typical commercial cinema elements, but it cannot be labeled as an unwatchable film.

All of them who acted in this film gave their extraordinary performances. From Vikram, Dhushara, and Suraj venjaramoodu to small character artists. Perfectly blended characterization and artist selection were written and selected as pitch-perfect.

G. V. Prakash's background score was another main pillar after the screenplay. His work was fantastic, to be frank. This one was one of his career-best works.

Cinematography has been handled fair. There are a few single-shot scenes, which were captured flawlessly. The fight choreography was decent.

The art department has delivered excellent work from them as it suits this story world. Costume department work also stands out as the perfect costume sense were given as per the economic background of the characters.

As whole, the best thrilling ride!