Maari Tamil Movie
Balaji Mohan, who made two plot-driven films in his first two ventures, has branched out completely and presented us a star-driven film in Maari where the only silver lining is Dhanush. His antics, impeccably timed one-liners and the moustache-twirling, smoke-splashing histrionics are watchable and sometimes enjoyable too.
But then, where is the story? Where is the screenplay? The continuous slow-motion shots of Dhanush at close quarters may satisfy his emerging fan base. What about others who come to watch a film for the characters that are brought alive on screen? In order to satisfy a small chunk of audience (read fans), both Balaji Mahan and Dhanush have let the larger audience down.
Dhanush, a local gangster in Triplicane locality, makes his ends meet by threatening his neighbors, shopkeepers and even bystanders. He commands a menacing presence in his area. He is not the kind of don who is loved by the people and hated by his opponents. He is disliked completely by both. Vijay Yesudas plays the inspector of police who embarks on a mission to thwart Maari's position in the area. The cat-and-mouse game of Vijay Yesudas and Dhanush is achieved with some lazy writing dished out to appease the star image of the latter.
The first half of Maari moves at a lethargic pace testing the patience of audiences to no extent. The scanty attitude with which the story has been written is shocking considering how good a talent Balaji Mohan is. Robo Shankar, who impressed with a brief but brilliant performance in Vaayai Moodi Pesavum, is back with a bang. In fact, he shines in his role more than Dhanush does at some occasions with his superb mimic sense. The second half of the film is where the entire proceedings go haywire with random sequences that never gel with the plot. The climax, interval and almost everything becomes predictable.
Maari is a mundane film where cliches galore profusely, which is never expected from an anticipated combo Dhanush and Balaji Mohan.
