Although Karthik is young and successful he is ill groomed and glum faced signaling that there is something wrong in his life. But, he gets to know something that might help him reclaim his former self. He sets out to see that one person who reminds him of his good times. That person turns out to be a little boy, around 10 years old. But, he realizes that danger is pursuing this boy. He takes it upon himself to save the boy. What or who is after a 10 year old boy’s life? It is a person who has not learnt to deal with loss in his life. While Karthik finds new meaning in the boy’s life, the other man wants to avenge his loss with the boy’s blood. What connects Karthik, the 10 year old boy, his father and a man who lost his mind trying to come to terms with change? Watch Sarvvam to find out.

Director Vishnuvardhan had said that the movie is actually two movies in one. Yes, he is true to his word. Sarvvam really does feel like two movies in one. But, does the double impact work? Basically, Sarvvam is a thriller and unfortunately it does not grip us in a manner that a thriller should. It would be better to analyze the movie as two separate halves. The first is light, breezy and romantic; quite uncharacteristic of a Vishnuvardhan film of recent times. The lead pair, Arya and Trisha for the first time on screen, has got some excellent chemistry. Though there is not much comedy, there are moments of humor. Especially when Rajinikanth is added to a list of superheroes like Superman, Batman and Spiderman and when a jolly dig is taken at Simbu; Ajith is also involved. One element that will be enjoyed most is one of Ilayaraja’s signature tunes playing in the background very frequently. It reminds us that the Maestro’s music is timeless.

The second half is a chase for most parts. But, the chase does not engage you. The scenes which show the bonding between Karthik and the young boy do not work as intended. The Rottweiler which was talked about a lot appears wasted. It would be right to say that it was overused and hence the impact that it would have had gets heavily diluted. Action sequences do not get the adrenaline going, the excitement is low. At a point, Arya is scarred with a knife dipped in poison. One might think that it would go on to have a big impact in the movie but fizzles out into nothingness. It all seems contrived to driving the final few frames into a haunted looking run down church in the middle of the jungle. And, importantly, the climax seems hurried and fails to leave an impression.

Arya is top notch. We said earlier that Sarvvam is almost like two different movies and Arya has played two roles; the same person, vastly changed by a twist of fate. He is sure to be loved by the ladies in the audience, especially in the first half where he turns on his charm. Trisha looks fresh and beautiful and carries off her role in style. The pair has worked exceedingly well. J.D. Chakravarthy has been given a one dimensional character. Stone faced and stoic throughout the movie, it cannot be called a nuanced performance. Indrajith makes a decent Tamil debut. Rohan is cute.

But, the real hero of Sarvvam has to be Nirav Shah. Every single frame is a treat to watch. Richness and splendor are reflected throughout the first half. The second half captures the scenic beauty of Munnar. The scenes at night, the fight beside the house and the run down church at the climax have been shot exceptionally well. The art department, headed by Manu Jagadh, too must be applauded for some high quality work. It would not be wrong to say that it is the visuals that keep us engrossed at many points in the second half. The special effects used in songs have come out well. Their intelligent use coupled with Nirav Shah’s camera have considerably enhanced Yuvan’s compositions which don’t live up to his normal standards.

Overall, Sarvvam is a move that rides on its visuals throughout. An enjoyable first half is negated by a slack second. Half way into the second half, the first seems like a distant memory. Vishnuvardhan has proved that as a director he has got lots of flair and style. It is the writing that lets him down. Go for Sarvvam only for the beautiful visuals and the Arya-Trisha chemistry. The second half might make you fell a bit impatient at times. The thrills and suspense are missing, much to our dismay.

Verdict: Enjoy the frames, forget the thrills