KUTTRAM 23 MOVIE REVIEW CLICK TO RATE THE MOVIE

Arun Vijay, after a gap of two years, has come up with Kuttram 23, an investigative crime thriller, directed by Arivazhagan.

Vetri Maaran IPS (Arun Vijay), a suave hardworking, intelligent cop, gets to investigate the murder of a leading television channel owner’s wife. Only when he unravels the mystery behind the death, he finds an unnoticed, illegal practice happening in the medical field. What is the cause of the lady’s death? Why was she killed, and what is the illegal practice? Not just these questions,  being a crime thriller, there are more and more questions, and out of which most of them are answered.

Right from the starting title credits, the story is being told, not through words, but through visuals. The writing has been solid and main credits to crime novel specialist Rajesh Kumar, whose stories speak for itself. Rajesh Kumar’s crime story has been adapted and converted into an engaging screenplay by Arivazhagan, which definitely needs an appreciation.

Thankfully, the film’s romantic portions or comedies doesn’t overshadow or dominate the core theme. Except for one song and very few romantic scenes, the movie travels on the right path keeping the audience glued to their seats. Dialogues which brings out the difference between medical science and medical crime are worth mentioning.  The dark, unspoken side of the medical field is brought into the light, which many family women might connect with.

On the downside, there are a few questions that look unanswered and few logical loopholes too. The climax fight starts in the car parking basement of a hospital, but towards the end, it looks like the actors are battling in an apartment arena. While narrating a flashback portion through a criminal, there are a few cinematic liberties taken up by the team to convey the story and its emotions. One might feel that the climax could have been handled better as it turns out to be a usual good vs. bad fight. 

Arun Vijay has taken up Vetri Maaran character seriously as his performance has been very intense. His super fit look adds up to the character’s strength. He scores not just with acting, but also with his stunt moves. Mahima Nambiar’s subtle performance is good, and she has something more to do than the usual mainstream heroine. Abhinaya has got a meaty role after a long time, and the talented girl has given her best. Thambi Ramaiah’s presence works in favour of the movie, thanks to his natural performance in the interrogation scene during the second half, which deserves an applause.

Vishal Chandrasekar’s ‘Thodu Vaanam’ song is easily hummable and lingers in our hearts even after the film ends. His re-recording is a silent scorer for the film. K.M.Bhaskaran’s vision of colors is seen through the visuals. Bhuvan’s cuts are apt, with different transitions used for suiting different moods. Kuttram 23 is technically a sound film.

Arivazhagan’s screenplay adaptation and the detailed writing is something that should be appreciated. This film is a fitting answer to the question, ‘why we need more writers in the industry like Hollywood’.

The direction has been to the point concerning the crime investigation part. But the director could’ve spent lesser time on family scenes, which hinders the pace of the movie.