'Eagle' initailly focused on socio-economic issues takes a sharp turn to maoist activities, and Pakistani terrorist plots.
Ravi Teja's 'Eagle' is directed by Karthik Gattamaneni. (X)
You should be a knowledge geek to watch Eagle in the first place because you will be bombarded with too much world gyan than the story itself — Mossad, RAW, a bit of Vastu Shastra, inappropriate usage of Telugu phrases, and punch dialogues — as if the writer is over-trained under Trivikram Srinivas!
Journalist Nalini Rao’s article in a news publication on cotton production in the Talakona region stirs a controversy. This prompts the National Intelligence Bureau to dig into it.
Nalini Rao starts the investigation and stumbles upon why the Intelligence Bureau in Delhi has to react to Talakona.
What happens at midnight in Margashira? Who is Sahadev (Ravi Teja)? What connection does he have with cotton farmers in Talakona? How does he stop illegal arms smuggling?
Naini Rao has a hectic task in hand to find answers to these questions:
Davzand composed the music for ‘Eagle’. (X)
The story starts with the plight of handloom farmers, stirring up political unrest at the national level.
However, what initially appears to be a focused storyline of socio-economic issues takes a sharp turn, with the introduction of illegal arms dealings, Maoist activities, and Pakistani terrorist plots.
In the first half, director Karthik Gattamaneni presents the story with a series of ambiguous scenes, leaving viewers wondering why the story is missing its flow.
As the plot unfolds, the initial subject of the struggles of handloom workers seems to get dissolved.
The subsequent episodes of the story are laced with conflicting themes and confused narratives as too many characters get introduced on the way.
Towards the end of the first half, it brings a feeling as if the whole story is over.
But after the break time, your anticipation for the end card never gets fulfilled.
As Eagle heads into its second half, audiences are optimistic that Karthik Gattamaneni will untangle the complex narrative and deliver a satisfying conclusion. But it never happens!
In the second half, the film would have improved slightly as it delves deep into certain story elements. However, intense emotions are overshadowed by unnecessary aspects.
Handloom workers’ subject gets sidelined, as the director prioritises his film to be a visual spectacle rather than exploring depth.
The last 20 minutes of Eagle are somewhat bearable with action episodes showcasing Goddess Kali and some intriguing facts about the Eagle in the story—reviving the otherwise lacklustre movie.
Despite trying to mimic Hollywood-ish action flicks, Eagle falters in executing the story at crucial moments.
Ravi Teja plays an assassin in ‘Eagle’. (X)
There was a time when Ravi Teja’s body structure and overall appearance suited for action films. But it is time he should try light-hearted and content-oriented stories rather than commercial movies.
Director Karthik has succeeded in creating a festive atmosphere for his fans through skilful larger-than-life elevations— from the opening scene to the closing credits.
Also, Ravi Teja’s dialogue delivery in the film presents a fresh perspective.
Ravi Teja delivers a not-so-convincing performance. However, he maintains the rhythm that is required for the story.
Navdeep’s Jay also garners praise.
Anupama’s role as journalist Nalini Rao propels the narrative forward.
However, the female lead Kavya Thapar’s character lacks depth, serving merely as a glam doll in the story.
Supporting cast members like Madhubala, Avasarala Srinivas, and Vinay unfortunately fail to leave an impression.
The absence of a powerful antagonist in the film impacts the story overall.
When it comes to cinematography and music, the background score becomes the backbone of Eagle. The BGM fully contributes to elevating the scenes.
The editing part should have been more focused on telling the story without ambiguity.
Despite the storytelling flaws, Eagle delivers satisfactory action and thrills only for Mass Maharaja fans.
Serious movie enthusiasts may have to bear Eagle with clueless-action blocks, over-the-top dialogues, and tech gyan that one usually gets from reading an encyclopaedia.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
May 21, 2024
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