Marco review: Bloodshed and violence are at their peak in this stylish Unni Mukundan starrer

Marco as promised by the makers is a treat to those who enjoy violence in their films. Let me start with a disclaimer: With violence at its peak and gory scenes, this movie is not for children and light-hearted people, as it has rightly obtained an “A” certificate.

Directed by Haneef Adeni, Marco is a spinoff of Nivin Pauly’s Mikhael (2017) This story deals with Adat George (Siddique) and Marco (Unni Mukundan)— the negative characters of Mikhael.

Marco is a pure revenge drama involving a cold-blooded murder and other violent scenes which might be liked by youngsters.

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Synopsis

Marco starts with the death of Adatt George’s youngest son Victor who is blind. He is killed by Tony Issac(Jagadish) and his son Russel (Abhimanyu Shammy Thilakan) who are rivals of George in the gold trade. This incident is the beginning of a ruthless gang war which keeps the story moving forward.

Marco is an adopted son in George’s family and he is emotionally attached to the family. He will do anything to save the family. But George’s sister and other members dislike Marco. Still, Marco stays with the family till the end. Can he save his entire family? Well, one must not be light-hearted to know what happens in the movie.

The first half of Marco sets the story in place with the help of intense plot points. Unni Mukundan’s swag and the background score helped elevate the first half. The second half of the film is filled with violence. And this is the first Malayalam film to explicitly show the gory scenes.

Stylish filmmaking

Marco celebrates the alpha male elements in style. That is, all the major characters don stylish costumes though the story is set in Thrissur, which is comparatively a smaller city. However, the style works in favour of the movie, as it helps Marco look sophisticated.

The action choreography deserves praise, as the movie features extensive fight sequences involving Unni Mukundan and other actors. One standout scene shows Marco fighting numerous people and reaching the terrace of a building, which is choreographed and shot effectively.

From start to finish, the filmmakers have maintained high production quality, with Ravi Basrur’s background music enhancing the scenes. Shameer Muhammed’s editing also contributes to the film with some excellent cuts in various areas. The cinematography by Chandru Selvaraj complements the movie well.

Haneef Adeni’s debut film The Great Father (2017) was noted for its stylish presentation. His second film, Mikhael (2019), serves as the foundation for Marco. Interestingly, this film portrays George and Marco as heroic characters, whereas they are negative characters in Mikhael. The makers have not referenced Mikhael and have treated Marco as a standalone story.

Although Marco follows a predictable revenge storyline, its unique presentation sets it apart from other revenge films.

Performances

The movie features strong performances from the lead actors and the negative characters. Unni Mukundan shines as Marco, exuding all the swag of a mass hero. He puts in noticeable effort in the action scenes and excels in the emotional moments, especially in the climax.

Siddique, as George, plays a subtle yet impactful role as the family head.

Jagadish, as the main antagonist Tony Issac, delivers a standout performance. His portrayal of the ruthless villain is one of the best roles of his career.

Abhimanyu Shammy Thilakan, as Russel, Tony’s son, gives a solid performance, bringing good screen presence and participating in key action sequences.

The female characters have limited roles, as the movie primarily focuses on the male characters.

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Final take

Marco is the most violent movie ever made in Malayalam. Unni Mukundan’s swag and stylish filmmaking are the takeaways of the movie with a predictable story.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)