Dragon review: Pradeep Ranganathan convincingly shoulders this popcorn entertainer with enjoyable moments

Director Ashwath Marimuthu, who made an impressive debut with Oh My Kadavule five years ago, is back with his sophomore outing, starring Pradeep Ranganathan in the lead.

The two of them coming together generated ample hype for the movie, titled Dragon, ever since the project was announced. The promo videos and a couple of songs further left cinephiles, especially youngsters, intrigued.

The rom-com, which was initially slated for a release on Valentine’s Day, was pushed by a week owing to the delayed arrival of the big-ticket flick Vidaamuyarchi earlier this month.

Synopsis

Dragon is about the life of a happy-go-lucky guy who takes everything for granted. It turns topsy-turvy when his lover dumps him for his irresponsible behaviour.

He then decides to become a successful person and starts looking for a job that offers him a huge paycheck. However, he soon realizes that the massive backlog in his education is never going to fetch him any offers.

The sheer desperation brings out the crookedness in him. He resorts to forgery and earns a job that changes his fortune, but little does he know that the fraudulent act he indulged in will haunt him in various ways.

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Highlights and drawbacks

The major positive aspects of Dragon are its engaging screenplay and the protagonist’s arc which is likely to cater to its target audience. The life of a lackadaisical guy who goes through several stages as a failed student, a son, a friend, a hardworking employer and a lover resonates with youngsters.

The arresting conflicts occur at regular intervals, leaving viewers glued to their seats. The suspense-laden sequences are effectively written and performed convincingly by seasoned and young actors.

Some of the scenes where the protagonist resorts to forgery manage to leave the audience in splits because of their staging. Interestingly, Dragon ensures not to glorify such acts and humanizes a few demonic acts committed by the hero.

The writing is such that no characters are judged; all of them go through their respective journeys and make decisions following their hearts. Leon James’ music elevates Dragon’s overall peppy nature while Niketh Bommi’s visuals provide a vibrant mood.

The pre-climax melodrama that gives rise to new conflicts appears slightly forced, but the good intention behind it makes us overlook the drawbacks.

The final portions are a bit stretched to ensure a happy ending. We are told towards the end about what happens to the protagonist after he makes a life-changing decision. However, the reactions of the major characters to the hero’s decision aren’t conveyed properly.

Performances

Pradeep thoroughly entertains with his histrionics though some of his expressions and body language remind us of his portrayal of a similar character he essayed in Love Today (2020). He manages to convince us in the crucial emotional scenes and shares good chemistry with his co-stars.

Anupama impresses with her measured performance in romantic and emotional episodes. Kayadu is apt in the role of the protagonist’s fiancée who yearns for an honest and caring man in her life.

Mysskin is a scream in some of the portions; some of his dialogues and reactions bring the house down.

Gautham appears comfortable in his urban character while Mariam George and Indhumathy Manigandan stand out in a couple of sequences.

VJ Siddhu and Harshath Khan provide ample relief as the supporting characters.

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Final take

Dragon is an engrossing tale of a youngster who witnesses a roller-coaster ride in his life from his late teenage. His varied emotions, romance, hardships, insecurities and unethical means entertain us because of a goal he sincerely aims for.

The fun-filled moments, relatable characters, amusing conflicts and well-presented emotions make this a worthwhile outing.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)