31. RDX (2023)

 

Language: Malayalam

Genre: Action

As implied by the title, RDX tells the story of three people: Robert, Dony, and Xavier, a group of youngsters who have received martial arts training. The three youngsters fight to protect their family from a dangerous antagonist and his group, which centres the entire plot of the film. 

Considering the plot of the movie, RDX falls within the familiar territory in which all the cinematic tropes have been used and reused; since the dawn of Malayalam Mass Masala genre. In RDX, we have a group of extremely talented protagonists, a dangerous antagonist who actually poses a serious threat to the protagonists' family, a cheesy love story in the background, a significant setback for the good guys, and the ultimate rise and fight back that decimates the antagonist at the conclusion. The movie is completely predictable from a screenplay perspective and offers nothing new, but what makes it stand out is the director's sensibility, which combined all the well-known and time-tested ingredients into a delectable product that is supported by strong emotional content. Despite the mediocre screenplay, it is our emotional connection to the protagonists that propels the story. And it's interesting to note how, as the film nears its conclusion, the entire spectrum of events shifts from an action revenge drama to a survival thriller.

And omg, I could gush about the movie's action scenes all day long. The conviction with which the stunts were carried out by Anbu-Arivu is truly exceptional. And even when the screenplay is a little loose, it takes enormous talent to cram these high-voltage sequences into it coherently, which is exactly what debut director Nahas Hidayat has expertly done. 

In relation to the performances: The three main actors—Shane Nigam, Antony Varghese, and Neeraj Madhav—each gave a performance that was as flexible as possible. Shane Nigam, who had a lot of work on his hands and had to emote variably throughout the movie, was for me the three leads' complete package of a performer. And Vishnu Agasthiya, who played the main antagonist, was menacing and felt like an appropriate threat that could endanger the three—who seem to be almost superhuman—main leads. Sam CS's background score, Alex J. Pulickal's stylized cinematography, and Chaman Chacko's slick editing all contribute to the film's technical excellence.

Overall, RDX is a high-octane, stylized action entertainer that accomplishes its goals and is simple to sit through. The movie's somewhat formulaic nature is a drawback, but the wholesome entertainment it offers more than makes up for it.

My Opinion : Watchable