It ain't all style! - Sagar Alias Jackie - Malayalam Movie Review

Movie : Sagar Alias Jackie (Malayalam)
Credits:
Amal Neerad (Direction, Cinematography)
S N Swami (Story, Screenplay, Dialogues)
Jophie Tharakan, Gopi Sundar (Lyrics, Music)
Vipin Mohan (Cinematography)

You aren’t too old to say it’s all style, are you?

Amal Neerad DOES NOT disappoint us completely with his 2nd attempt as a director. Sagar alias Jackie – is not as bad as it was bad mouthed!

The movie opens when a panicky Indu (Shobana) drives to the office of her father, - and the Chief Minister of Kerala (Nedumudi Venu). Apparently, her husband Manu (Manoj K Jayan) is missing and she has got a call asking for money to release him. The enthusiasm of the state head of police who rushes to solve the mystery is put down by Indu’s own brother Hari (Ganesan) who is against Manu and Indu, due to the politics at the minster’s home. Frustrated, Indu declares that she doesn’t need help from any of them to get her husband back and calls her friend – Sagar! Poooof!!! Electric guitars, slow motion shots, leather jackets, hummers, Dubai, Goa, guns and goons – for the rest of the 2 hours… and that’s Sagar Alias Jackie!

The hero gets introduced at Dubai, where he is helping Naina (Shivaji fame Suman) in a smuggling attempt. Sagar appoints his gang played by Jagathy, Vinayakan, Anu Anand and Sumit Nawal on the operation to rescue Manu. They trace Manu and reach Goa ruled by a don by name Rozario (Sampath) and his brothers. Sagar realizes that Manu’s kidnap was prompted most by his own deals, but however rescues and brings Manu back to the minister’s family.

The incident raises curiosity in CNN reporter Aarathi Menon (Bhavana) who tries to trace Sagar, without really knowing who he is. As Aarathi locks horns with Hari and threatens that his relationship with Naina will be revealed, she gets into the blacklist of the goons. Naina entrusts Sagar to keep an eye on her. As Aarathi survives an attack with the help of Sagar, she is all respects for him.

As the politics at the chief minister’s home end and Hari & Manu decide to join together, the villains led by Naina & Rozario see that as an opportunity to knock off Sagar. What follows is a real masala action, where the death toll of lead artistes crosses 7 (I don’t know when I stopped counting!) and ends in a rather predictable climax.

The bad things first: The script that goes pretty well in the first half slows down and leads to a very predictable, idiotic end of the movie, where the hero is almost made a super human. Technology is used, but the ideas as very primitive. Mohanlal-Bhavana pair – a little too much to digest on the first hand, and not to convincing that the hero was ready for a revenge when villains attacked her! Solo walks of Mohanlal – as many of the mail forwards mentioned, is a little overdone. Bala wasted in a guest role, while Shobana’s make up doesn’t help cover her age.

The good things: Lal – the actor who has done the re-incarnation of Sagar in the best way possible – Subtle expressions, strong dialogues – he’s unique. The director and script writer seems to have done an excellent teamwork in transforming Jackie to an international don. The lifestyle and body language changes, but the inherent character remains the same
Good thoughts from SN Swami to have retained a few characters/events from the prequel “Irupathaam Noottandu” – Sagar seems to have a say in politician families, Sagar still doesn’t support people who do drug and flesh trade, the press reporter doesn’t know Sagar initially, (Bhavana’s Aarathi Menon and Ambika’s Aswathi Varma almost follow the same pattern as they get bumped on to Sagar), few dialogues get retained from the prequel, and of course the Telugu speaking sidekick – Ashokan (Jagathy). The script writer seems to be successful in setting a standard for the character, which probably can be carried over like a Bond series! J The movie is technically very sound – cinematography, edits, and presentation. Casting is good, especially the henchmen and the villains. And of course, the style factor – many scenes seems to have a real Hollywood touch (the one where Bhavana escapes the villain attack, the entry of Rahul Dev with a sniper gun are all a few examples)

And it will be a crime not to mention a ravishing Jyothirmayi, - in near bikini costumes on the Goa beaches! Amal Neerad & Co. you have set a standard on Mollywood for an item number! Phew!

Debutant Gopi Sundar bags full credits on the background score – good remix of the old score by Shyam following throught the movie. However, he does an average work on the songs. “Vennilave” featuring the lead pair, is hummable.

Verdict: The movie was definitely bad mouthed that it is all style and no substance. It is very much bearable. If you like style, go ahead…you will not regret! Ugh…Am sorry, I forget that am speaking to people who made “Veruthe oru Bhaarya” the biggest hit of last year!