Retro Movie Review

The story follows a morally indifferent man who, during a journey to a new place, confronts his past and ultimately rises to fight against the oppression of his people. It’s a familiar arc — one that’s featured in three of the director’s last four films. The movie is filled with familiar scenes, character types, and tropes from his previous work, which makes the title Retro feel like a deliberate nod — a self-aware retrospective of his own filmography. This time, he also weaves in mythological references, but they don’t add much depth or impact.

A major part of the plot revolves around a McGuffin called ‘GoldFish’, which is hyped as something of significant political weight. I assumed it was symbolic and left undefined — but when it's finally revealed and actually used, it doesn’t live up to the expectations the film built around it. Like many recent films, this one ends with a dramatic weapons display, though Karthik opts for a more decentralized approach this time.

The film centers on the motif of laughter, even explicitly presenting it as a weapon. However, this idea clashes with how the film glorifies the protagonist’s violent, exaggerated punch — reminiscent of Bhavani from Master. It feels contradictory and undermines the film’s own messaging. While the filmmaker can define the logic of his cinematic universe, the exaggerated strength of the hero — who casually takes down 30 men single-handedly — raises questions. Tamil cinema had been shifting away from this kind of hyper-masculine spectacle over the past decade, but this movie pulls it back in full force. As a result, many of the action sequences end up feeling repetitive and dull.

There’s a heavily promoted long-take sequence that does stand out, but it takes a toll on the aesthetic quality of that part of the film and doesn’t add much emotional or narrative weight. Surya delivers a strong performance, especially in these scenes, and his unpolished dancing comes across as genuine and endearing. Pooja Hegde is perfectly cast and adds a graceful presence. Jayaram plays a solid supporting role, but Joju George’s character doesn’t leave much of an impression and ends up feeling like a distraction.

The film’s biggest flaw is its climax. It's hard to accept how a small, armed group could create a standoff against a state with full military force. A similar situation in Double X was handled more realistically, with the people losing. Here, we’re left with a vague blackout and no solid explanation — seemingly just to avoid repeating the previous film’s outcome.

In the end, Retro is a decent one-time watch — familiar, flawed, but with a few moments worth appreciating.