Laththi movie review: Vishal impresses in this high-octane actioner which needs better screenplay and characters; details inside

Laththi Movie Review: The writing which leads to many scenes engaging plot is not as interesting as it should have been, due to which the film is okay

Story

An honest police constable, who is under suspension, gets back to work with the help of a senior police officer. But little did he know that his loyalty to the latter would put his life in danger. He gets into the bad books of a criminal after getting beaten up black and blue by the latter on the instructions of the senior cop. Deadly gangster ropes hundreds of henchmen to eliminate the constable in a skyscraper building. But the middle-class cop comes up with a plan that makes it difficult for the goons to counter him.

Review

If you are among those who have seen the promo videos of Laththi, you know exactly what to expect from the Vishal-starrer action drama. The film is a high-octane thriller with loads of eye-catching stunt sequences. With Vishal headlining the cop drama, you know you are in for a gritty story that revolves around a game of cat and mouse.

It remains to be known how the conflicts and characters are designed in the film helmed by debutant A Vinoth Kumar. Unlike some of the cop films he has been a part of in the past, the actor plays a constable this time.

This is also the first time he has played a father figure; A doting father to a school going son and a loving husband whose life revolves around family. However, Muruganantham (Vishal) is suspended despite being sincere to his profession. His brutal act ends up in front of human rights activists while interrogating an accused.

With the help of a senior police officer (Thalaivasal Vijay), he dons the khaki again, but decides not to do physical harm, come what may. But an unforeseen situation forces him to lay hands on Vellai (Raman), a dreaded goon who takes pleasure in committing serious crimes under the influence of his father Soora (PN Sunny), a political kingmaker. Vellai attacks Muruganantham and his son with the help of almost all the goons in the city. Will the constable be able to face his wrath?

Laththi offers several high moments for fans of action entertainers, as the film has interesting bits of stunt sequences in the latter half. Vishal comes up with an impressive performance, and it is a pleasure to watch him perform some high-octane sequences. The hero-villain conflict is also intriguing.

Having said that, the film suffers from a lack of organic conflicts which prevents the audience from engaging with the plot after a point. The family sequences offer nothing new, and the interactions between the cops are fairly generic. Some visual constructions also appear superficial.

It seems the makers were fascinated by the idea of a cop who attempts to rescue himself and his son from a high-rise building where they are surrounded by a bunch of goons armed with various weapons. However, the writing that leads to multiple sequences in this one-liner isn’t as interesting as it should have been. Unsurprisingly, Yuvan Shankar Raja’s background score also disappoints.

Nanda, PN Sunny and Sunaina make their presence felt while other characters don’t have much to do. Peter Hein’s stunt choreography is compelling, but the partially engaging screenplay falters, allowing the film to feel just fine.

Verdict: Laththi sees Vishal putting his best foot forward in stunts and emotional sequences, but his hard work needed a far more engaging screenplay and character designs.