Karthi is one of the hardworking performers in Tamil films, mostly because he picks his roles and directors carefully. As with much of his work, he is devoted to the vibrant role he portrays here, but Japan, the actor’s 25th film—is not executed to the same high standard.
Cast: Karthi, Anu Emmanuel, Sunil
Director: Raju Murugan
Cinematography: Ravi Varman
Music by: G. V. Prakash Kumar
Review
The movie opens with news of a heist at a prestigious jewellery store in the city. The police find clear evidence that suggests Japan was responsible for the crime.
Promotions claims that Japan is a pan-Indian thief. Four states police are behind him, which sets up an exhausting and protracted sequence. He just made off with more than Rs 200 crore in his most recent robbery. Unfortunately, though, the wealth he has hiding will not be able to aid us, the helpless and blind viewers, who are forced to sit through a long, boring movie that can’t decide whether to amuse or educate.
It begins as a comic robbery in which Japan is presented to us. Japan enjoys producing videos about himself, he is unpredictable, and the police are keeping an eye out for him as a thief. Karthi’s outrageous outfits, odd haircut, and irritated voice may be the result of all these traits together. A plot that continuously skirts the subject matter cannot be justified, even though it can be excused and passed off as character attributes.
Ideas from director Raju Murugan occasionally come to light, and when they do, Japan seems to have some potential. Similarly, there is a part with a “twist,” and the suspect is forced to rethink everything. Or the scene where an innocent guy is released from custody following extensive interrogation. Raju Murugan’s central thesis—who is a thief in reality and how do we identify him?—emerges in a few different contexts.
Unfortunately, even if these concepts seem interesting when written down, they never really capture our attention when they’re on screen. After a time, the sequences with Japan, particularly those in the early half, start to seem glittery. To keep us interested, we rely on the razor-sharp banter and a dedicated Karthi, who gives Japan a rather unpredictable and untrustworthy persona. However, it doesn’t seem sufficient.
Even if Ravi Varman’s colour schemes and photography fit the character, you eventually become tired of the gloomy, dark shots. The songs by composer GV Prakash are also not very good.
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