Cobra Movie Review: Vikram Brings Back Anniyan Level Energy

Ajay Gnanamuthu has had a short but promising career so far, with his Demonte Colony, and Imaikaa Nodigal. Cobra slides into that shelf and finds a space for itself.

Cobra is an interesting choice for the title because the male lead is as dangerous and as sneaky as a cobra. You don't see him coming and in case you do, you hardly get the time to think and react.

The mathematical genius has his vulnerable moments but he manages to solve his way out, and the writing is sincere enough to not let his plans look like a joke. There is no dearth of action in this film, which one might expect considering that the story revolves around an intellectual. This intellectual, however, is muscular and sharp enough to handle the heat.

Cobra can easily be called a tribute to the actor in Vikram. He has been offered a role with such range and depth that this could be one of his best performances. The film has been written in such a way that it would be impossible for one to not recognize the passionate actor that Vikram is.

Story And Performances

Madhi is a math teacher/assassin, who uses his revenue to sponsor orphanages and charity homes. He has a traumatic childhood and a genetic gift, and the combination naturally leaves him with some psychological issues. While battling with the dilemma of whether to accept or reject the interest shown by Bhavana, played by Srinidhi Shetty, Madhi also has to handle an Interpol officer on his trail. Meanwhile, the boss man who has been benefiting from the genius' assignments turns against him, to save his own skin.

The acting genius plays a math genius in the film, and Vikram fits into the sociopathic intellectual individual's role very well. The writing is good and it keeps its focus on its narrative and does not move away from its trajectory much. Vikram's many avatars in the film satisfy us and leave us cheering for the man. The narrative is coherent and it doesn't give room for obvious logical flaws.

Roshan Mathew as Rishi plays a maniacal youngster who has gotten intoxicated with too much power too soon in life. He brings a couple of interesting moments to the screen. Irfan Pathan plays an investigator backed by an undergrad math student minoring in criminology. The two of them have performed sufficiently and have kept the story moving.

What Worked And What Didn't

Cobra has broken some stereotypes of film-writing that we are used to. Vikram has optimally utilized a creamy role and has made yet another mark. There are sequences that work on the same level as Anniyan did for us, not in the same way, but with the same level of excitement.

The film's only shortcoming is that although it moves through its thriller narrative efficiently, there were sequences where it failed to create the necessary drama during emotional moments. There were a few moments that genuinely touched the audience, but then there were moments when one couldn't connect with the characters. Maybe the film could have leaned more toward its intellectual side than the emotional side.

The film tries to move fast initially and doesn't take time to breathe in between the scenes. It works for the most part, but it leaves us with little space to emotionally connect with the characters, which makes the latter part of the film feel a bit too long.

Technical Aspects

Although there were moments where you could notice that it's not great CG work, those moments are few and they don't really affect the experience much. The cinematography is on point, and as noted by many in the trailer, stood out in the interrogation scene. 'Thumbi Thullal' reminds us that AR Rahman is the composer.

Verdict

A great watch for sure, especially if you are a fan of thrillers and suspense stories. A must-watch if you enjoy watching layered protagonists. If you are a fan of Vikram, this will definitely blow your mind.