Agent review: A lackadaisical attempt

What’s it about?

Ramakrishna, aka Ricky (Akhil), aspires to be a spy so that he can create a beautiful world. His numerous attempts to join India’s spy agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), fail. Mahadev aka Devil (Mammottty), the RAW’s chief, learns of Ricky’s ambitions and is impressed by the young man’s hacking abilities. Mahadev, on the other hand, dismisses Ricky’s spying efforts because he considers him “unpredictable and unprofessional.”

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When Mahadev learns of God’s (Dino Morea) plans, he believes Ricky can derail them. God, a former agent gone rogue, is using a syndicate to try to take over Indian businesses. Mahadev sees Ricky’s ‘unpredictability’ as a benefit to their operation. Will the operation go off without a hitch?

Analysis

The spy thriller subgenre is underrepresented in Telugu films. On paper, director Surender Reddy’s plan to make “Agent” a Telugu take on the formula of Hollywood spy thrillers sounds interesting. But if the writing isn’t strong or the narrative isn’t engaging, then the good ideas won’t translate well to the screen. The film “Agent,” with Akhil in the title role and Mammootty in the role of the spy agency’s chief, is a jumbled disaster.

The film’s first half is largely uninteresting. Your patience will be tried up until the pre-interval block. However, early scenes look much better than the rest of the proceedings. The second half is pathetic bore. The episode right before the intermission is the only one that really stands out. After the success of “KGF” and “Vikram,” actors have started using machine guns or cannon guns in specific scenes, but in this film, they just look ridiculous.

Akhil Akkineni does well in his first true action role. The way he’s changed physically is amazing. In addition, he has refined his acting technique. His “wild” and “eccentric” persona is okay. But the underwritten part has rendered all his efforts futile.

Sakshi Vaidya, a new actor, is treated unfairly. She only appears in two or three scenes during the first act before breaking into song. Beyond that, she is unremarkable and irrelevant to the proceedings.

Mammottty is the one who lends seriousness and gravitas to an otherwise lousy tale.

Dino Morea, a Bollywood actor, makes his Telugu debut looking the part of a villain, but his performance falls flat. The villain’s role is, in fact, badly written.

The film’s polished visuals and top-notch action sequences are obvious evidence that the producers spared no expense. The film succeeds in this regard. Cinematography by Rasool Ellore is fine. Hiphop Tamizha has provided forgettable songs. The item song composed by Bheeems also makes no impact.

The story by Vakkantham Vamsi is the film’s biggest flaw. This is Surender Reddy’s most uninteresting effort since “Kick 2.” Forget about the plot; the scenes appear to have been written on the sets without much thought. The scenes don’t flow smoothly into one another.

Bottom line: “Agent” never reaches a watchable level. Both the director and the writer have made mediocre efforts. This is yet another inept action drama. The word ‘unpredictable’ appears numerous times in the film, but the film is completely predictable.

Rating: 2/5

By Jalapathy Gudelli

Film: Agent
Cast: Akhil Akkineni, Sakshi Vaidya, Mammootty, Dino Morea and others
Story: Vakkantham Vamsi
Music: Hiphop Tamizha
Cinematography: Rasool Ellore
Editor: Naveen Nooli
Art Director: Avinash Kolla
Stunts: Vijay Master, Stun Shiva
Producer: Ramabrahmam Sunkara
Screenplay and directed by: Surender Reddy
Release Date: April 28, 2023
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What's it about?Ramakrishna, aka Ricky (Akhil), aspires to be a spy so that he can create a beautiful world. His numerous attempts to join India's spy agency, RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), fail. Mahadev aka Devil (Mammottty), the RAW's chief, learns of Ricky's ambitions...Agent review: A lackadaisical attempt