It’s not easy to craft a mass-hero film that is both entertaining and sensible. The director has to strike a fine balance between the commercial and the aesthetic, and deliver a product that would satisfy not just the hero’s fans, but also other film buffs. And it’s to the credit of Atlee, that in his second film (after the 2013-rom-com Raja Rani) he has managed to do it.
Atleee has not only made Vijay fans happy, but has also ensured the actor would be appreciated by the viewers too. The film is smartly packaged with a judicious blend of action, humour and sentiment. And it’s the emotional quotient that despite its predictable story-line, elevates the film to a higher level. For Vijay, it’s a well- rounded performance. His screen persona gets a boost-up, as the actor goes through the various emotions with precision.
The story centers around an upright, conscientious cop, Vijay Kumar, who takes on the influential and powerful, and faces the consequences. The plot is not a very novel one, and has shades of films like the Arjun-starrer Ezhumalai (2002). But the director has tried to make some difference with his presentation. It opens in Kerala, touching on the lives of Joseph (Vijay), who runs a cake-shop, his little daughter (Nainika) and her school teacher (Amy). When the reticent Joseph gets into trouble with some rowdies, his reaction makes one feel that there is a different side of him. The narration, without losing much time, goes into the backstory that had transformed a gusty cop into a soft-mannered baker.
There is not much change in Vijay’s look or appearance, and the backstory is narrated in the early part itself. The cop springs into action not just when his family is affected. The activity of the child trafficking-mafia is enough to spur him on to a violent reaction.
The chase on the busy roads of Chennai is well choreographed. Amusing is the scene where Vijay is in a classroom with a textbook, quizzes the rowdies on their general knowledge. The love angle is finely tuned, where the cop falls for Mithra, a medical student (Samantha). The romantic interludes are crafted in a light, humorous way.
Samantha is a delight to watch, with her endearing charm and her intuitive take on her character. The mother sentiment is included but not overdone, Radhika fitting in suitably. A surprise casting is Rajendran as the hero’s man Friday. Hitherto seen in comic roles, here he is a supportive factor throughout the hero’s life, handling the emotional and the lighter scenes with flair. Cute and adorable in her act is Nainika (actor Meena’s daughter), who plays Vijay’s daughter.
Mahendran (director), as the main antagonist of the hero, isn’t strained much by way of histrionics, and is just about adequate. A powerful minister whose wayward son is found dead, the politician suspects the cop of the murder and goes all out to destroy his personal and professional life.
In the second half, the narration could have been tighter and crisper. While the first half has a speedy momentum, the narration slides down in the second, where Vijay, the ghost- vigilante meets his nemesis in a final face-off. The one-man onslaught which had a credible feel in the earlier fight scenes seems very contrived in the latter half. With the script favouring the hero, the poor baddies despite the trite situation they had put the hero in, seem a helpless lot. The songs are peppy (GV Prakash) and aesthetically picturised. Attractively packaged with its form and content fairly well balanced, Theri is a film that would satisfy all sections of the audience.