Mr X Movie Review:
Catastrophic. When more than one character uses this word in a spy thriller, you know that it means just one thing: Global destruction. In Manu Anand’s latest, Mr X, we hear it a few times, and every single time, the weight of the destruction-in-wait is clear. The potential attack has the capacity to obliterate an entire State, and since this is a Tamil film, it is the state of Tamil Nadu, which is in danger, and we have our homegrown R&AW agents who do the thankless job of saving the nation. But despite the massive threat of a nuclear attack, personal equations of the agents jeopardising the mission, and a couple of flashbacks too many, Mr X manages to entertain as long as we, just like the makers, don’t take the film too seriously.
Director: Manu Anand
Cast: Arya, Sarath Kumar, Manju Warrier, Gautham Ram Karthik
One can’t crucify Mr X, a spy thriller, which was made for a post-Pathan world, because it now has to find its footing in the post-Dhurandhar era. This is a film where we meet the hero for the first time underwater, and when he comes back up to the shore, the focus isn’t on his breathing skills, but on the audience gasping for breath, looking at his well-chiseled body. This is not a Bond film with Daniel Craig, but one with Pierce Brosnan, where you didn’t question how he could fly around the world, romance women, dodge bullets and bombs, not have a hair out of place, and still save the day. Mr X has a global syndicate, which has recruited RAW agents to do their bidding, that includes murdering their own, honey trapping bigwigs, and faking their own deaths like it is just another Monday. It was also very smart of Manu to bring in a cheeky reference to Mission Impossible, and not just use it as a hat-tip, but also as an interesting plot device.
But the best part of the film is that there’s no time to relax and nitpick through the logical errors because it moves at breakneck pace from one city to another, one country to another, one mode of transport to another, one missile attack to another, one betrayal after another, and one ‘did you think I am a fool to believe whatever you said’ smirk after another. In such films, there is no points for guessing if the world will be saved… it is about the how, and even if Mr X doesn’t always hit the right notes, it never shies away from going all out with its imagination and creativity. There is a nuclear attack, a war-like situation with Pakistan, a real global summit underway, Donald Trump name-dropped, real footage thrown into the mix, a main villain hiding in the shadows, and, of course, the promise of a sequel.
Mr X is campy at its best and rudderless at its worst, and the film oscillates between these extremes but spends more time in the former. Oh, the story… There is a spy named Gautham aka Businessman (Arya), who has daddy issues. There is another spy named Amaran aka Lone Wolf (Gautham Ram Karthik), who has mommy issues. Which issues take precedence? It is a patriarchal world, after all. There is another spy who is safeguarding a box of nuclear stuff like it is the ‘Ring’ to his Gollum. There is another bunch of spies who aren’t star material enough to be heroes of this story. It is also amazing how this is a film where the RAW Chief Indira Verma (Manju Warrier) isn’t just a bureaucrat but a serious killing machine who doesn’t shy away from using her brawn, and how! Oh, there is a RAW handler named Ponnuchamy, and in the world of Gauthams and Amarans, it was an interesting choice.
While Arya is quite fun when the role requires him to bring out his romantic side in scenes with Anagha’s Keerthana, he is rather one-note as the spy, but still, it passes muster simply because being stoic comes in the job description. The same can’t be said of Gautham Karthik, who is given a raw deal; he is just expected to sneer repeatedly, and after a point, it feels not just repetitive, but downright boring. But there is a glorious finish to his arc that truly espoused the kind of film Manu Anand was going for. It also helps that both Arya and Gautham are given individual moments to shine bright, and their game of one-upmanship might seem generic, but it definitely has its moments.
Such writing flourishes and stylish sequences anchor the film whenever it veers into an unforgiving tangent. Take, for example, the scene where a group of henchmen shoot down well-trained soldiers, and yet, do not even send a bullet close to the group of spies lead by Arya. Just when you roll your eyes at the incredulity of bullets not even scraping their body, the primary antagonist says, “I asked my team not to harm you at all.” Logical? Probably not. But is it okay? Probably, yes. These are the questions that the film asks and answers, with varying degrees of conviction, once every 10-15 minutes.
Why did one spy betray his brethren? There is a seemingly valid reason. Why does one spy decide to go rogue? There is a valid reason here, too. Why does one spy run for kilometers together to reach a place instead of just calling up resources who might reach earlier? Now, there is no valid reason, but how else can you show an emotional Arya running with the t-shirt just tight enough to show the veins in his biceps? It is all in good fun, and it is clear the actors had a lot of fun, too.
Sarath Kumar gets an author-backed role in Mr X, and it is so nice to see the veteran continue getting roles that not just give him his due, but reintroduces him to a newer audience as someone who could do both a Suriyan and a Suriyavamsam without batting an eyelid. Manju is amazingly athletic in the stunt sequences, and she overshadows even Arya and Gautham Karthik by sheer aura. The others, like Raiza Wilson and Athulya Ravi, don’t get enough, but the former definitely makes her case for being an actor who just needs a filmmaker to trust her with the right kind of role.
The stunt choreography is surprisingly subtle for a film of this genre, and till the climactic stretch where everything turns into a bloodbath, Mr X keeps it rather simple, and that’s a refreshing change of pace. Arul Vincent's cinematography is a value-addition as the location hopping feels seamless, and each setting finds its own colour, which meshes well with the overall theme. Extra points for Dhibu Ninan Thomas, who once again showcases his ability to dish out the right music for a variety of genres. Mr X is a wonderful addition to his repertoire.
Mr X is a film that wants you to believe Bond-style spies are living among us, doing ‘average’ jobs like running a small firm, being a food delivery agent, etc… But what is the harm in believing such a thing? When something goes wrong in Massachusetts or Manchester, you have the Bonds and Bournes of the world to save the day. Who would come when catastrophes strike Madipakkam or Mugalivakkam? Well…