Mark Antony Review: Vishal is back with a bang but SJ Suryah steals the show in this action-packed entertainer

2.5/5

Story: A time machine takes two warring gangsters back in time where they try to take revenge on each other.

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Review: Mark Antony is a classic example of mindless comedy, which also packs many punches. There are droves of gangsters, gang wars, punch dialogues, retro vibes in abandon, laughter and some heavy-duty action. Vishal and SJ Suryah go all guns blazing in their latest outing.They also appear in multiple colourful avatars with some mass entry scenes, giving the audience some major whistle-worthy moments. The film is an ode to Mark Antony, the iconic villain played by the late actor Raghuvaran in Superstar Rajinikanth's Baashha. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Mark Antony, SJ Suryah's Baashha moment as he is the life and soul of the film!

The story begins in the backdrop of the year 1975 when a scientist Chiranjeevi (Selvaraghavan) invents a time machine through which one can travel back in time. However, the invention has a catch! One can only make one call per date in the past. If they want to make a call again, they can either call the previous date or the next date.

Cut to the year 1995, and we see Mark Antony, a humble mechanic (Vishal), who has grown up under the wings of gangster Jackie Pandian (SJ Suryah) after being orphaned in a gang war. He is someone who likes to steer clear of trouble. He is best buddies with Marudhu, (SJ Suryah) son of Jackie. In the past, we learn that parents of the duo, Jackie Pandian and Antony (Vishal) are a tag team. Though they are the dreaded gangsters of the area, Antony has a good-natured side to him, unlike his partner Jackie.

When Mark stumbles across the time machine that was invented two decades ago, he learns that he was told a trumped-up story by Jackie Pandian and that his life is a pack of lies. The rest of the plot revolves around how Mark uses the time machine to his advantage and tries to change the past.

Mark Antony is so fast-paced that it could give director Hari, a run for his money. The frames cut past one another at a meteoric pace giving us absolutely no breather. The director has packaged scenes that completely play to the gallery. Needless to say, there are no dull moments in the film. 

The film can be billed as a comeback for Vishal, who has been desperately looking for a solid hit. The actor doesn't disappoint and his role as Antony is one to watch out for. He effortlessly brings out the variations to the father and son's character, who are polar opposites in nature. His 'thug-like' appearance towards the end of the film is a show stealer.

However, it's SJ Suryah, who is the star of the show. He fires from all cylinders and how. We wonder how the man has so much energy in him. The title tag 'Nadippin Arakkan' is a perfect fit for the versatile actor.

Though the scenes effortlessly segue from one to another, despite its brisk pace, we begin to wonder why the characters are shouting at the top of their voices throughout the film. The background score by GV Prakash gets quite jarring and irritating after a point of time. The songs don't stay in our minds either.

Mark Antony has many double entendres, which might not go well with all sections of audiences. Veteran actor YG Mahendra plays one of the weakest roles in his career, so much so that his absence wouldn't have made any difference to the film. When are we going to portray the LGBTQI community in a positive light in our films? Mark Antony completely sidelines its women and becomes an all-male show who are all set to prove their 'manliness'. The leading lady Ritu Varma plays a mere eye candy. One of the most awaited scenes, going by the trailer, was the return of the iconic '80s actress 'Silk' Smitha, but she gets stereotyped as a sex symbol.

Director Adhik Ravichandran once again proves that he is a hardcore fan of Ajith. There are ample references to the actor, right from his debut venture Amaravathi to his upcoming film, Vidaa Muyarchi. SJ Suryah, too, takes a trip down memory lane with references to his film with Ajith, Vaali. Adhik also thanks Thalapathy Vijay in the title card, who was one of the first persons to watch Mark Antony teaser. 

Mark Antony packs a number of retro songs, be it MGR's Kannai Nambathey, Kamal Haasan's Varuthu Varuthu Vilagu Vilagu to Panju Mittai from Ettupatti Raasa, and they play out in full throttle during the gang wars.

Despite its many flaws, Adhik Ravichandran's time travel film manages to entertain. Watch it if you are in for some mindless fun. However, you might need some ear plugs after a while!

Also Read: Mark Antony: SJ Suryah shares the first tweet he posted about the film, calls it Maanaadu 2 

Verdict: Mark Antony is a classic example of mindless fun which also packs a punch. Though Vishal is back with a bang, it's SJ Suryah, who is the real star of the show. Watch it for his high-voltage performance.