PremiumRDX movie review: Shane Nigam, Antony Varghese's film rides high on pulsating action scenes
RDX review: Each of these sequences is mounted on a big scale or at least has a novel aspect to it, keeping the audience hooked.
Last Updated: 01.10 PM, Aug 25, 2023
Story: Brothers Robert and Doney along with their friend Xavier are trained in karate, and their skills come handy every time they get into a fight - which is often. But a confrontation goes too far, forcing the ones who care to split them up to prevent any bloodshed. Years later, when Doney's family is threatened by a group of goons, the three reunite.
Review: Post pandemic, it's become essential for a movie to have enough cinematic elements to attract audiences to theatres. And from the movies that have worked in theatres so far, across the country, it seems that action movies are probably the best bet to offer the big screen experience for the audience. But it's also a genre that is hard to pull off when the underlying storyline is thin, even if the stunts are amazing. Debutant filmmaker Nahas Hidayath's RDX, which stars Shane Nigam, Antony Varghese and Neeraj Madhav in the titular roles of Robert, Doney and Xavier, flits between ordinary and spectacular - the latter especially during its action scenes.
Its stunt choreographers Anbariv actually play a major role in driving the film, which is essentially built on five pulsating action scenes. Too much action can be a bad thing for movies that are almost 2 hours and 30 minutes, but in RDX, the makers prove that if done right, these can often enable the audience to overlook the flat storyline and performances.
Each of these sequences is mounted on a big scale or at least has a novel aspect to it, keeping the audience hooked. There is a purpose to every fight; it's not just needless or mindless throwing of daggers and roundhouse kicks. There is a stake in every fight - be it to build up the heroes, tear down their egos, show off their skills or even pull their loved ones out of danger when facing an army of men. The filmmaker and Anbariv duo also make these scenes look convincing, with Sam CS' music and frenzied editing helping matters.
The story, however, is wafer thin. It has just enough emotional thread to keep the audience attached to its characters and their need for revenge. This is also why the flashback scenes of the characters in the first half doesn't add too much to the film, except give it an additional layer of an entertainer. But to be honest, RDX is at its weakest here - both in terms of the scripting and performances. It's only in the second half that the film finds its fuel and when it does, there's no stopping it.
Among the trio, Shane Nigam is pitched as the central character - only because it's his romance and consequent fight that sets the ball rolling. That said he gets to showcase a side that is rarely seen from the talented actor. Antony Varghese gets to display a sensitive side of him. Neeraj gets the short end of the stick in the film as he is relegated to a nunchuck-flinging sidekick of the two brothers. But he along with Babu Antony get their mass moments in the film.
Also read: RDX's Shane Nigam: Tags like 'Depression Star' are hurtful, make me question my hard work
Verdict: The makers of RDX made no other claims other than it's an action-packed film and they deliver on that promise. Don't go expecting anything else.