'Ruslaan' review: Needlessly violent film with an undercooked storyline
"Gratuitously violent" is perhaps the best phrase through which I can describe Aayush Sharma's Ruslaan, directed by Karan Butani. The actioner is always occupied with high-voltage chase and shooting sequences but suffers pathetically when asked to deliver on the narrative front. With its undercooked storyline and forgettable characters, Ruslaan reduces itself to a below-average watch, squandering its potential as the movie progresses.
Storyline: Action, action, and...more action
Ruslaan has a run-of-the-mill, hackneyed storyline with very few surprises up its sleeve, and by the time its biggest twist emerges, it's too little too late. It follows Ruslaan (Sharma), the son of a slain terrorist and raised by an ATS officer (Jagapathi Babu). Impulsive, impatient, forever inquisitive, and moody, Ruslaan dedicates himself to a mission of averting a deadly terrorist attack on Mumbai.
Nothing you have not seen before
Ruslaan follows the tired, famished template of Indian actioners with terrorists from China and Pakistan trying to shake the country's foundation. We have already seen this in numerous movies, so does Ruslaan have anything new to say? Alas, no. There could have been some iota of intrigue due to Ruslaan's penchant for music, but that idea is also orphaned before it can flourish completely.
You will never understand why 'Ruslaan' does what it does
It feels like the movie is caught at a crossroads...there is an overwhelming sense of confusion about what the movie is and what it wants to be. In that sense, it mirrors the movie's eponymous protagonist. There is no introductory rhythm to several scenes and the film directly jumps into the core story, so it's impossible to care about the story or the characters.
How does Sharma fare?
Sharma is decent when the scenes involve casual conventions, lighthearted humor, or action, but falters massively when it comes to emotionally charged sequences. In those scenes, his limitations as an actor stand exposed, joining the ranks of Vidyut Jammwal and Tiger Shroff. He does seem to give it his all, but this is just another high-on-steroids action hero with little to no humane core.
Good cinematography, but it can hardly do much
Every now and then, Ruslaan shows signs of promise, especially because its cinematography helps the film gain some momentum. However, that momentum is painfully short-lived, and after, say, one above-average scene, the film ties itself up in knots yet again and the storyline becomes too bloated and overstretched. Some characters are forgotten, some are never developed, and some are introduced for no reason.
How dispensable can supporting characters be?
Elaborating on the aforementioned point, other than that of Babu, Sharma, and a few others, the rest of the supporting characters have not been paid any attention, so they don't add up at all. Also, in one of the worst instances of body shaming that I have ever seen, Sharma's fat friend is called tabla and awkwardly vanishes once his track is over.
Struggles to commit to a single tone and theme
The movie struggles with its jarring tonal inconsistencies; despite a "threat worse than the Bhopal Gas Tragedy" looming large over Mumbai, for the most part, an alarming sense of urgency is amiss from the project. For instance, in one scene, Ruslaan is getting an earful from his superiors for a botched operation, and in the very next, discussing his marriage plans with them. Why!?
Can give it a miss; 1.5/5 stars
Suniel Shetty was a breath of fresh air, and I wish he had a full-fledged role. At least then, the film would have been somewhat worth watching. In the best kind of movies, we root for heroes who are both valiant and vulnerable, but Ruslaan is sculpted as if he's invincible and omnipotent. Eventually, neither he nor the film is worth caring for.
