'The Freelancer- The Conclusion' review: A complete Mohit Raina show
Neeraj Pandey is known for delivering some of the best thrillers. His latest offering, The Freelancer, is another addition to his praise-worthy creations alongside Baby, Special 26, and A Wednesday. But it isn't the best entry; a watchable series for sure, it comes with its fair share of flaws. Here we review Disney+ Hotstar's The Freelancer - The Conclusion which was dropped on Friday.
Avinash Kamath lands in Beirut to save Aaliya from ISIS
In the first installment of the series, Avinash Kamath (Mohit Raina), a cop-turned-mercenary, returns to India after the suicide of his friend, Inayat Khan. Upon his arrival, he finds out that Khan's daughter Aaliya (Kashmira Pardeshi) has been forced to join ISIS after marriage. The second installment begins with Kamath gearing up for Aaliya's extraction from the clutches of ISIS.
'The Freelancer' is tailor-made for Raina
Remember Akshay Kumar in Baby as a rugged intelligence officer who barely smiled? Raina's Kamath has a similar vibe, yet different. What remains fascinating is that the character seems tailor-made for him. He effortlessly plays Kamath as a fiercely trained soldier, a tad bit emotional, and is the best in the lot to take on deadly missions. Raina solely shoulders the series throughout.
Full marks for casting
No doubt that Raina is the brightest star in the series but that doesn't mean the other actors are any less. Pardeshi is a brilliant pick for Aaliya. She goes to show that she's here to stay, and can prove her caliber with meaty roles. The supporting cast including Sarah Jane Dias, Navneet Mallik, Sangay Tsheltrim, and others are perfect fits for their characters.
Anupam Kher proves why he's Pandey's favorite
If Kumar is Pandey's most-picked actor, so is Anupam Kher who features as Dr. Arif Khan in The Freelancer. Similar to his roles in Baby and Special 26, Kher portrays a serious man with a know-how about the intelligence world. The veteran also knows how to add a pinch of humor to his otherwise serious role, and that's what makes Khan a lovable character.
Packed with slick action and good cinematography
Pandey has a knack for making titles that revolve around the intelligence world, and The Freelancer is a fine example. Director Bhav Dhulia deserves a mention for how he navigates between emotional scenes to action-packed sequences while maintaining the tension in the narrative. The slick action scenes and cinematography are praise-worthy too, but VFX in certain scenes could have been better.
A near-perfect thriller because of the ending
One place where the makers truly missed the mark is with its conclusion. After making a near-perfect series, the end seemed like a rushed affair. It's predictable on some occasions and ends abruptly, making you want to see more of the extradition. Having said that, it doesn't take away from the fact that it's a good watch. Verdict: 3 out of 5 stars.
