Bazooka Movie Review
Bazooka: A messy gaming thriller in haute premise
Bazooka dazzles with its stylish presentation and Mammootty's charisma, but falters under the weight of a disjointed screenplay and undercooked storytelling.In his directorial debut, Deeno Dennis-actor and son of veteran screenwriter Kaloor Dennis-crafts Bazooka as a style-first action thriller, where the protagonist's swagger and aesthetic take center stage. The film impresses visually, especially within its own narrative limitations, yet it stumbles in delivering a coherent and compelling script. At its core lies a refreshingly novel idea: a string of high-stakes robberies executed by a mysterious gang operating within the digital realm of video games. However, the execution leaves much to be desired.
Mammootty leads the show with undeniable screen presence, embodying a character whose aura is polished to perfection. Dennis spares no effort in shaping the hero's glamorous lifestyle, building a slick world around him. Still, this sleek surface barely conceals the screenplay's fragility-one that repeatedly exposes its lack of depth and structure.
The story kicks off aboard a private bus bound for Bengaluru, where forensic expert John Caesar (Mammootty) encounters Sunny Varghese (Hakim Shajahan), a mobile game-obsessed co-passenger. Initially introducing himself as chartered accountant Aryan Arya, John soon finds himself embroiled in a sequence of poorly stitched events, from a bus accident to a predictable fight scene. These segments expose the writer's struggle to build tension and arrange events in a meaningful order, with several moments marred by implausible dialogue and narrative ambiguity.
John's recounting of his past to Sunny ushers in ACP Benjamin Joshua IPS (Gautham Vasudev Menon), a cop on a mission to dismantle Kochi's goon syndicates. The film then shifts focus to a series of daring robberies-targeting a temple, a stadium, and public roads. Suspecting a gangster-gamer named Mario, Joshua delves into the case with his team: Arjun (Sidharth Bharathan) and officers portrayed by Bhama Arun and Deeno Dennis himself. The ACP's personal life, particularly the looming threat to his wife Annie (Divya Pillai) and son, adds a sliver of emotional heft often missing from the hero's own journey.
While Mammootty delivers with elegance, his role lacks the spark and energy expected of a central figure. The screenplay fails to provide enough material for him to truly shine, inadvertently handing over much of the dramatic weight to Gautham Vasudev Menon, who portrays Joshua with understated finesse. In contrast, the ACP's emotional conflict resonates more than the protagonist's glossy existence.
Despite its stylish veneer, Bazooka struggles to maintain engagement through its police procedural and gaming-world thriller threads. The film's concept holds potential, but the writing and pacing sabotage the payoff. Nimish Ravi's cinematography, however, is a standout-especially in capturing Mammootty's dapper visuals with flair.
The climax delivers a brief surprise, but it feels more like a last-minute jolt than a satisfying resolution, largely due to inconsistent storytelling. Had the film's beginning been aligned with a stronger narrative grip, Bazooka could've offered a thrilling ride. Instead, it remains a visually polished yet narratively shaky tale of digital-age heists.
