A seemingly bulletproof plot is what makes a thriller compelling, but when that plot begins to dismantle itself halfway through, the experience turns from gripping to frustrating. ‘A’ for effort but it does no justice as a remake of the Hollywood thriller Breakdown.
Vidaamuyarchi is a film that presents an airtight, unpredictable story in its early moments, only to unravel as the second and third acts progress. What starts as a taut thriller, full of intrigue and misdirection, gradually loses its precision, leaving key questions unanswered and red herrings unresolved.
At a Glance
Film:Â Vidaamuyarchi
Director:Â Magizh Thirumeni
Cast:Â Ajith Kumar, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra, Arjun Sarja, Aarav, Achyuth Kumar
Runtime:Â 2 hours 34 minutes
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
The film opens with a seemingly disconnected sequence that feels unnecessary—almost like filler before the real story begins. The first twenty minutes play out like an obligatory prologue rather than an essential part of the narrative. However, once the first plot point hits, things take an intriguing turn. From that moment, Vidaamuyarchi builds tension masterfully, keeping audiences guessing about the direction of the story. The unpredictability is one of the film’s strongest assets—there are no obvious cues, no easy foreshadowing to hint at where the story might go. However, the plot unravels in a rather anticlimactic routine. review
But perhaps that’s the very issue. A perfect plot should be meticulously crafted, with just enough room for discovery. Vidaamuyarchi instead becomes so airtight that it fails to justify its own choices. It leaves too many threads untied, and while misdirection is a hallmark of a good thriller, when audiences are left without satisfying answers, the experience feels incomplete. The film introduces two red herrings that seem crucial to the story but ultimately fail to provide meaningful resolution.
Action is one of the film’s highlights, but not consistently. Some sequences are genuinely thrilling, but others feel sluggish—too drawn out for their own good. The pacing of these action set pieces in places, is what should have been high-adrenaline moments instead feel laboured. Vidaamuyarchi review
Given that Vidaamuyarchi also serves as a nod to Ajith Kumar’s real-life racing career, one would expect a bit of flair—dynamic camera work, exhilarating car chases, and maybe even a signature stunt that would set the film apart. Instead, the car sequences felt too still in terms of camerawork. The lack of inventive cinematography in these moments makes them feel uninspired rather than exciting.
One of the surprises of the film is Regina Cassandra. She has long been an actress with potential, but in Vidaamuyarchi, she delivers some of her finest work. Albeit not well rounded, her character is layered, making her presence one of the most compelling aspects of the narrative. So, while her performance is commendable, her styling feels underwhelming. The costume choices fail to elevate her presence on screen, leaving her look forgettable. It’s like eating a wheat biscuit without the filter coffee—fine on its own but missing that extra something to make it truly enjoyable.
That said, the film also suffers from a lack of emotional depth in some of its romantic elements. The screenplay tells us that the romance has faded but fails to show us anything more. The chemistry between Ajith and Trisha could have been better developed to make the emotional stakes feel more real. Vidaamuyarchi review
Another major issue with Vidaamuyarchi is its structure. The film begins in the present, then shifts to flashbacks. While this technique can work well in a thriller, the choice to open with a romantic sequence feels like a tonal misstep. This is meant to be a thriller, yet the slow montages of their love story in the first act feels disconnected from the film’s intended genre. Instead, the slow-paced romantic segments drag the momentum down. This is where the film lets down its inspiration, Breakdown.
Additionally, several secondary storylines are abandoned midway through the film. There are moments that hint at explanations of the plot, but they never receive proper closure. If these moments were meant to help the audience connect with the characters, they only succeed about 35% of the time. Vidaamuyarchi review
Despite its missteps, Vidaamuyarchi does one thing exceptionally well—it thrives on tension. The film’s biggest strength is its ability to make the audience second-guess everything before the first major breakthrough. It forces viewers to go back and forth, mentally piecing together clues, trying to figure out what’s really going on. This kind of cerebral engagement is rare in mainstream thrillers, and it makes for an exciting viewing experience.
However, where the film falters are in character believability. When certain characters are pit against each other, their conflicts feel contrived rather than organic. The perfect divorce and the red herrings cause confusion, which is great but at some point, it gets too contradicting to accommodate the ‘willing suspension of disbelief.’ Vidaamuyarchi review
At its best, Vidaamuyarchi is a tense, unpredictable thriller. At its worst, it is a film that feels like it had all the right pieces but didn’t know how to put them together effectively. If you’re a fan of thrillers that keep you guessing, this one might be worth a watch – but be prepared for an experience that leaves more questions than answers.
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