RDX: Robert Dony Xavier

This film has received all sorts of acclaim since Onam and has almost been this sleeper hit. Now it's out on Netflix, had to watch it and I'm probably late so I'll skip the plot.

The plot is almost generic, something you might watched over the years in B/T/Kollywood. Not sure if Mollywood has made this before. The parts that were good about the generic plot - relatable friendship, you care for the 3 characters. The action - decent enough to not be over-the-top; some sequences were well done. Other than that, I.....don't know if I enjoyed anything else....so it's safe to say that I didn't enjoy the film as much as everybody else seems to have.

I don't know if the hype and the praise for this film have been so high because this was a 'breath of fresh air' in Mollywood or if King of Kotha high such high expectations and bombed, so everybody went to watch RDX and had a good time...? Not sure but there's only one way to find out - I gotta watch KOK.

Robert, Dony and Xavier are basically bros who seek an opportunity to create mayhem. They are martial artists too, trained by Xavier's father while Robert and Dony's father Philip doesn't approve their shenanigans. After an hiatus involving non-violence, their casual brawl from the past puts the family at risk and RDX have to take matters into their hands to safeguard the family. But it's not an ordinary brawl anymore and RDX have to realize, it will take a lot of nunchucks, punches and kicks to take down this opponent.

It's a threadbare storyline and there isn't much innovative story wise. It's a revenge story and all that matters are the six action set pieces choreographed by Anbariv and good background score to elevate them. The first half was pretty mediocre with the three action scenes not really leaving any impact and the actors too try to make merry from what's offered to them. The story moves in a decent pace and the sole advantage is that the first half doesn't drag.

The second half is where the film shines with three terrific action scenes which raises the bar as well as tension. It's all non-stop action here and it stays entertaining till the end. The trio gets a lot of slow motion shots to show their heroic side, with Neeraj Madhav using the nunchucks in the best way possible while Antony Varghese packing solid punches. It is Shane Nigam who is given ample scope to spread his charms while showcasing his action skills. The problem is they aren't the typical martial artists and thankfully the well conceived action scenes, elevate them too.

In recent times, platform ratings seem susceptible to modification, with "The Jailer" and similar examples highlighting this trend. Unfortunately, this particular film, deserving less than its 7 rating, disappoints due to its uncomfortable fight scenes. The filmmakers' insistence on showcasing every move in slow motion fails to excite the audience, raising questions about their creative choices. Such repetitive techniques not only dilute the impact but also test viewers' patience, diminishing the overall viewing experience. The story, although simple in its premise, fails to engage the audience effectively. Without compelling twists or well-developed characters, the narrative falls flat, making it challenging for viewers to invest emotionally or intellectually. In essence, the simplicity, devoid of engaging elements, renders the story forgettable and fails to leave a lasting impression on the audience.

RDX is a well established Action packed movie following the footsteps of Ajagajanthiram & Thallumala. Anbraivu's action is the major highlight of the movie with impeccable action scenes. Anthony Varghese, Neeraj Madhav & Shane Nigam, the male protagonists performed whole throughout the movie with slight upper hand by Neeraj & Shane. Background score & songs by Sam CS also helped the movie to be more interesting. The antagonists played by Vishnu Agasthya, Sandeep, etc delivered their finest performance and I will consider that as the backbone of the movie. Family sentiments and romance was perfectly fused with the high octane action. Cinematography by Alex. J. Pulickal was top notch. Editing by Chaman Chacko deserves a loud round of applause for making RDX a crispy explosive one.

The lady characters played by Mahima, Aimie, Mala Parvathi deserves special mention.

All in Whole, as the name denotes.. RDX is mass destruction Explosive.

Watch it in theaters for the amazing experience.

8.7 on 10 is my score.

I'm so proud of Nahas Hidayath for overcoming all the obstacles he faced as a filmmaker (including shelving his first film with Antony Varghese) and surprising us this Onam with a banger like RDX! Here's a pure action entertainer that we can add to the likes of Ajagajantharam and Thallumaala, with higher emotional stakes than both those films. The three leads - Robert (Shane Nigam), Dony (Antony Varghese), Xavier (Neeraj Madhav) - share great brotherly chemistry and that helps elevate even some of the ordinarily written scenes.

Nahas attributes distinct specialties to the fighting styles of each protagonist - something that, I felt, was picked up from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - heck, we even have a character like Master Splinter (Babu Antony). Robert's kicks are crazy, Dony's punches are thunderous, and Xavier's good with nunchaku. Plus, when we have stunt masters Anbarivu on board, the action blocks are carefully designed, choreographed, and stylized. The introductory fight (during the flashback) is the only one that felt a bit out of place, and it's also because, at that point, I was only getting used to seeing Shane Nigam and Neeraj Madhav execute action the way they do in the rest of the film (whereas Antony Varghese had already proven his point!). Out of all the set pieces, my favourites include one that takes place on a boat, one inside a colony full of thugs, and the climactic showdown outside the hospital. The good thing is that the story necessitates the action, not the other way round.

The cinematography work also gets better with each set piece. Sam CS produces a riveting score that not only underlines the action, but also the breather scenes in between. The antagonist (Vishnu Agasthya) is splendidly portrayed and his viciousness is felt from the very first scene. The guy emanates a kind of naturally devilish charm that's been lacking in Malayalam actioner villains lately. Mahima Nambiar, who plays Robert's love interest, also does well. She even gets a whistle-worthy moment in the final act. Speaking of whistle-worthy moments, Babu Antony gets the best one in the entire film (a treat for us '90s kids).

Big thanks to Sophia Paul for bankrolling this venture, trusting Nahas and his team's conviction, and offering a great addition to the list of kickass Malayalam actioners!