Tehran

An espionage film generally thrives on a competent blend of action, emotion, and skillful storytelling that highlights both the plot and its characters.

Unfortunately, Tehran, while focused on presenting investigative procedures in great detail, misses the mark on the essential elements of an idealistic storytelling. Despite featuring numerous events, none resonate as they should, lacking both visual impact and emotional depth.

It's all dull and uninspiring, which is surprising considering how the brilliant trailer had me expecting the exact opposite.

John Abraham delivers a career-defining performance in "Tehran," a gritty, geopolitical thriller. Based on real events, the film follows a Delhi Special Cell officer on a high-stakes mission to Iran. Abandoned by his own government, he must navigate a treacherous world of international espionage. Critics praise Abraham's nuanced portrayal, where his silent intensity conveys more than words. The film is a smart, tense, and realistic spy drama that foregoes typical action for a deeply layered and thought-provoking story about justice and patriotism.

I think the movie was well thought out. The various challenges faced by the team investigating the assassinations could have been better presented.

One misguided notion the director went with was to consider the state of Georgia of the United States of America same as the country Georgia in eastern Europe where the original incident happened in Feb 2012. I am taking away a star due to this.

Tehran starts promisingly with a gripping first 30 minutes that effectively builds tension around the 2012 Israeli diplomat bombing case. John Abraham delivers his usual restrained performance, and the initial setup feels authentic with solid production values and realistic atmosphere.

However, the film quickly derails after the strong opening act. The second half-hour becomes increasingly convoluted with poor pacing and questionable plot developments that strain credibility. What begins as a promising geopolitical thriller deteriorates into typical Bollywood formula filmmaking.

The final act is where Tehran completely falls apart, abandoning any pretense of logic or coherent storytelling. The film resorts to tired Bollywood tropes, over-the-top action sequences that feel disconnected from the serious subject matter, and plot twists that make little sense within the established narrative framework.

While the Iranian actors bring authenticity to their roles and the technical aspects remain decent throughout, the script's inability to maintain its initial promise becomes increasingly frustrating. The film wastes its compelling real-world foundation with lazy writing and formulaic execution that undermines the sensitive subject matter.

Rating: 4/10 - A wasted opportunity that squanders a strong start with poor storytelling choices.

The movie has wonderful making even comparable to an Hollywood action flick. The actors did justice to their roles as well. But having the movie named Tahran and shooting the action scenes in an blantantly visible English speaking country ruins the authenticity of the movie. Should have been at least shot in an Arabic or Persian speaking region.