Movie Review – Captain Miller

Captain Miller is Dhanush’s latest film which was released some time ago in Tamil. Well, the Telugu version has been released today. Directed by Arun Mateswaran, this film has Priyanka Arun Mohan as the female lead. GV Prakash scores the music.

Plot

Captain Miller is set in the pre-Independence era. Agnee(Dhanush), a man from the lower caste joins the British Army to earn respect. But after killing his fellow Indians. he leaves the British army and joins a revolutionary group and opposes the British. As the British take away a 600-year-old idol from his village, Agnee leads a revolution against the British general with the help of Bhanumathi(Priyanka Arul Mohan) How Agnee saves his clan and comes out victorious is the basic story of the film.

Performances

Dhanush gets a makeover with Captain Miller and looks the part with aplomb. His transformation from a rural man to Captain Miller is showcased beautifully in the film. Dhanush carries the action sequences with ease and his emotional outbursts in the second half are good. Priyanka Arul Mohan gives ample support to Dhanush but her role is not etched properly and she ends up as one among the crowds.

Kananda superstar Shivraj Kumar is impressive in his cameo. Though he looks dull initially, he makes his presence felt in the climax. Sundeep Kishan screen presence is very less, still he made an impact. His entry during the climax and action are amazing.

Technical Aspects

GV Prakash Kumar’s musical score is amazing and lifts the film to another level. It is noteworthy, blending well with Siddhartha Nuni’s decent cinematography. Although the editing is generally satisfactory, the film could benefit from trimming a few unnecessary scenes to enhance the overall viewing experience. The production values of the film are just amazing and the action part needs a special mention. The thrills showcased and gun-fires used look good in the film.

What’s Good

Dhanush’s performance
Action blocks

What’s Bad

Slow pace
Overdose of action in second half
Routine Storyline

Analysis

Captain Miller is Arun Mateswaran’s ambitious project which clicks only to an extent. It is a routine revolutionary period drama with a different backdrop and action as its forte. Dhanush headlines the film and plays Captain Miller to the best of his capabilities. However, the narration is jaded and takes forever to enter into the main conflict.

The transformation of Dhanush into Captain Miller is showcased at a very slow pace. Also, the emotional turmoil that the village faces due to Dhanush has not been showcased in a gripping manner. The first half is slow and one gets a feeling that you are watching a documentary with rustic Tamil sensibilities as the backdrop. But Captain Miller picks up from the second half and starts making sense.

The action showcased is stylish but one gets the feeling that the makers have taken way too many cinematic liberties. The guns showcased way too advanced. Having said that, a few chase scenes and the brutal action involving Sundeep Kishan, Dhanush, and Shivraj Kumar elevate the film quite well in the climax.

Some characters, such as Priyanka Arul Mohan and Jayaprakash, contribute minimally to the film. There is a missed opportunity for Priyanka Mohan to showcase her performance in a few scenes. The Telugu dubbing is good but the presence of gore might not go well with many.

Captain Miller has its moments and clicks when it deals with Dhanush’s emotions. But the routine action part and too much of Tamil nativity is an issue. If the film had been trimmed by 20 minutes the effect would have been a lot better. Finally, the scale of Captain Miller is huge but the film ends in no man’s land and has a strict few moments that click.

Bottom Line – A Slow-paced action drama

Rating: 2.25/5