Review: Martin – Lackluster action drama

Martin, the high-budget pan-India action entertainer starring Sandalwood hero Dhruva Sarja in the lead role, released in cinemas earlier today amid a decent buzz. While the morning shows of this Dasara biggie got cancelled, the film finally managed to hit theaters with the afternoon shows. Check out our review to know if Martin has managed to reach the expectations.

Story:

Martin is an intentional gangster whose identity is unknown to anyone. In an attack in Pakistan, Indian Navy officer Arjun (Dhruva Sarja) is captured by the Pak police. They inject him with a drug to erase his memory, and Arjun slowly loses his memory. How will Arjun remember his past? Who is Martin? Is he related to Arjun? What lies in the containers? You must watch the movie to find out who Martin and Arjun are.

Plus Points:

Dhruva Sarja effectively portrayed the dual shades in the movie. He impresses with his macho personality in the action sequences, and even his dance movements are quite good. Actress Vaibhavi Sandhilya, who acted opposite Dhruva Sarja, impresses with her good looks. The scenes featuring Dhruva and Vaibhavi are handled well.

Actress Anveshi Jain, who previously sizzled in a song in Ravi Teja’s Rama Rao On Duty, played a special role in Martin and offers a glamor treat. The rest of the actors have done well within their characters. The scene that appears after the film’s climax feels a little better.

Minus Points:

For the past few months, Martin has been hyped and promoted as the highly anticipated film in Sandalwood. Dhruva Sarja fans did get excited after seeing the movie’s trailer. However, they are in for a huge disappointment with the movie.

The screenplay of the movie runs on a ridiculous note as the director tries hard to picturize the hero elevation scenes. The film tends to leave the audience bored. Adding to the woes, the action scenes are not well executed. Audiences who watched the trailer and entered theaters expecting to see a huge spectacle will be let down by the done-to-death, routine action drama.

Also, except for the post-climax scene, everything in the movie feels over the top. The movie is thoroughly boring without a single exciting element and becomes tedious to sit through after a point. The director fails to exploit hero Dhruva Sarja’s macho personality in the action sequences.

Technical Aspects:

The production values are solid in many scenes in the movie, as the expenditure is visible on the screen. But in some scenes, the production values are unbelievably worst. The VFX work in the climax fight between the hero and the anti-hero looks shabby. Mani Sharma’s songs are fine, but Ravi Basrur’s background music is not as expected. The cinematography is good, as the visuals are showcased in a grand manner. Editor KM Prakash should have done a far better job.

Action King Arjun Sarja has penned Martin’s story. The makers tried to cook up something on a grand scale in the backdrop of patriotism but utterly failed in their vision. Director AP Arjun tried to handle the movie somehow according to the story but failed to come up with an engaging narrative by incorporating unnecessary elements and grandeur.

Verdict:

There is not much substance in Martin. Hero Dhruva Sarja is decent throughout the film, but even hardcore action movie lovers will be disappointed after watching this lackluster action entertainer. Not even a single scene engages the audience due to the bland story and execution. As a result, Martin ends up being a boring action flick.

123telugu.com Rating: 2/5

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

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