'Silence' movie review: Anushka Shetty-starrer is a mess

Cast: Anushka Shetty, R Madhavan, Anjali, Shalini Pandey, Subbaraju and Michael Madsen

Director: Hemant Madhukar

Language: Tamil

Rating: 1.5/5

The eagerly-awaited Silence, which released on Amazon Prime Video on Friday, is a lousy attempt at storytelling that fails to make an impact. The film revolves around what happens when a differently-abled artist/painter is dragged into a murder investigation under unexpected circumstances.

The basic premise is interesting and has enough 'masala' to satisfy a section of the audience. Its impact, however, is diluted due to the flawed execution. The screenplay lacks depth and feels rushed. None of the characters have been fleshed out properly and this makes it impossible for the viewer to relate with the reel action.

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The opening sequences of Silence are as cliched as cliched can be and don't really have much to do with the rest of the narrative. The opening 30 minutes are highly skippable as they fail to create the universe of Silence.

The romantic track between R Madhavan and Anushka Shetty fails to make an impact as it is half-baked and superficial. The scenes focussing on Anjali's personal life feel forced and do not really gel with the narrative. The interrogation sequences, which are usually the backbone of a thriller/murder-mystery, are yawn-inducing as they do not have the urgency needed to make an impact.

The last 30 minutes, however, are a bit better than expected and manage to give the audience something to root for. The proverbial final stretch features two major twists, which make a decent impact. The scenes depicting the bond between Anushka and Shalini too are okayish. They, however, would have made a stronger impact had the screenplay been up to the mark.

The climax too is passable.

Coming to the performances, 'Devasena' puts her best foot forward and tries her level best to salvage Silence. Her expressions and hand moments are convincing and prove that she has put in the effort to get into the skin of her character.

Madhavan is decent and makes his presence felt in the flashback sequences. 'Maddy', however, deserved a better film and a meatier role. Anjali is urderutilised and burdened with a one-dimensional character. Shalini and Subbaraju get limited scope to showcase their abilities. Michael Madsen is good in the closing moments of Silence and this proves that he is a stellar performer.

The supporting cast is strictly okay.

The songs really do not blend with the narrative, slowing down an already sluggish movie. The background music is bland and fails to add a new dimension to the movie. The sound design too feels a bit generic. The editing is not as good as expected as a few scenes drag. The other technical aspects are up to the mark.