Sathru - “Sooran Poar”

 

Sathru

(Enemy)

Tamil, 2019

Directed by Naveen Nanjundan

Stars Kathir, Laguparan, Ponvannan, Srushti Dange

Mohan's Measure ✲✲✲

The rise of small filmmakers in both the Tamil and Telugu movie industry is telling that the world is looking for something different.  The need for lavish sets, glamorous leads, and unrealistic settings is replaced in these smaller stories with a refreshing realism and a understated messages.

All of these are why I like Sathru.  The movie is a straight-laced good versus bad movie, but appeals to the less than moral masses with its sense of revenge.  Kathir impresses as the young cop who is willing to break the rules if it means getting rid of the bad guy; while Laguparan brings a certain charm to the hardhearted nemesis.  Both are young men, so the stylistics and brute force of each can be believed, over the usual 40+ actors who use CGI to bring this out.

I like the religious overtone to the film, enacted in temples as Sooran Poar, in which Murugan is invoked to avenge the gods of the evil Sooran.  But, I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say this doesn't come without a share of brutal violence.

However, if you are looking for something simple, straightforward, and no-nonsense, then Sathru is a good watch.