Operation Valentine Movie Review
Operation Valentine Movie Review
Telugu360 Rating 2.5/5
Films made on patriotism will get a wide reach and they would connect to all the sections of the audience if they are presented in the right manner. Such genre films are quite less in South and Telugu cinema. Adivi Sesh attempted Major and the result was positive. Now, Varun Tej is testing his luck with Operation Valentine, a film based on the deadly Pulwama attacks in Kashmir. Operation Valentine also marks Varun’s debut in Hindi. Made on a big budget, Operation Valentine is hitting the screens in Telugu and Hindi languages. Here is the review of the film:
Story:
Operation Valentine is the story of Arjun alias Rudra (Varun Tej) who works as a Wing Commander in Indian Air Force. He is an expert in testing the Fighter Aircrafts. He also has a bitter past. Operation Valentine is all about the Pulwama attack that took place in 2019 and it is about the revenge plot by the Indian Air Force. The film narrates about the contribution of Rudra in the operation as a Wing Commander and Ahna Gill (Manushi Chillar). Watch Operation Valentine to know about how it happens.
Analysis:
One needs guts to do a film on real life incidents. The audience will be well aware about the facts through various mediums and narrating it with cinematic liberties would be a gutsy task. Such films need emotional connect and realistic narration. Though Operation Valentine has the needed emotion, the film lacks interesting and realistic narration. The whole nation is aware of the Pulwama attacks but the film lacks a gripping presentation. The love story lacks interest and the chemistry between the lead actors will not connect well with the audience.
Rudra’s role has a bitter past and the episode is dragged too much. Though Rudra reminds about his past, the episode doesn’t connect with the audience. Right from the start, Operation Valentine happens on a flat note and the audience never gets connected. The air action sequence during the interval episode is designed well and it is presented well. Rudra is in a fighter jet in the sky when the Pulwama attack happens. The real story starts after Rudra and his team designs a revenge plan for the Pulwama attack.
The entire second half of Operation Valentine happens in the air. Indian Air Force attacking the Pakistani camps is shown well. But the other episodes create a lot of confusion among the audience. The Radar Display episodes sound like a video game act in the sky. The audience are left in real confusion about what is happening in the second half. Operation Valentine seems like a never ending battle in the sky. Rudra’s role and his character are elevated too much and this will not appeal to the audience. This would be good for an action film but not for a film inspired from real life incidents.
Performances:
Varun Tej fits well in the role of Rudra as a Commander in Indian Air Force. His body language is well suited for the role and the actor does his part with perfection. Varun Tej emoted with his eyes throughout the second half as he had to wear a mask in the fighter jet. Manushi Chillar’s role has enough screen presence but there was no scope for her to perform. There are a lot of supporting actors but their roles had limited prominence.
Operation Valentine is an ok film technically. The production values are restricted and the graphic work should have been better. The weak VFX work is clearly visible in most of the parts. The background score by Mickey J Meyer is decent and the songs will go unregistered. The dialogues are good. The director has done enough research for the film but it was his pale presentation and narration that makes Operation Valentine a disappointment. The technical terminology of the Indian Air Force is used too much and this will not appeal to many. The director should think from the perspective of the audience in presenting an episode so that the emotions will work and each the audience. The director failed in this aspect in Operation Valentine.
Films like Operation Valentine should have emotion, patriotism, action and other aspects in the right amounts to impress the audience. This doesn’t happen with Operation Valentine and it is a disappointing attempt.
Telugu360 Rating 2.5/5