Garudan Movie Review : Strong performances elevate this familiar story

Garudan Movie Synopsis: Set in Theni, a minister’s greed to seize temple land sets in motion a chain of events that pits lifelong friends against each other in a tale of betrayal and retribution.

Garudan Movie Review: The film opens with Minister Thangapandi (R.V. Udayakumar) setting his sights on a large parcel of land belonging to the Kombaiammam Temple. In Kombai, we meet Aadhi (Sasikumar) and Karuna (Unni Mukundan), inseparable friends since childhood, and Sokkan (Soori), a loyal servant to Karuna’s family. Sokkan, an orphan who saved Karuna’s life years ago, is a constant presence in both families, handling their affairs with dedication.

When the minister’s henchman (Mime Gopi) arrives in Kombai, he offers Karuna a tempting deal: betray Aadhi and hand over the temple documents in exchange for riches. Karuna, influenced by his wife’s ambition, agrees, setting off a tragic series of events. Karuna’s grandmother, Sellaayi (Vadivukkarasi), dies under mysterious circumstances, creating an opening for the control of the lands. Karuna manipulates Sokkan’s loyalty, making him the new trustee, a strategic move to facilitate the theft of the documents. Aadhi, unsure of his friend’s treachery, is brutally murdered, and Sokkan is a witness to this horrific act. Torn between his loyalty to Karuna and his innate sense of justice, Sokkan makes a hard choice, setting the stage for a violent confrontation.

Garuden maintains a brisk pace with hardly a dull moment. The movie really shows how close the three main characters are, which makes the betrayal hit even harder. Sokkan is a standout figure with conflicting emotions. He’s built in a way that’s almost counterintuitive to his own instincts of loyalty. He also cannot lie when his master is around, and his stream-of-consciousness word vomit makes for some amusing moments.

The film’s reliance on graphic violence and bloodshed, while contributing to its intensity, feels excessive. The constant barrage of stabbings, throat cuttings, and maimings becomes repetitive and loses its impact. It’s also the same old betrayal drama plot which you’ve seen before. One’s reminded of Sundarapandian. Also, why does Aadhi bring a baby to a knife fight? It felt out of place. And despite multiple warnings, he still walks into his demise.

In a way, all three - Soori, Sasikumar and Unni Mukundan have equal screen time. Sasikumar plays with his usual flair and does a neat job. Unni Mukundan has given an earnest performance. However, it’s Soori who elevates the film. His journey from a loyal servant to a man fighting for what is right provides the emotional core. He has given an amazing performance, and continuous his good streak of serious roles since Vidhuthalai. Vadivukkarasi’s brief appearance is memorable, and Shivada Nair makes the most of her limited time.

Yuvan Shankar Raja’s backgrounds are good. There are hardly any songs - perhaps for the better. Arthur Wilson shows the brown, muddy vibes of the brickfield really well. Garuden will appeal to those who like an emotional rural action flick.

Written By: Abhinav Subramanian