Agilan, starring Jayam Ravi in the lead, tries to be a thrilling crime drama that focuses solely on crimes in the coastal region but is let down by its own urge to pack in a message. The film presents us with a flawed hero in the first half, who is self-centered and has no morals. However, in the second half, a sudden tonal shift in the plot forces the hero's villainous deeds to be justified via a sub-plot about world hunger issues. This character transformation, unfortunately, does not work in the film's favor.
#Agilan Appreciation tweet for @actor_jayamravi !!
— AmuthaBharathi (@CinemaWithAB) March 10, 2023
- He has shown a different Avatar from all his previous movies 🔥
- Gray shade role suits him very well and there is a surprise with his character in second half 🤞
- His hardwork has completely delivered on screen 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/uXMKHQf18v
Despite its shortcomings, Agilan manages to effectively suck you into the world of the harbour. The visuals are detailed, and Jayam Ravi is earnest in his role as a crane operator with a hand in many illegal activities in the port. The film also features a strong performance from Chirag Jani, who plays a port security officer.
However, the film could have truly tapped into a side of Jayam Ravi that hasn't been explored before if it had allowed him to remain a cut-throat criminal till the end. Tamil cinema's obsession with delivering messages needs to stop, and as long as the character is interesting, it shouldn't matter if he's playing the good or bad guy.
Overall, Agilan is interesting in parts but uneven on the whole. It has its moments but is let down by the character transformation and weak hero-villain conflict.
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