An Action Hero: Action here has more fire than the story

An Action Hero Movie Review Rating: 2.5/5

Most recently seen in Doctor G, Ayushmann Khurrana is set to face audiences yet again with his latest film An Action Hero. Also starring critically acclaimed actor Jaideep Ahlawat in an important role, the film marks the directorial debut of Anirudh Iyer, who has previously assisted filmmaker Aanand L Rai on a couple of projects. BollywoodMDB reviewer has seen the film and here is what he has to say about the same. Read the detailed review and then decide whether you want to watch the film or skip it.

STORY: Maanav (Ayushmann Khurrana) has established himself as one of the most successful action heroes in the industry. He is the go-to actor for every filmmaker who wants to make a larger-than-life action spectacle. But his life takes an unexpected turn when he accidentally kills the brother of a powerful politician (Jaideep Ahlawat) in Haryana. To save himself from the law and the man whose brother has been killed by him, Maanav flees to London. The politician (Jaideep Ahlawat) chases him to London to take revenge for his brother’s murder. What happens next forms the crux of the story.

HIGHS & LOWS: Ayushmann Khurrana is known for choosing films that connect with a large section of the audience, but An Action Hero does not have the universal appeal his films are generally known for. A certain segment of the audience might love it for being a little experimental and out of the box, but the majority of them are not going to shower the same amount of love on it as they have on other Ayushmann Khurrana starrers in the past.

The question that arises more often than not while watching the film is: why did Khurrana sign it? Well, that is something only he can tell. Maybe the actor agreed to do the film as he wanted to change his image and try something new. But the storyline lacks that verve and fails his character completely. Khurrana has done his job well. He brings his A-game to the table but the film lacks excitement and his performance does not seem enough to save the film.

Coming to Jaideep Ahlawat, the actor has also done complete justice to his character. His face-off scenes with Ayushmann Khurrana are terrific. But does it all matter if the story fails to strike any chord with you? The film also features Mirabel Stuart and Hiten Patel in important roles, but their hard work seems bearing no fruits either.

Some of the set pieces in the film are very niftily choreographed. The background score is done really well and so is the cinematography.

FINAL VERDICT: An Action Hero fails to deliver on promises it made with its sleek trailer. The film might be experimental and out of the box but lacks entertainment. In a post-Covid world, the audience wants content that is engaging and entertaining enough to keep them engrossed, but An Action Hero does not have that charm. Overall, it is a skippable film that should have probably opted for a digital premiere than a theatrical release. I am going with 2.5 stars.

Watch An Action Hero trailer:

MOVIE CREDITS

Banner: Colour Yellow Productions, T-Series Films

Director: Anirudh Iyer

Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Jaideep Ahlawat

Runtime: 130 Minutes