Karthik Subbaraj’s “Retro” is a drama soaked in blood, sprinkled with romance, and painted with broad caricatures. As expected from a filmmaker like Karthik, the film brims with visual flair and genre-bending ambition. It never quite settles into a singular tone or identity, constantly shifting between being a gangster flick, a romantic drama, and an absurdist dark comedy. This tonal inconsistency may throw off some viewers, but those who are tuned into Karthik’s wavelength might find charm in the chaos.
At the heart of “Retro” is Parivel Kannan (Suriya), who slips into the skin of the classic angry man archetype with ease. But what keeps this role from being yet another brooding protagonist is the smartly inserted conflict: his inability to smile. It’s a small but striking detail that adds a sliver of vulnerability to a character otherwise defined by his aggression. Suriya brings intensity, but also restraint, navigating Paari’s internal dilemmas with nuance.
And like clockwork, into this man’s violent world walks a woman — Rukmini (Pooja Hegde). She’s the warm, corrective presence, the person who hopes to pull Paari away from his cycle of violence. Their dynamic isn’t entirely fresh, but it’s earnest in its attempt. What makes it interesting is that the film never really sells the idea that Paari can change. It’s less about a transformation and more about the effort — the trying. His love for Rukmini softens him, even if only slightly, and that fragile effort becomes the emotional core amidst all the flying fists and twisted loyalties.
Initially, “Retro” sets itself up as a gritty gangster drama, delving into the tensions between Paari, his foster father Thilagam, and Rukmini. But as the film enters its third act, it stumbles in justifying the shift in tone. The romance doesn’t quite earn its emotional payoff, and Paari’s sudden moral pivot feels too convenient. Still, even where the script feels undercooked, Karthik’s stylish storytelling steps in. He finds rhythm in disorder, sometimes making even rushed narrative turns feel cinematic.
There’s a telling scene where Paari and Rukmini meet again, after a flashback briefly establishes their past connection, the present takes over with the two simply walking towards each other. The lack of buildup is jarring, yet something about the visual poetry: the symmetry, the framing, the unspoken energy, makes the moment work. Karthik captures feeling over logic, trusting the audience to fill in the emotional blanks.
The second half of “Retro” is where the film throws away the last remnants of seriousness and leans fully into eccentricity. Once Paari reaches Andaman in pursuit of Rukmini, the film transforms into a carnival of absurdity. Here we meet King Michael Mirasu (Vidhu) — a megalomaniac monarch running a full-blown cult on the island. It’s bizarre, and knowingly so. From the moment he enters, the film gains an exaggerated, comic-book pulse.
One standout moment is a quietly hilarious scene where Paari and Rukmini argue, unaware that Mirasu’s men are stealthily sneaking away from the space on his command. These beats, where humour plays out in the background, are a testament to the director’s eye for layered visual storytelling. For viewers attuned to dark comedy, especially those who admire the Coen Brothers, Gore Verbinski, or Kollywood’s own Nelson Dilipkumar, this segment of the film might just be the highlight. But for others, the tonal swerve could feel disorienting and even alienating.
“Style over substance” is often thrown around as a critique, but in films like “Retro”, it’s the style that sustains engagement. Karthik loads the film with memorable visual moments, like the shadow of Michael Mirasu looming behind Paari and Blue Thron (Shriya Saran) mid-argument, or the scene where cult slaves chase Paari across a brilliantly blue ocean, framed in breathtaking wides and striking close-ups. These moments don’t exist in isolation; they complement the story and elevate the mood, even when the narrative starts to wobble.
There’s a flashback reveal where a symbol carved into a wall suddenly cuts to the same symbol tattooed on Paari’s body in the present. It’s an elegant cinematic beat, one that merges past and present with a single visual rhyme. Even the gladiator-style battle scenes between slaves in Mirasu’s cult are not just spectacle; they hint at deeper unrest, at systemic control, at the human cost of power. But again, the film can’t resist going too far. In its attempt to make a statement through an outrageous climax, it ends up diluting the message with absurdity.
In the end, “Retro” is a film where Karthik Subbaraj’s signature swagger does a lot of heavy lifting. His ability to mount stylish, visually rich sequences keeps the film afloat, even as the script dips into half-formed ideas and tonal confusion. It’s frustrating, funny, inventive, and chaotic. But above all, it’s a reminder of how a filmmaker’s voice — even when imperfect — can make a story feel alive, even if the words on the page don’t always measure up.
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