Cobra Review: A Wasteful Attempt!

Often, we see directors who score a homerun in their debut project, garner fans with their second venture, and succumb to the pressure of sky-high expectations while directing top-tier stars in their next directorial. And to name a few filmmakers, Nelson Dilipkumar (Kolamaavu Kokila, Doctor (2021) and Vijay’s ‘Beast’) and Cobra (2022) director, Ajay Gnanamuthu are prime examples.

Related: Best Movies of ‘Chiyaan’ Vikram You Can’t Miss!

Gnanamuthu debuted as a director with Demonte Colony, one of the well-made horror films from Tamil Cinema and ‘Lady Superstar’ Nayanthara in his second flick in Imaikkaa Nodigal, another captivating thriller. But with Cobra, he seems to have exhausted his creativity and offers a half-baked film that makes no sense from the get-go. Featuring ‘Chiyaan’ Vikram in the lead role, the film also stars KGF fame Srinidhi Shetty as the female lead with Roshan Mathew, K. S. Kumar, John Vijay as the supporting cast. Former Indian Cricket player and now popular broadcaster Irfan Pathan makes his acting debut as an Interpol Officer.

Cobra (2022) follows the storyline of Mathi, a math prodigy who uses his remarkable skill to assassinate people while masquerading as an ordinary math teacher. The remainder of the plot, with an overall runtime of over three hours, elaborates the events that led to his arrest and the consequences thereafter.

Before criticizing Ajay Gnanamuthu for his sluggish execution, I would like to condemn Vikram for his questionable selection of scripts. As much as I respect the guy and his dedication towards each project film he works in, acting with more than five getup changes in a movie that doesn’t have the payoff is like insulting his genuine efforts. ‘Chiyaan’ Vikram is one of the few actors in the Kollywood who can bring life to a character on screen. His films like Sethu, Pithamagan, Anniyan and I (2015) will stand as a testimonial for it. However, he chooses films like this only to waste his overall energy.

Ajay Gnanamuthu impressed moviegoers with his previous work, but it appears if he lost all his filmmaking skill with Cobra. I felt like it all went down hill from the introduction scene. Despite his attempt to unravel a twist in the plot, it all felt basic, as we’ve seen this format torn down to shreds in the past decade. The only enjoyable part of this film was the interrogation scene in the second half, where Vikram’s acting prowess was on full display.

Even the maestro, A. R. Rahman, could not save the film from downfall. It had zero elevation scenes or an impactful orchestra, and the entire story felt bland. With an overdose of sentiment towards the climax, it was very much unimpactful, and did not feel authentic. In fact, I could even name a few films which had similar plot lines. For all the 180 minutes I spent in theatres watching this wasteful attempt, I wish I could’ve watched Irfan Pathan’s hattrick when he ripped apart the Pakistani top order with his incredible swing bowling in the third test match at Karachi in 2006.

‘Cobra (2022)’ Rating – 1.5/5