HIT: The Second Case Review – Quick, Engaging & Well-Directed!

The second chapter in the HIT Universe, HIT 2, starring Adivi Sesh in the lead role, explores a brand new case the Vizag HQ of the Homicide Intervention Team handles. So, to set things up, I actually really liked the first installment. People often point out the inferior climax and the killer reveal, but I was impressed with the overall product, the characterizations, and the director’s discipline to stick to the genre. Fast forward to this film, from the get-go, I was intrigued by the idea of creating an entire universe with different cops in different cities having their individual stories and movies. Also, Adivi Sesh is on a super-impressive run as a lead actor, which elevated my expectations, and I’m happy to say that the film did not disappoint on any front.

Related – HIT: The First Case: A Highly Intriguing Thriller!

HIT 2 opens with KD (Adivi Sesh), a super chill cop in the scenic city of Vizag, just enjoying his life with his girlfriend and regulating the minimal crime rate in the city with ease. Eventually, when he encounters a brutal murder at a local pub, he digs deep and uncovers more ominous details and the killer’s indefinite motivations.

One of the primary strengths of HIT 2 is the breakneck pace, and I want to appreciate director Sailesh Kolanu for being proactive and making sure that his film doesn’t suffer from any pacing issues. Subsequently, although the story provides hints of the climax very early, the pacing, once again, doesn’t allow you to think, marinate and guess the actual reveal because it moves so quickly from start to finish.

It is tough to find loopholes or negatives in HIT 2 because everything is so tightly knit, but it could’ve focused more on the murders and taken a bit more time in setting up the antagonist and making them more sinister. Having said that, I could understand Kolanu’s intention not to disturb the pace and finish things quickly before everything went south. I also liked the tiny connections they implemented to set up the entire universe, the characters, including the reveal of the Third Case hero, and the depth we got to Vikram Rudraraju’s (Vishwak Sen) character is intriguing.

On the performances, Adivi Sesh had a lot more to explore in terms of acting in the movie, and he succeeded without any hiccups. However, I did not find his characterization all that interesting compared to Vikram (Vishwak Sen from HIT 1), who had layers and the yet-to-be-explored unknown past. KD just felt like a character we’ve seen multiple times in other movies before, and although I found his hot-and-cold chemistry with Varsha (played decently by Komalee Prasad) engaging, I expected something new.

Meenakshi Chaudhary as Aarya is okay to an extent and also did not have a thrilling story arc or not-so-formal romantic angle with KD. Again, not to draw comparisons, Ruhani Sharma, who plays Neha from HIT: The First Case, is a far more interesting character who plays a significant part, and I liked her rocky relationship with Vikram, amongst other things. Maganti Srinath, who reappears as Abhilash, left a few hints about his side project that involves the ending of HIT 1, and I’m interested in where that tangent goes. Technically, from the production design to the camera work and the background score, the film maintained high quality from start to finish.

Related: Best Movies of Adivi Sesh You Shouldn’t Miss!

Overall, HIT 2 is quick, engaging, and a well-directed thriller. It works as a standalone film, and Sailesh Kolanu did a fabulous job creating excitement for the next part and building up the overall universe. I wished that a few parts of the plot were given more time to develop and that the characters be more unique. Nevertheless, I’m thrilled to see where this goes, especially after the reveal in the end.

‘HIT: The Second Case’ Rating – 3.5/5