As the last images flicker across the big screen and the end credits of “Eagle” commence, viewers are greeted with additional scenes that serve to embellish the lead character’s depth and the ongoing nature of his journey. This tactic has become somewhat commonplace in today’s action flicks featuring celebrity leads; teasing future chapters just as the current narrative concludes. However, for such an approach to resonate strongly, the preceding film’s storyline must be compelling. Unfortunately, in the case of “Eagle”, while there are flashes of potential, the movie often stumbles, crippled by a narrative that meanders and a screenplay begging for more vitality.
The movie unfolds with the intriguing tale of an expert sniper who finds himself targeted by RAW (the Research and Analysis Wing), commencing with a seemingly unrelated event. Nandini, portrayed by Anupama Parameswaran, is a journalist based in Delhi who stumbles upon a high-quality cotton accessory in a crafts market. This leads her to a story involving a missing man credited with aiding a local weaving movement in Talakona. Although her editor dismisses the scoop, relegating it to a mere filler piece, the plot thickens when intelligence and police quickly descend upon her. Fired from her job, Nandini nonetheless resolves to uncover the truth.
Her journey mirrors our experience as an audience, threading together snippets of information from various forest locals. Each source, from an elder to a police officer, talks of the enigmatic “Eagle,” characterizing him with a mix of reverence and dread, painting a picture of his formidable marksmanship.
Director Karthik Gattamneni had hinted at a narrative style inspired by innovative storytelling akin to Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon” and Kamal Haasan’s “Virumandi.” But rather than building complexity or intrigue, the accounts Nandini encounters are mostly designed to glorify the hero, resulting in humor that often falls flat.
The story’s greater tapestry is revealed at a painstakingly slow pace, traversing a non-linear timeline cluttered with an assortment of characters. The cast includes Ajay Ghosh as an MLA, Srinivasa Reddy as his aide, and Mirchi Kiran as a local law enforcer. We also meet Srinivas Avasarala as a RAW operative, Madhoo as his superior, Praneeta Pattanaik as a former revolutionary, and Navdeep as the protagonist’s ally, Jai.
Ravi Teja embodies Sahadev Varma, a figure burdened with age and experience, who maintains a brooding silence for much of the film’s first half. His character’s backstory slowly surfaces, reminiscent of the way Lokesh Kanagaraj’s “Vikram” teased out its own enigmatic hero. However, unlike the drug syndicate backdrop in Kanagaraj’s movies, “Eagle” tackles the illegal arms trade.
An understated love story serves as an emotional bedrock for the ensuing conflict. The romance between Sahadev Varma and Rachana (Kavya Thapar) is uniquely cultivated through sniper scopes, eventually tying back into the film’s commentary on the weapons black market.
Though it takes its time to gather momentum, the climactic battle at Eagle’s lair provides some truly cinematic moments, capturing attention with inventive production design and well-executed action sequences shot in Poland and Talakona. The film’s action choreography, paired with its vibrant score, seeks to give “Eagle” an international flavor.
Despite these strengths, the film often seems to slump beneath the weight of contrived one-liners that aim to exalt Sahadev’s character. Some dialogues border on the didactic, pulling viewers out of the narrative rather than immersing them further.
The funding behind Nandini’s endeavors is a minor detail that prompts a chuckle—her extensive investigation would presumably require considerable resources. Her graphic novel, which traces the exploits of Sahadev, only materializes later in the story. Up until that point, she is depicted as an intrepid journalist tirelessly following leads.
In trying to weave together disparate threads—from cotton weaving to illegal arms dealing—”Eagle” struggles with pacing and cohesiveness. The result is a film that, while aiming high with larger-than-life action scenes and topical issues, feels rhythmically off-beat.
In summary, “Eagle” presents itself as a Telugu action drama hungry for mass appeal, but it is hindered by a narrative that needed more polish and precision to truly soar. While the finale suggests a saga that’s yet to conclude, one can’t help but wonder if a more incisive script might have given this bird of prey a more impressive flight.
