Lock Up Review – Simple Thriller Stretched, And Complicated Beyond Limits

Lock Up Review | Lock Up Movie Review | Lock Up ZEE5 Review BOTTOM LINE: Simple Thriller Stretched, And Complicated Beyond Limits

Rating: 2/5

Skin A Swear: None

What Is the Story About?

There is a series of murder in the town which involves both the goons and police. A senior cop is put in charge of the case, and she is hell bent on solving it as soon as possible without leaving out any details.

Vasanth (Vaibhav Reddy) and Moorthy (Venkat Prabhu) are the original in charges at the station. Both are desperate for promotions for their personal reasons and see the case as a potential threat. They try for one-upmanship playing a deadly game of deceit. What happens, in the end, is what the movie is all about?

Performances?

Vaibhav Reddy is decent, playing an honest cop caught under extreme circumstances. He is given different angles of love, fights and drama usually reserved for the big heroes. But, none have been adequately explored. There is very little time for them and are fitted into the narrative.

More than the acting, which is the usual from Vaibhav, it is the direction and screenplay which doesn’t allow him to shine and make an impression. He is present throughout, but not much impact is felt apart from a few moments towards the climax.

Analysis

SG Charles makes his debut with the thriller, LockUp. It is about the police within a police station who are desperate for promotion. The path they take to get it drives the narrative.

On the surface, Lock Up looks like a simple story with neat thriller elements. Right from the beginning, there is an interest, and one wants to know the truth behind the happenings.

However, as the narrative progresses, one begins to lose interest. It is because of the convolutions in the proceedings. In order to engage, the director opts a confusing and convoluted route. He needlessly complicates the simple thing with multiple layers and backstories.

The non-linear narration (and the editing) further makes one lose track of the proceedings. By the time we reach the second hour, the whole curiosity about the narrative and care for the characters is lost. We no longer feel for any one of them and just want things to get over soon.

Everything is once again cleared in the end, and when we see the larger picture, it seems alright. A couple of dialogues too are decent, but by then one doesn’t care. The twists and the drama no longer give the thrill or satisfaction. The rushed feeling also dents the potential impact.

Overall, Lock Up has a decent premise and deals with a grey area involving the cops. However, the farfetched twists and needlessly complicated narrative kill the fun. Give it a try if you love cop thrillers and are ready to invest in the story no matter what.

Other Artists?

Apart from the lead Vaibhav, there are a few critical roles essayed by Venkat Prabhu, Easwari Rao, Poorna and Vani Bhojan. Among them, the first three are alright in their parts. Venkat Prabhu relishes the role given to him and does justify his presence. It is the same with Easwari Rao who plays a tough cop and steals the show initially.

Between Poorna and Vani Bhojan, the former has a significantly bigger presence that is integral to the narrative. The latter is a typical heroine but has a limited and unremarkable presence. After a point, one forgets her existence, although a part of the plot moves due to her track. The rest are alright in the small appearances they get.

Music and Other Departments?

The music by Arrol Corelli is below par. Also, there seems to be a problem with mixing as at times it feels too low and difficult to listen. The cinematography Santhanam Sekhar is okay. The editing is one of the weaker aspects of the movie, which further hinders the engagement factor. It leads to a rushed feeling with the making. The writing could have been better, on the whole.

Highlights?

Core Mystery

Few Twists

Run Time

Drawbacks?

Messy Narration

Illogical

Screenplay

Editing

Did I Enjoy It?

No

Will You Recommend It?

No

Lock Up Review by Binged Bureau 

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