Star Cast: Mammootty, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Iswarya Menon, Hakkim Shah, Divya Pillai, Sidharth Bharathan, Babu Antony, Sumit Naval, Shine Tom Chacko, Abin Bino, and Joemon Jyothir.
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Director: Deeno Dennis
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What’s Bad: The film suffers from a weak script. At times, it’s unclear how certain events unfold. The storyline feels stretched, with unnecessary subplots that add little value.
Loo Break: You could take a short break during the second robbery sequence. It lacks the visual appeal of the first and feels like it was added just to boost the robbery count. It seems the makers didn’t put much effort into making it stand out.
Watch or Not?: If you’re a Mammootty fan, you might enjoy some moments. However, overall, the experience falls short of expectations.
Language: Malayalam
Available On: Theatrical release
Runtime: 151 Minutes
User Rating:
Bazooka follows a non-linear narrative. Gautam Vasudev Menon plays an upright officer who unexpectedly seizes a smuggled painting embedded with priceless diamonds during a routine vehicle check near the airport. This incident triggers a chain of events, drawing the attention of a mysterious adversary. A series of heists is carried out within Menon’s jurisdiction, each preceded by cryptic riddles sent to the police. The criminal mastermind treats these thefts like levels in a game, turning the entire ordeal into a high-stakes challenge.
The film starts with an intriguing premise, but the execution holds it back. Unnecessary subplots bog down the first half, and the first two fight sequences, though visually striking, are completely redundant. The script struggles to build real tension, and there’s a noticeable lack of emotional connection between the characters and the audience. We’re never made to care about anyone on screen, so the stakes never feel genuinely high. Among all the heists, only two had real monetary value. Of those two, the bank robbery was undercut by the fact that the money was insured. Moreover, the plot twists are too obvious; you can see them coming from a mile away, making the storyline feel highly predictable. In the end, it’s Deeno Dennis’s script that emerges as the weakest link, ultimately ruining what had the potential to be a compelling cinematic experience.
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As mentioned earlier, Mammootty’s appearance, especially in the initial parts, was quite impressive, and the scenes featuring him alongside Gautham Vasudev Menon worked well. However, his final avatar felt off. It’s not that the idea of such a character is wrong, nor that Mammootty underperformed, but within the context of this film, the character just didn’t land as intended.
Shine Tom Chacko appears in only a few scenes, yet his dialogue delivery is hard to follow. He could genuinely benefit from having a dubbing artist instead of dubbing for himself. Divya Pillai, playing Gautham’s wife, delivered a solid performance despite limited screen time. Hakkim Shah, as the irritating co-passenger, fits the role well and shows promise. Sidharth Bharathan was also convincing on his part.
Overall, no one in the cast performed particularly poorly, but the results were mixed. The performances might have been easier to forgive if the script had been stronger.
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The direction, in itself, wasn’t bad; many individual scenes were well-executed. However, when viewed as a whole, the film doesn’t quite come together, and the core issue lies in the script. Deeno Dennis handles both the direction and writing, and while he shows potential as a director, this film suggests that scriptwriting may not be his strength. With a solid script in hand, he could possibly deliver something far more impactful.
The music, composed by Saeed Abbas and Midhun Mukundan, was effective. It elevated several scenes and added the right mood where needed. The background score, in particular, was quite enjoyable and did its job well.
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2025 hasn’t been the kindest year for Mammootty’s acting career, with both releases failing to leave a mark. While Bazooka boasts a promising one-liner, it’s ultimately let down by weak execution. In the end, there are far better offerings in Malayalam cinema right now. Catch this one in theatres only if you’re a die-hard Mamukka fan.
Bazooka released on 10th April, 2025.
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