After the massive failure of War 2, YRF has come up with a new film in their Spy Universe, Alpha. The movie stars Alia Bhatt, Sharvari, and Bobby Deol in the lead roles. Let’s see how the movie is.
Story:
Lt. Colonel Fateh Singh Lakhawat (Bobby Deol) is very much disheartened by the loss of thousands of Indian soldiers during the Kargil War. Hence, he comes up with a high-profile plan, “Alpha,” to reduce the damage. However, complications arise, leading to its cancellation and the demotion of Fateh Singh. Determined to take it forward, Fateh Singh secretly continues his mission to make India a powerful nation, and Sita (Alia Bhatt) becomes a part of it. How Sita takes forward Plan Alpha is what the movie is about.
Plus Points:
YRF’s splendid production values are once again on display in Alpha. A massive amount has been spent on the high-octane action. This time, the VFX is considerably improved, and a couple of action episodes are decent.
Sharvari is effective with her action moves, but the film has very little for the actress to do. The scene where the two female leads fight each other is good. Bobby Deol does a neat job as a performer, but the writing makes his character horrible. Anil Kapoor is adequate in a supporting role.
Minus Points:
If Dhurandhar proved what Bollywood is capable of, Alpha proves that the industry still hasn’t learnt from its past mistakes in making spy films. The movie indeed has a Dhurandhar-inspired twist, but it backfires big time, leaving us scratching our heads. YRF may have taken cues from Aditya Dhar’s directorial, but in all the wrong ways. The film makes an absolute mockery of India’s intelligence agencies and the Army.
It is absolutely shocking to see a concept that portrays the nation in such a poor light being greenlit in the first place. Making a bad film is one thing, but showcasing the nation as entirely incompetent in a patriotic film is another achievement, making it a perfect recipe for disaster.
Had the movie been released before the Dhurandhar franchise, it would have had some respite. But when a gold standard has been set for the genre, it’s difficult to get it out of your mind. The timing makes it even worse for Alpha.
The production house had ample time to rectify at least some of the flaws, which could have made the film bearable. If the makers still think that glamour and stylish action set pieces alone are sufficient, they need to rethink.
The screenplay is mostly boring, and Alpha is easily the most tiresome watch in the whole spy universe. Alia Bhatt is one of the finest actresses in Indian cinema, but action surely isn’t her forte. The actress looks unconvincing in action sequences, and didn’t suit the tough girl part.
Technical Aspects:
Songs are forgettable, while the background score is below par. Rubais’ cinematography during the fight scenes is neat. Even with a shorter runtime, the film feels boring. The scale is big, but without soul, it feels hollow.
Shiv Rawail, who helmed the acclaimed series The Railway Men, directed Alpha, but both are poles apart in quality, with the latter being outright bad. The cameo by one of the most loved spies in the universe is poorly executed. Normally, cameos aren’t revealed beforehand, but the hint in the trailer already gave us an idea of what’s coming our way. Though the hit films in the YRF Spy Universe aren’t grounded, they had the entertainment quotient going for them, and that is where Alpha fails miserably.
Verdict:
On the whole, Alpha is a very poorly made spy-action thriller that defeats the very purpose of the genre. It feels like the final nail in the coffin for the YRF Spy Universe. The way the antagonist’s backstory is written and presented turns the Indian Army into a mere joke. The Dhurandhar-inspired twist goes horribly wrong, undermining country’s image. Alpha is easily the most boring film in the franchise, with several tiresome moments. Alia Bhatt looks out of place, while Sharvari is competent despite her limited screentime. The damage is already done to the YRF Spy Universe, and Alpha only adds salt to the wound.