‘Antony’: Story

Antony Anthrapper is a local big-time criminal who is dreaded by many in Avaran City. He is known as a ‘Saint and Satan’ although he has taken numerous lives. One day his life takes an unexpected turn when the vicar of the Church asks him to take the guardianship of a girl, Ann Maria, whose father he has killed. Initially, there is some coldness between them. But the narrative changes when Antony feels his paternal feelings taking over. He vouches to take care of her and often fights her battles along with her. He changes his ways and decides to become a better person for Ann Maria.

‘Antony’: Performances

The film belongs to Joju George. He shines as the local dreaded criminal. The scenes where he breaks bones will make you cover your eyes because you just feel it’s too real. He has brought out the shift between his character well. At no point do you feel weird when you see him melting down and taking care of Ann Maria. There’s one scene where he is back home after fighting some people and then he goes into the kitchen to get a hot water bag for Ann. The scene beautifully the contrast in his personality. Joju has made it seem natural. You know where he is coming from. He embodies the grey character well.

Coming to Kalyani Priyadarshan who plays the role of Ann Maria. She has nailed the feisty part of her personality to perfection. She is feisty. She follows her own rules. She stands on her own. She has brought out her role well. What’s interesting is how she has blended well into her role, and you can start to feel her pain and agony.

Nyla Usha as Maya might have a supporting role. However, she managed to evoke a lot of emotions in the limited screen time that she had. Her chemistry with Joju will make you feel the tension that looms in the air when they are together. Her conversations with Vijayaraghavan will make you smile. She has beautifully portrayed her as a nurse. Chemban Vinod Jose as Father Paul is excellent. He breaks norms and he isn’t your regular priest. His chemistry with Joju George will make you root for them.

‘Antony’: Script, Direction & Technical Aspects

Rajesh Varma has done a commendable job where he marries action with romance. At no point does the story of ‘Antony’ feel preachy. The characters are fleshed out well and all of them feel real. He has maintained the greyness in them. The characters are not black or white. This works because it makes the characters rooted in reality.

Despite all of this, the script falls short in certain places. It fails to evoke the depth of emotions that is needed to make you feel more for the characters. At times, it feels unbelievable that a girl is ready to call a random man her father just because he stood up for her. These flaws are covered up with dialogues, but it is just not enough.

The film has pacing issues as well. The part where Aravan tells Maya why Antony is a Saint and a Satan was too long. I was waiting for them to come to the crux of the story. And when they did, I realized that it just wasn’t worth all the long drawing out. Ann Marie’s past was well thought out. Her story was depicted crisply. Maybe if that was the exact formula that was used for Antony, things would have been different, and I would have ended up rooting for him from the start to the finish. The Lawrence bit was also stretched out for too long. I anticipated a long action sequence between the two. But seeing the action get over in just a few minutes made me feel cheated. The story was good, but it needed just a little more to take it to the next level.

Joshiy has done a good job of making an engaging film. He has done all that he could with the script, and it shows. Jake Bejoy’s music is soulful, and it has been utilized well in the film. The music has been used in places where it is actually required, rather than sprinkling it randomly like glitter. The action sequences choreographed by Rajashekaran are jaw-dropping and he deserves all the praise.

The part where the movie fails is the climax and the rushed resolution. You just expect a little more when you watch a film for more than two hours.

‘Antony’: Cast & Crew

Written by: Rajesh Varma

Director: Joshiy

Cast: Joju George, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Nyla Usha, Asha Sharath, Chemban Vinod Jose, Vijayaraghavan, Hariprashanth M. G., Giju John, Appani Sarath, Sijoy Varghese, Jewel Mary, Tini Tom, RJ Shaan, Jinu Joseph, Padmaraj Ratheesh, Rajesh Sharma, Srikant Murali

Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes

Available On: Amazon Prime Video

‘Antony’: Can Kids Watch It?

No. The action and the violent scenes are very graphic for kids.

Outlook's Verdict

Joshiy has proved his caliber and has delivered an engaging film once again. The movie is more than just another action film where the hero goes on a rampage. It is fueled by the right balance of emotion and drama. The performance is brilliant, but it is only because of some technical flaws that the film fails to hit the mark. Interestingly enough, these flaws could have been easily rectified. If you want to watch a good masala flick without any fuss, go for ‘Antony.’ However, if you want something substantial, then this is not for you. I am going with 2.5 stars.