Review: Rebel - lacks a gripping narrative

Prabhas who has been missing in action for sometime - even his last movie Mr Perfect was a family drama - gets back to his favourite genre with great vigour. Yes there is dishum dishum, kottukovadam-narukkovadam and all that mess, but there is also a lack of a gripping narrative, a riveting reason why it was named Rebel in the first place and the X factor that distinguishes a super movie from an average one. Director Lawrence's movie moves in steps but lacks the rhythm. Not surprising, considering ' hold your breath, Lawrence has handled story, screenplay, music, choreography, direction' himself.

Starring Prabhas, Krishnamraju and Tamanna's midriff, Rebel gets just one thing right ' the stunts and action bit but falters in a handful of elements. Rishi (Prabhas) heads to Bangkok in search of dreaded criminals ' Stephen and Roberts and he realises that the only way to nab these elusive criminals (nobody has even seen them so far) who is wreaking a havoc in faraway India is to make hip-hop dance teacher Nandini (Tamanna) fall in love with him. Nandini is the daughter of a criminal who is known to be the right hand of Stephen and Roberts.

The first half is about his comic capers in making her fall in love with him so that she shares the criminals' photograph. The second half is about why he wants to kill the duo and the last half is about how he manages to kill them.

Now, the love angle is hardly engrossing. Rishi surely has poor flirting skills and gets grating whenever he tries to interact with Nandini. The first half has Brahmanandam taking constant digs at his 'batta and potta' (bald head and pot belly) and Rishi's irritating 'reverse gear' approach towards Nandini - both irritating.

There is a bit of a flashback and the movie breezes through nicely with the introduction of Dipali (Deeksha Seth) as the orphan girl who loves Rishi. The only redeemable part of the movie is the innovative climax where instead of fighting the 'boys', the hero fights the girls, real power-puff girls from Russia! The swift and slick fights stand out.

For a man who can face the whole world singlehandedly and who can kill a person with a single punch, Prabhas could have done with more attitude. Lawrence gives a raw deal to Prabhas in terms of dialogues. Just one or two like - meeru akalito vetaade pulini chusuntaru..avesam to vetade pulini chusuntaru... nenu rendellu upavasam taravata vetade pulini - garners appreciation.

However, his gait, his lean, six pack body and his snazzy clothes makes him look like a million dollars when he walks in slo-mo filling up the entire screen. That he still looks like a nice guy next door and not really a beefed up hunk is quite refreshing.

Tamanna does her signature belly dance moves (an extension of her vana vana from Racha). She looks total glamorous throughout the movie and looks gorgeous in the proposal scene. She certainly did not look so beautiful in any of her recent movies. However, her character in the movie is a bit bizarre for the Telugu sentiments.

A daughter who does not flinch while serving liquor to her father with her own hands, trying to shoot him point blank and get him kidnapped, acting like a dimwit when Prabhas praises his maradalu are all a bit jarring. Deeksha has a short and sweet role. Krishnamraju has a brief role but pivotal.

Music is average. Keka keka is the only decent number. Choreography is okay, but not with really Lawrence stamp. If you thought it is a movie about a good guy wronged by the system and thus turning into a Rebel, well you are in trouble. It is a regular mass action entertainer with nothing hatke.