Das CH
Das CH
Operation Valentine 1st half: Below Average
The film opens on a dull note reminiscent of Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter, with low production values. However, as the narrative progresses, the focus shifts towards Varun Tej’s characterization, leading to promising sequences with Manushi Chillar. The intriguing drama surrounding Navadeep’s character is handled well by the director.
Despite these positives, there are notable negatives. The major issue is that the aerial action film of the Indian Air Force lacks any sense of patriotism, even in an interval shot. The makers should have provided more insight into the missions and during aerial action sequences, the standards that have already been set by Fighter, makes it a borefest.
The aerial action sequences are dull, and during operations, it’s difficult to hear the dialogues from the fighter pilots, disrupting the film’s flow. Despite Mickey J Meyer delivering good songs, he disappoints with the background score.
Operation Valentine 2nd half: Bad
Well, it’s essentially an hour of a couple of aerial action operations, with one emphasizing the night theme, likely covering the production values, while the other improves on sequence handling.
However, apart from the war aspect, there’s a resounding “no.” This film lacks both drama and any sense of patriotism that could rescue us from this borefest.
“It’s just about missions; nothing else clicks”
Well, first things first – for any war, whether it unfolds on the ground or through aerial action sequences, the drama leading up to it has the potential to engage the audience in the action episodes. This drama could eventually build a sense of patriotism, connecting viewers to the operations where fighter pilots engage us. However, Operation Valentine fails to provide this crucial aspect.
The makers of the film have focused solely on war sequences, neglecting the most important part. Surprisingly, the operation that aligns with the title is introduced during the interval episode and concludes within the first 30 minutes of the latter half. Later, the narration shifts towards another mission from the Air Force team.
Mickey J Meyer’s background score, using ‘Vandemataram’ when the Indian Air Force team is on screen and a chant of ‘Jihad’ on the opposite end, eventually sums it up. Unfortunately, we do not see any meaningful support from the music director.
The lead pair, Varun Tej and Manushi Chillar, showcase good chemistry, and their scenes are the only positive elements in the film that divert our attention from the aerial action sequences.
Overall Verdict: Comparing with Fighter is a sin.
