SOS Kolkata Film Review
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SOS Kolkata Film Review
A dreaded terrorist orchestrates a series of attacks in Kolkata, culminating in a hostage situation at a 5-star hotel. ATS officer Zakir Ahmed (Yash), who lost his wife, Sanjana (Mimi), in a previous attack by the same terrorist, arrives at the scene with ATS technical head Amanda Jones (Nusrat) to rescue the hostages and capture the terrorist. The film appears to be a fusion of elements from "Sudden Death" and "Hotel Mumbai," resulting in an "SOS Kolkata" thriller. However, upon leaving the theatre, one may question why some Bengali filmmakers seemingly overlook the significance of research and well-developed character sketches. With a little more emphasis on these aspects, "SOS Kolkata" could have checked all the right boxes.
First and foremost, the two central characters, 'Agent 9' Zakir Ahmed and tech head Amanda Jones, feel somewhat out of place in a Kolkata anti-terror unit. Zakir (Yash) lives a luxurious lifestyle, residing in a posh apartment and buying another one for his in-laws after his wife Sanjana's death. Amanda (Nusrat), on the other hand, appears to be dressed more like a character from a Hollywood wildlife adventure rather than a hacker-turned-techie. The lack of backstories to establish their pasts makes it difficult to reconcile Zakir's opulent lifestyle with the role of an honest cop.
Moving on to the research aspect, it becomes evident in the action scenes that the filmmakers have little understanding of how tactical assault teams operate. No army or police commando unit would ever expose themselves fully to enemy bullets while attacking armed terrorists. However, in the film, we witness exactly that. Additionally, when a 'shoot at sight' order is in effect, officers would not engage in hand-to-hand combat with terrorists when a bullet could resolve the situation efficiently. Yet, Zakir seems to prefer trading punches, evading bullets like Keanu Reeves in The Matrix, and only then resorting to shooting. This approach wastes valuable time, especially considering the presence of other terrorists who continue to harm hotel guests. Strangely, Zakir and his team appear unconcerned about the ongoing slaughter, focusing solely on saving the guests attending his daughter's birthday party. While they do manage to accomplish their mission and eliminate the terrorists, the whole incident leaves a somewhat numb feeling. The film introduces various implausible elements, such as a hotel employee named Ena who fights terrorists alongside Zakir, and the ability of an ATS tech team to effortlessly crack complex alphanumeric codes.
In summary, the lack of proper character development and attention to research hampers the overall credibility of SOS Kolkata. These shortcomings prevent the film from fully immersing the audience in its story and action sequences.
Despite having a script riddled with holes, team SOS Kolkata manages to put up a decent show. The acting is never over-the-top, the music is good and the special effects, quite decent. Mimi, Yash and Nusrat (if we ignore her weird fashion sense) have done justice to their characters. But the stalwarts in the cast — Sabyasachi Chakrabarty and Shantilal Mukherjee — hardly get enough screen time or scope to show their mettle.
Overall, SOS Kolkata is a one-time watch at best.