7:11 PM Review
Out of the many releases this week, 7:11 PM is also a thriller that has a time travel concept. The film's music is composed by Gyaani, and it is produced by Naren Yanamadala, Madhuri Ravipati, and Vani Kanneganti under the Arcus Films banner. It is being distributed by the prominent production house Mythri Movie Makers in the Telugu film industry. Let's see how it is.
Story:
The story revolves around Ravi (Saahas), an IPS aspirant living in the 1990s in Hamsaladeevi. He is in love with Vimala (Deepika). However, one day, Ravi finds himself time-traveling to Australia in 2024. There, he meets Sarah (Tess Walsh) and learns about his mission to stop a criminal mastermind, protect his loved ones, and save his town. The rest of the plot follows Ravi as he embarks on a thrilling journey through time.
Analysis:
The story of 7.11 by Chaitu Madala and Hemant K Bhatnagar is intriguing on paper but falls short onscreen. The subplots are poorly written, lacking emotional connection, and the screenplay by Chaitu Madala is ordinary. The first half of the film is below par, with clumsy subplots, while the second half shows some improvement with key twists and a shift in the narrative to Australia. However, the climax is unnecessarily dragged out, testing the audience's patience.
In terms of performances, Saahas Pagadala delivers an adequate performance as Ravi, particularly shining in the scenes set in Australia. Deepika Reddy does justice to her role as the hero's girlfriend, while Tess Walsh provides strong support as Ravi's companion in Australia. Bharat Reddy impresses as the main villain, and Louie Athanasiou leaves a mark with a negative-shaded character. The supporting cast, including Raghu Karumanchi, Rising Raju, Sienna, Marina Bi, Vasu Routhu, and Charan Kurugonda, also perform well in their respective roles.
The dialogues by Chaitu Madala are average, with a few emotional lines standing out. However, the direction by Chaitu Madala is lacking, especially in handling the sci-fi subject, resulting in a flat narration without impactful highs or proper emotional engagement. The songs by Gyaani are forgettable, and the background score fails to strike a chord. The visuals captured by Siva Shankar and Fabio Capodivento are decent, although the lighting and color grading appear odd in certain scenes. The editing by Srinu Thota is mediocre.
A significant portion of the film, around 20 minutes, could have been trimmed, particularly in the first half and climax portions. The production values by Arcus Films are adequate. The positives of the film include the pre-interval and post-interval twists, a decent second half, and the cinematography. On the other hand, the film suffers from a lack of emotional connection, a boring first half, poorly written subplots, illogical elements, a weak musical score, and underwhelming visual effects, and graphics.
Verdict:
Overall, 7:11 PM presents an interesting plot but fails to deliver an engaging execution. The weak subplots and inadequate portrayal make it a film that can be easily skipped this weekend and one can look for something else.
- Thamizhil Padikka