With a title like 'Red Alert', one would expect an edge-of-the-seat thriller.  This multi-lingual film, directed by Chandra Mahesh, throws up some such scenes.  But, overall, it is an experience sans much impressive tempo.

Sri Ram invites his friends to the city to witness Ganesh immersion, but he fails to receive them as he has to go out of station on an important task.  In the city, the friends board in a lodge and during their tour of the city, they find a luggage in which they think is money.  However, it turns out that the luggage has got a head.  The murder threatens to embroil them in the mystery.  On the other hand, the city is in the grip of an imminent terror strike.

It is a fairly well-narrated film, albeit the glitches take the sting out of the proceedings.  The female lead as DSP Bhuvaneshwari makes a mark with her demenaour.  The element of averting a terror strike is not a new one.  The interval presents some suspense-filled treatment.

What is the role of the Commissioner, the DSP and how are the Posani gang members going to play a role?  Who are the ones bearing similarity to the characters Ali encounters?  What is the character of the the proprietor of the TV channel where Sri Ram works?  These curious elements are explored in the latter part.

It is a treat to watch both Mahadev and Kausha in the roles.  As for Kausha, she makes a fair enough comeback.  Suman is another actor who gets to the skin of his character.  Bhagya Raj makes a mark even in the one scene he is seen.  Ali's track is half-ok.  The RR work at places in the second half gives that emotional rush.

For all the strengths that the film has in terms of writing, the execution is not up to the mark.  It is particularly off-colour.  For a film to work these days, the technical output matters as much as the content.

There are some creative liberties out there.  Overall it is good enough, though.  The songs needed some heft to keep them going.  The dialogues make a mark, at least in a few places.

Of late, there have been less of  terror films, this one is a welcome change.  But it has to be seen if the film will get the audience longing for the subject despite its lack of topicality.

Verdict: A film that is definitely not edge-of-the-seat all through.  It however comes with some fine elements.

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