Review of ‘Hitler’: A Thriller Lacking Originality and Engagement

The film follows this familiar formula without making any effort to introduce something fresh or unique.

The trailer for “Hitler” hinted at a protagonist who appears to be a good person but also operates as a masked vigilante. I anticipated that this would set the stage for a dynamic storyline with unexpected twists throughout the film. However, the first half is largely spent on exposition. At the interval—a moment typically reserved for surprises—the filmmakers simply reiterate what was already shown in the trailer.

This so-called “twist” fails to deliver any shock value since it was already established. The remainder of the film turns into a prolonged wait to uncover the hero’s motivations, which the prologue has already hinted at, leaving little room for real intrigue.

In the first half of “Hitler,” we follow two parallel narratives. Minister Rajavelu’s black money, meant for election bribery, is stolen, and his associates are killed, prompting DC Shakthi to investigate. Meanwhile, Selva, who has just moved to Chennai, begins a romance with Sarah after a rather unremarkable first meeting.

The romantic subplot between Selva and Sarah tries to convey a dreamy essence, with Sarah depicted as intelligent and sensible. She delivers lines like, “Nee oru aambala, nallavana epdi iruka mudium,” when Selva claims he’s a good man. Yet, despite her apparent skepticism, Sarah’s choice to fall for Selva feels rushed and convenient. After only a few days of uncertainty, she reciprocates his feelings simply because he participates in a social cause. If their romance had been given more emotional depth and logical consistency, the extensive world-building in the first half might not have felt so tedious.

As “Hitler” reveals its main mystery in the second half, it suffers from a significant decline in logical coherence, and its predictability only adds to its shortcomings. For example,

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The film requires an extreme level of suspension of disbelief. In one moment, Shakthi refers to Selva as a “brilliant man.” However, the film then attempts to present Selva as a complex character—he’s a banker, civil engineer, expert marksman, and a fighter trained in stunts—without offering a convincing explanation for his wide array of skills or how he manages to stay under the radar. While the storyline hints at some support he receives from certain people, this aspect is neither thoroughly explored nor justified. In its effort to combine mystery with vigilante action, “Hitler” sacrifices logical coherence, leaving viewers feeling disconnected and unimpressed.

Now, let’s talk about the film’s predictability. The most common formula in vigilante films features a protagonist who turns to vigilantism after experiencing significant injustice. “Hitler” follows this formula without introducing any fresh ideas.

One of the film’s major weaknesses is the resolution of the cop-versus-criminal chase, which is intended to be its core conflict. In a predictable twist, the police officer suddenly changes his perspective after learning about the vigilante’s motivations. This turn of events is so foreseeable that it lacks any real impact. The film falls into a pattern of familiar vigilante tropes and clichéd character types, including the naive girlfriend who is affected by the hero’s actions and the idealistic politician who supports the fight against corruption.

Additionally, the investigation led by DC Shakthi lacks originality; he receives answers too conveniently, yet he still struggles to catch the criminal. Despite its relatively concise two-hour runtime, “Hitler” feels drawn out due to its reliance on tired plot devices and lack of innovation.

That said, the familiar tropes and logical gaps are not the film’s only issues. For example, the hero’s entrance song, “Tappasu,” serves little purpose, and an unnecessary item song is thrown in towards the end. To make matters worse, the creators attempted to innovate with this song by making…