Champion

Champion Movie Synopsis: An aspiring footballer is consumed by the thought of avenging his father by murdering the gangster who had murdered him. Can his coach lead him away from a life of violence that he's staring at?

Champion Movie Review: The setting of Champion is North Madras, which has earned a notoriety for being a hotbed of violence. The story revolves around a young footballer, Jones (Vishwa, who looks the part), whose passion for the game gets sidelined when he learns the truth behind his father Gold Star Gopi's (Manoj Bharathirajaa) death - that he was murdered by Dhanasekar (Stun Siva), the local councillor and gangster for whom he worked. Jones is so consumed by the idea of revenge, but his coach and Gopi's friend Santha (Naren, solid) wants to lead him away from the violent path and make him a champion - and turn Gopi's dream into reality.

Champion is a redemption for Susienthiran whose last few films were so underwhelming that it felt like the director had become a spent creative force. What's heartening is that the film is not just an improvement on the previous films, but is also made with an assurance that was lacking in those works. The result is a film that is engaging for the most part even if its storyline is a familiar one. The writing is largely satisfactory, with character arcs that feel complete, and scene progression that doesn't seem uneven. And the filmmaking feels gritty enough for this material. But the derivative storyline and dull dialogues rob the film of punch.