operation java movie review in tamil

Operation Java (2021)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

Operation Java Movie Review: A competently made, thrill-a-minute police drama

Rating: ( 4 / 5).

There is an old American TV show from the 80s called Crime Story , created by filmmaker Michael Mann. It was about a bunch of cops working in the Special Crimes unit. What I loved most about it is the way the characters build a strong bond while navigating different cases in each episode. I loved Tharun Moorthy's feature debut Operation Java for the same reasons -- and more. Its ability to achieve the same thing in 145 mins is so impressive.

The film depicts multiple cases in episodic fashion, all with satisfying resolutions, handled by the police's Kochi-based cybercrimes unit. But the action is not just confined to Kochi. The team also travels to Tamil Nadu and Kasaragod, where they get involved in some hairy situations that are guaranteed to keep you glued to your seats. The structure might remind one of Action Hero Biju , but Operation Java is miles apart from that film in terms of mood. It also has a consistent tone, unlike the other.

Director: Tharun Moorthy

Cast: Balu Varghese, Lukman, Irshad, Binu Pappu, Prasanth Alexander

Operation Java is the film that, to me, also tops Anjaam Pathira . While the former doesn't depict crimes that are as gruesome as the ones in the latter, it still manages to conjure a near-similar level of dread, and it does this despite focusing on cases that don't always involve murder. That is no easy feat. Balu Varghese and Lukman play two B. Tech graduates who work as delivery boys. But their talent for solving cybercrimes gets the attention of the Kochi Cyber Cell unit comprising a group of men and a woman. But their position is a temporary one given that they are required to enlist as trainees with no guarantee of a permanent placement. (By the way, this film is also a tribute to these 'temporary' workers.) Their challenges involve not only cracking cases but also gracefully handling ugly office politics. There is that one jerk (Prasanth Alexander) in their office who makes things difficult for them. The fieldwork is no walk in the park either. But to even that out, we get two sympathetic officers in the form of Irshad and Binu Pappu. These two are the healing balm for the psychological damages inflicted by the former. These interactions, along with the ones between the cops and complainants, are also the source of some much-needed humour and warmth.

We get all kinds of fascinating cases backed up by impressive research. They have a cautionary bent to them. The first is the 2015 piracy issue revolving around Premam , then comes a recruitment fraud, followed by a chilling breaking-and-entering situation. Besides, we also witness the case of a husband (Vinayakan) trying to protect his wife and daughter from the shame-inducing after-effects of a fake porn clip circulating online. Another peculiar situation has the unit being notified of an incident while pursuing a suspect from another incident. The film is a masterclass on creating a sense of urgency even in those crimes where no blood is shed. Well, when you have Jakes Bejoy's pulsing score, that part is almost covered. 

Several moments in Operation Java reminded me of the excitement caused by the first three Jason Bourne films (sans the parkour stunts and car chases, that is) or David Fincher's Zodiac . Now that I brought it up, I would say Operation Java is the closest we get to Zodiac in Malayalam in terms of its atmosphere. 

Cinematographer Faiz Siddik employs chiaroscuro lighting, smoke, and desaturated colours to create the right mood. Operation Java has the best night photography I've seen this side of Anjaam Pathira . I also found some of the little details amusing, like how a couple of cops are sharing porn clips via WhatsApp while in the middle of an operation to catch the guy who uploaded the 'censor copy' of Premam online. In another scene, Vinitha Koshy is reading Wilbur Smith's Predator right before an intruder breaks into her apartment.  

Operation Java also gets brownie points for its astute political awareness. The eagerness to delve a bit into the behaviour of law enforcement officials is also admirable. It's a profession where patience is of paramount importance, as demonstrated by my favourite character in the film, the senior officer played by Binu Pappu. He knows when to raise his voice and when to lower it. He knows that sometimes the best results are obtained without using extreme tactics. 

When the trailers came out, we expected something good. After seeing the film, I have to say I didn't expect it to be great! You could tell from its quality that Operation Java is one of those films born out of the perfect harmony between the thoughts of the director, actors, cinematographer, editor, composer, art direction and every other department. The storytelling format is such that it produces the effect of having seen three or four crime thrillers at once. When the film ended, I felt a strong urge to see these characters get together for one more ride. I hope to see my wish granted soon.

• WEB STORIES New
• ENTERTAINMENT
• CAREER & CAMPUS
• INFOGRAPHICS
• T20 World Cup 2024

• Manorama Online
• Manorama News TV
• ManoramaMAX
• Radio Mango
• Subscription

• Entertainment

Operation Java movie review: A top-notch cyber age thriller

Operation Java is the tale of unsung heroes. It would be a crime to confine it just as a cop drama as more aspects are woven into the plot and the narrative.

This is rather a brilliant, unusual take on the daily wage workers in the government sector.

The cops, whom we usually associate with action and investigation, here goes through the perspective of two B-tech graduates, Antony and Vinay Dasan, who join the cyber cell of Kerala Police.

Operation Java is the codename for major operations by the cyber cell. The youngsters get associated with these cases.

Director Tharun Moorthy allows the camera to capture the high-strung anxiety ridden faces in single shots. And that makes his characters attain an intense dimension.

Underscoring the credits which proclaims Operation Java as a plot based on real life incidents, the movie unravels with incidents related to Nivin Pauly-starrer Premam , a blockbuster which also hit the headlines for getting leaked.

Probes into online leakage usually hits a dead end as culprits are too smart and thereafter producers lose interest due to procedural delays. Operation Java , in its first mission decodes the illegal business. The cases here are crisply edited without wasting time.

If Dulquer Salmaan's recent outing Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal favoured cyber con artists making money, and showed the nitty-gritty side of modern technology as entertaining, Operation Java has a realistic approach focussing the scary side of the tech-driven age.

Like the Netflix web series Jamtara , which revolved around phishing activities, the Tharun Moorthy directorial also offers glimpses of similar activities and cases. And it would have been interesting to see them with more detailing as a web series.

Abrid Shine's movie Action Hero Biju had an honest approach on the mundane the job of a sub inspector of police. Operation Java seems to tread a similar path with a sincere effort to be different and realistic.

The film rides on clever writing and performances. Balu Varghese and Lukeman as the B-tech graduates win accolades.

They are relatable, grounded and rooted in their vocation.

And so are the cops played by Prashant Alexander, Binu Pappu, Irshad and others. All the actors including Shine Tom Chacko and Vinayakan put in compelling performances. But what was missing in the film was the presence of strong female characters. Though there was a lady cop at the cyber cell, she didn't had to do anything to the narrative. The one who played the love interest of Antony was given due screentime but got carried away with the plot. However, actress Dhanya Ananya managed to leave an impression even without a single dialogue.

Operation Java takes a few minutes to seep in, before it draws you to a riveting plot. The audiences are charioted to the same emotion of the characters as the film progresses from one case to another.

But nothing is exaggerated here and rather flourishes to its set goal of being a tribute to the unsung heroes.

There is some impressive filmmaking on display, whether it is the use of locations -- like grabbing an accused from Tamil Nadu border -- or portraying an unexpected slap from a female character.

The frames get into a lofty plain like the aerial shot of Kochi which captures the dark underbelly of the city with an engrossing background score by Jakes Bijoy.

Post the lockdown phase, the movie has the potential to be a perfect crowd puller. Operation Java is a chilling and fascinating watch.

• Movie Review
• Malayalam Films
• Balu Varghese

A familiar, yet intriguing twist keeps this film on fatherhood afloat: Swakaryam Sambhavabahulam Review

Debutant Mubin M Rafi impresses in Nadirshah’s 'Once Upon a Time in Kochi' | Review

'Mandakini' Movie Review: A slow starter powered by the mass performance of female stars

'Thalavan': A well-crafted investigative thriller with strong performances from Biju Menon, Asif Ali | Movie Review

Mammootty's banter, Raj Shetty's villainy drive this imbalanced narrative | Turbo movie review

'Sureshinteyum Sumalathayudeyum...' may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is enjoyable | Movie Review

'Guruvayoor Ambalanadayil': Prithviraj-Basil Joseph starrer stays entertaining despite predictable turns | Movie Review

'Marivillin Gopurangal': A smooth ride convincingly steered by Indrajith, Vincy Aloshious | Movie Review

'Perumani': While Vinay Forrt and Lukman deliver, the film's message takes its time to come across | Movie Review

• Firstpost Defence Summit
• Entertainment
• Web Stories
• Health Supplement
• First Sports
• Fast and Factual
• Between The Lines
• Firstpost America

Operation Java movie review: Charming thriller told as anthology, with the emotional continuity of a film

Operation Java isn’t the smartest thriller around, but it has an emotional continuity that doesn’t let the long runtime feel too heavy, or the disparateness of the story feel unwieldy.

Language: Malayalam

Certainly, it is odd to call a thriller ‘charming’, an adjective usually plonked alongside the romance side of genres. But Operation Java, which had a theatrical release in Kerala in February this year, now streaming on Zee5, breaks with conventions of the thriller genre so easily, so effortlessly, it takes you a while to reorient yourself to figure out exactly what kind of movie you are actually watching?

At the heart of it are two friends Antony George (Balu Varghese) and Vinay Dasan (Lukman Avaran). Both have completed their B-Tech, given a slew of mug-up-spit-up examinations, and yet, like the many flailing engineering educated youth in the oversaturated job market, find themselves unemployed or underemployed. They want a stable job, worthy of the decades of pain endured of searing sentences and concepts into their memory. This job is both to secure oneself financially and emotionally. To prove to others that they have a worth, and to prove to oneself that the worth they once imagined for themselves can be realised.   

They are certainly intelligent, intuitive, and capable of using their knowledge of technology and metadata analysis to do good, do better. It’s only a matter of being recognized for the same. They find an excuse around the controversy of Premem’s piracy. The Cyber Cell of Kochi had written off the case because their suspect was in New Zealand where piracy isn’t illegal. But both Antony and Vinay walk into their office noting with evidence that the original illegal stream came not from New Zealand but Kerala.   

Thus begins the first of three big chases throughout the 2.5-hour movie. The chase is always meandering, swerving from one suspect to the next to the next. The chase often threads itself across more than 5 suspects, and so each suspect is visited, interrogated, and used to mine next steps. The first victory of the film, then, is that this motion never feels tiring or repetitive. Each suspect visited feels like the last suspect and when they get further information, the next suspect feels like the last suspect. It’s tightly written to produce doubt at every step, packed into economic sequences with clear eyed editing, fluid cinematography and a sledgehammer-like tense background score.   

Antony has a love track that foregrounds the narrative (with the only looming female presence in the film), while Vinay has a tragic family story which gets seeded in the beginning to be masterfully unraveled towards the end. It’s the kind of logical, economic writing that you know was organized and discussed on a white board. The camera sometimes dances, showing its flexibility, but its distracting allure is limited to the scenes where not much is happening — like the 360-degree tracking shot when Antony and Vijay are introduced to the entire cyber cell, with the camera, seemingly moving through small crevices in the latticework to close its dance-loop.   

There are two other investigations — each more serious than the previous one, first financial scams, then murder. The progression of crimes too is intentional. It begins with piracy which hurts the moneyed in their pockets. The discussion here isn’t about innocent people cheated off their craft and money, but about how the Malayalam industry might have colluded to make sure Premam doesn’t break Drishyam’ s record. The second crime is scamming innocent, working class people out of their money. The third crime is scamming innocent people out of their lives. Antony and Vinay, you hope, will become a staple at the cyber cell. For the sake of Antony’s mother who has blabbered through the whole town that her son is hired by the government (inflating his salary). For the sake of Antony who needs a permanent job to prove to his lover’s father that he can provide a secure future. For the sake of Antony who is growing disillusioned with ability.   

In between there are smaller investigations — like the couple whose wife’s face was pasted on a pornographic clip sailing through the gurgling circulatory system of the internet, like the old man who gave an OTP to a stranger and lost 60,000, like an old lady who lost her debit card on which she also wrote her pin, like the young guy who wrote on Instagram that he and his mother would be away in Goa while someone licked his house clean of valuables. There are strange moments of comedy — an old man has a password 123456, and in a few scenes we have a young boy’s password as motherfucker123. If the generation gap is anything, it is this.   

In between these smaller investigations and the buddy-story, the movie plots along, with each new investigation feeling like part of an anthology, with seemingly very little except for the main players connecting them. Even so, the film has an emotional continuity that doesn’t let the long-running time feel too heavy, or the disparateness of the story feel unwieldy.   

Operation Java, though, isn’t the smartest thriller around. The clues that help crack a case come as intuitions as Facebook results are scrolling, or as an arbitrary photo’s blurred background is investigated. It certainly isn’t the kind of thriller that you could crack as a viewer because often the main culprit is introduced with the crime — there is little lead up or let down. In that sense, this film flouts the thriller genre spectacularly, like a Jagga Jasoos but more rooted. (Despite Zee5’s spectacularly inadequate subtitling, where T. Nagar becomes Tea Nagar, and songs remain unsubtitled.)

With a lot of Malayalam cinema, at least the ones rooted so deeply in the world they represent, it takes a few minutes, maybe more, to settle in. They throw you as a viewer into a situation in the same, if not similar way they throw a character into a situation — without priming or providing too much. It can get a little overwhelming as details are spewed with an alarming casualness — you don’t know which detail will develop into the story and while will be left by the wayside. You’re just there for the ride.   

Rating: 4 (out of 5 stars)

Find us on YouTube

Related Stories

'Bigg Boss' fame Nimrit Kaur passes on her role in 'Love Sex Aur Dhokha 2' due to explicit scenes: Report

Crew: Singer Badshah drops teaser of his collaboration with Diljit Dosanjh from Kareena Kapoor, Tabu, Kriti Sanon's comedy

Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant's Pre-Wedding Festivities: Saif Ali Khan-Kareena Kapoor, Ranveer Singh-Deepika Padukone exude royalty for the 'Desi Romance' theme

WATCH: Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan dance on 'Naatu Naatu' at Anant Ambani-Radhika Merchant's pre-wedding festivities

Thanks For Rating

Reminder successfully set, select a city.

• Nashik Times
• Aurangabad Times
• Badlapur Times

You can change your city from here. We serve personalized stories based on the selected city

• Edit Profile
• Briefs Movies TV Web Series Lifestyle Trending Medithon Visual Stories Music Events Videos Theatre Photos Gaming

Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant 2nd Pre Wedding LIVE Updates: Take an inside look at the luxurious cruise

Mr and Mrs Mahi Movie review and release LIVE Updates: Janhvi and Rajkummar shine in this slice of life!

Movie review: Mr. & Mrs. Mahi - 3.5/5

Are Arjun Kapoor and Malaika Arora separating? Here's the whole truth: Exclusive

Janhvi Kapoor REACTS to trolls mocking her shoulder injury

Khushi Kapoor slays Gen-Z fashion as she raises the glam bar in a little black dress

• Movie Reviews

Movie Listings

Chhota Bheem And The C...

Mr. & Mrs. Mahi

Barah x Barah

Marriage.com

Boonie Bears: Mumma Ki...

Tamannaah Bhatia's elegant fashion sense in chic summer sarees

Anjali Embraces the Beauty of Womanhood in Stylish Saree Looks

Kajal Raghwani's pics in western outfit

Madhuri Dixit Nene's Dreamy Looks

​Shriya Saran sets new style standards in traditional attire ​

Happy Birthday Sobhitha Dhulipala! Some dazzling clicks of the actress

Shakira, Katy Perry, Beyonce: Here’s what stars charged for Ambani’s wedding festivities

Samyuktha mesmerizes with captivating pictures

Deverakonda Brothers: A glimpse into the bond between Vijay and Anand Deverakonda

Chhota Bheem And The Cu...

House Of Lies

Kartam Bhugtam

Pyar Ke Do Naam

WOMB: Women Of My Billi...

Fast Charlie

The Strangers: Chapter ...

The Beach Boys

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

Thelma The Unicorn

The Three Musketeers - ...

The Garfield Movie

Bujji At Anupatti

Pagalariyaan

Konjam Pesinaal Yenna

Padikkadha Pakkangal

Inga Naan Thaan Kingu

Gangs Of Godavari

Aa Okkati Adakku

Prasanna Vadanam

Paarijatha Parvam

Inti Number 13

Family Star

Avatara Purusha 2

Chow Chow Bath

Hide And Seek

Somu Sound Engineer

Nayan Rahasya

Bonbibi: Widows Of The ...

Pariah Volume 1: Every ...

Shri Swapankumarer Bada...

Shinda Shinda No Papa

Sarabha: Cry For Freedo...

Zindagi Zindabaad

Maujaan Hi Maujaan

Chidiyan Da Chamba

White Punjab

Any How Mitti Pao

Gaddi Jaandi Ae Chalaan...

Buhe Bariyan

Swargandharva Sudhir Ph...

Naach Ga Ghuma

Juna Furniture

Alibaba Aani Chalishita...

Aata Vel Zaali

Shivrayancha Chhava

Devra Pe Manva Dole

Dil Ta Pagal Hola

Ittaa Kittaa

Jaishree Krishh

Bushirt T-shirt

Shubh Yatra

• Operation Java

Your Rating

Write a review (optional).

• Movie Reviews /
• Malayalam /

Operation Java U

Would you like to review this movie?

Cast & Crew

Operation Java Movie Review : A thrilling take on cybercrime

• Times Of India

Operation Java - Official Trailer

Operation Java - Official Teaser

Operation Java | Song - Iruvazhiye

Users' Reviews

Refrain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or inflammatory, and do not indulge in personal attacks, name calling or inciting hatred against any community. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by marking them offensive . Let's work together to keep the conversation civil.

nnhoj 1109 days ago

Superb movie hats off everyone excellent and did their role nicely. Good efforts good film.

Nithin Raj 1111 days ago

One of best thriller movie from Mollywood. And the direction is superb .

LifeAsTraveller 1182 days ago

Sargam Shaheer 1197 days ago

Congratulations irshad ka<br/>

Congratulations irshad alika Super Scene film Thrissur nejodu attaduthathu irshad Anna nadanilannu all the best Irshadka ����❤️��

Visual Stories

Entertainment

10 stunning space images captured by NASA's telescope

​10 rare bird species you might not know ​

10 amazing drinks that can be made with Lychee

10 British classics everyone should read at least once

Rupali Ganguly’s top 10 ethnic looks

10 things you need to create the perfect terrace garden

8 theme parks in the world to take your kids to this summer vacation

How to make No Bread Sandwich at home

News - Operation Java

Tharun Moorthy on directing Mohanlal for ‘L360’: It fil...

L360: Mohanlal shares pictures with 'Operation Java' di...

Tharun Moorthy expresses excitement as the screenplays ...

‘Operation Java’ fame Unni Rajan takes up scavenger job...

Asif Ali to team up with Mamta Mohandas for ‘Maheshum M...

Tharun Moorthy’s ‘Saudi Vellakka’ shoot wraps up

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Get reviews of the latest theatrical releases every week, right in your inbox every Friday.

Thanks for subscribing.

Please Click Here to subscribe other newsletters that may interest you, and you'll always find stories you want to read in your inbox.

Popular Movie Reviews

CID Ramachandran Retd. SI

Guruvayoorambala Nadayil

Sureshanteyum Sumalathayudeyum...

Manjummel Boys

Letterboxd — Your life in film

Forgotten username or password ?

• Start a new list…
• Add all films to a list…
• Add all films to watchlist

Add to your films…

Press Tab to complete, Enter to create

A moderator has locked this field.

Add to lists

Where to watch

Operation java, ഓപ്പറേഷൻ ജാവ.

Directed by Tharun Moorthy

B. Tech graduates Antony and Vinay Dasan are talented, but unemployed. That changes, however, when they approach the cyber cell with a new perspective to a film piracy case.

Balu Varghese Lukman Avaran Binu Pappu Irshad Ali Shine Tom Chacko Prasanth Alexander Mamitha Baiju Vinitha Koshy Vinayakan Dhanya Ananya Johny Antony P Balachandran Mathew Thomas Althaf Salim Sminu Sijo N. P. Nisa Shiny Sarah Dinesh Prabhakar Rithu Manthra

Director Director

Tharun Moorthy

Co-Director Co-Director

Sudhi Maddison

Writer Writer

Casting casting.

Abu Valayamkulam

Editor Editor

Nishad Yousef

Cinematography Cinematography

Faiz Siddik

Production Design Production Design

Dundhu Renjeev

Stunts Stunts

Jolly Bastian

Composer Composer

Jakes Bejoy

Makeup Makeup

Ranjith Manaliparambil

V Cinemas International

Thriller Crime

Releases by Date

12 feb 2021, releases by country.

• Theatrical UA

146 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by cyril 4

🤔 This 😎 film 🎥 is 😘 dedicated 😳 to 🥵 all 🤷😍 temporary/contract/daily 😩 wage 🤑 workers 😨

To 🤌 be 🤟 continued 👍

Review by Athulkishan 2

I pirated this movie.

Review by oru_dude 1

Mass cool sequencesum emotional pointers score cheyunedyil padam enthaanen maranu poyo ennoru samsyam but ' Cinema entertainment ine vendiya' en enne ee cinema ormapeduthi.

Why does this movie pretend like it gives two shits about the 3 news reports it shows in the end of the movie if it can't even bother to go beyond 'look. This exists. Here's the emotional response you should have to this.'

Review by Akshay Kannan ★★★★ 2

For a debut director to make a movie this cinematic and captivating is really appreciable. This film has it's shortcomings, while the investigation scenes were very well executed and felt fresh but the scenes in between felt underwritten.The background score too helped in elevating the mood.

Review by prtk j ★★★½ 3

Mad respect for the team for bringing out the film the way it is without the help of any "star" cast or any sort of that "big budget" stuff.

Review by chive ★★½

what this movie was trying to be i will never understand ചുമ്മാ കൊറേ പ്രശ്നങ്ങൾ വാരിക്കൂട്ടി അവിയൽ ഉണ്ടാക്കി അവസാനം "society" continue ചെയ്യരുത് പ്ലീസ്

Review by Ashwani Kumar ★★½ 2

Not even half as good as people are making it out to be. Totally incoherent film which would mimic Crime Patrol if you segregate the episodes and make a miniseries out of it. Not mentioning Crime Patrol in an insulting way. The majority of Crime Patrol episodes were well made at least and some were actually great. But they could never extract any form of emotional investment from the audience. The best they did was to thrill for the runtime and shock in between. This is no different. Technically sound and competent but not worth caring for. All you get is a warning and ofc, fuelling of your fear for delivery partners, postmen, doodhwaala, and any other blue-collar worker who…

Review by 𝗡 𝗜 𝗞 𝗛 𝗜 𝗟 🍿 ★★★½ 6

Operation Java is a highly engaging cyber thriller with shockingly terrific clarity of execution from the debut director Tharun Moorthy. The movie deals with three major cases dealt by the Kochi cyber cell in the years 2015-16 and is based on true events. 

This is a film which does not treat it’s characters like heroes or villains. The screenplay is the hero and kept me interested and involved for almost every second of it’s duration. All the actors are treated like normal characters in the script. This film has won half the battle at the writing stage itself. There is tremendous scope for edge of the seat moments and suspense and it has all been translated efficiently on to the…

Review by rahul ranjan ★★★ 2

Operation Java's both strength and weakness is its episodic nature of screenplay.

Strength because with each episode the stakes keep getting higher hence the intensity of thrill multiplies and you're consistently on the edge.

Weakness because, at the end its a film and those episodes need a thread to tie the narrative for a film, and here that thread is pretty weak. The writing of inbetween moments of the investigation is where the film looses its steam. Infact some of the subplots aren't tied very well.

Also all the episodes are investigative but not contemplative, it doesn't allow audience to participate in the investigation - crime happens and it gets solved by the heroes (Cyber cell in this case). The…

Review by Arun George ★★★

- Jakes Bejoy's background score is kickass - Better-than-expected craft in staging episodes by debut director Tharun Moorthy - Bringing the predicament of temp workers and interns to light - Earnest performances from the ensemble

- Problematic portrayal of most women characters (either two-timing, seeking greener pastures, or silent victims) - The connective tissue between each crime episode lacks finesse - A film on cybercrime should focus on white-collar criminals too

Verdict: Action Hero Biju 2.0 - The CyberCrime Edition - Watchable throughout!

Review by NimmUwU ★★★½

Wow this was surprisingly good, didn't expect that. I really wished someone would punch that police officer basheer I liked one of the tweets at the begining of the movie, idk if intentional or not

kurea perude kashtapadum aduvanavumaya cinema engane nashipikan toni ente laletta?

Review by gokul. ★★★½ 1

‘ Action Hero Biju ’ type beat from the cyber-cell’s pov.

good stuff with solid performances.

ngl i thought it could’ve been good material for a mini-series or something...

Select your preferred poster

• ENGLISH HINDI MALAYALAM TAMIL TELUGU KANNADA BENGALI  

Operation Java Malayalam Movie

Balu Varghese and Lukman Lukku play interns of the cyber crime cell in director Tharun Moorthty's debut film 'Operation Java'. Similar to Abrid Shine's Action Hero Biju, this film has an episodic narrative where the protagonists hop from one case to the other while impacting people's lives. They hardly stop to pause and reflect on their lives in the process.

In a milieu so distant from the 1980s, Operation Java also reminds you of the Mohanlal and Sreenivasan-starrer Nadodikkattu. Remember that Sathyan Anthikad film where a jobless Dasan (Mohanlal) tells a police officer that he and Vijayan (Sreenivasan) are ready to do anything for a living?

The plight of the protagonists in Operation Java is not too different; only, here, the two solve cases with their investigation skills rather than sheer luck. They are willing to be part of the crime cell even if it is on a temporary basis and for a low salary. Their initial jobless status makes them a target of jokes among their loved ones and even their future superiors. That condescending behavior from their seniors happens despite them joining the force and making a name for themselves.

As they go on a spree of investigations, you may feel that there is no common thread in this film that connects the dots, so to speak. But there is an overarching theme here about the transient nature of the main characters' lives. Every case they monitor here comes and goes so quickly, whether it is about the pirated print of Alphonse Puthren's Premam or a medical fraud scheme. Add to that the fact that the two main characters have temporary roles in the cyber cell, and then you would get the point of the film.

The first half of the film is very entertaining. The narrative never sags in those portions, unlike in the latter parts. The choices of the actors for the cop characters here are all excellent. The quietly brilliant Irshad, the dynamite that is Prashanth, and the sheer force that is Binu Pappu - they are excellent in small yet significant roles. In many parts, Pappu's and Prashanth's mere presences alone are enough to infuse some life into the proceedings. I like the bit where Pappu's character gives Balu Varghese's character a pearl of life wisdom here; it is nicely well woven into the film.

Balu Varghese and Lukman Lukku are competent actors appropriately cast for their roles. Even in a single scene, Vinayakan again shows how good an actor he is. The actor is to this film what Suraj Venjaramoodu was to Action Hero Biju.

Sorry for not naming the characters here. Unfortunately, I cannot remember their names, and the internet is not helping me in this regard.

But there are problem parts in the film. For a film like this to work in the best way, the writing for the central characters has to be good. There should be something more in them that helps us understand what they are like as people. This is where the movie disappoints. There is an unnecessary romance track that overstays its welcome.

I thought the number of cases here is one too many. Instead of those mini-adventures, the writers should have focused more on building the main characters. Nevertheless, the writers treat the investigative aspects of the characters with realism and some dignity. For example, there are no scenes of them giving high fives or punching the air in delight when at work. That is for a cinematic movie. This is a realistic film that shows police procedural as routine work.

Some might wonder why the third act of the film feels like it is the start or the middle point. I also wondered why that is the case, but soon we realize that the pointlessness here is also the point.