Bagheera

Bagheera is unabashedly inspired by countless Hollywood superhero flicks, especially Batman, and yet, Dr Suri's deft handling [of the material shows skill in crafting a grounded origin story that works on its own terms].

Srii Murali with his jaw-dropping physique is restrained in his performance throughout the film. Rukmini Vasanth, who plays a doctor, is introduced as a strong woman, but her character is reduced to just romantic moments.

The story of Bagheera, penned by Prashanth Neel, begins with the capture of the film's central character, Bagheera—a fearless vigilante committed to delivering justice to the city's most dangerous criminals. Set against the gritty backdrop of Mangaluru, the film also introduces us to Vedanth, a young boy whose dream of becoming a superhero is inspired by comic book legends like Superman.

In this vigilante action drama, there are brilliant concepts and ideas, but the execution needed more work to make it feel "super."

Sriimurali shines in a superhero tale with spectacular action and genuine emotion

Technically, the film is pretty sound and the cinematography by AJ Shetty and the music by B Ajaneesh Loknath are good but not outstanding, which is what is expected from a superhero film to elevate those key moments.