Test

The film reflects its titular sporting format - lengthy, occasionally rewarding, but lacking the consistent dynamism needed to sustain interest across its duration.

This Netflix movie dives deep into the thrilling world of cricket and how stressful this game can be. I won’t say that the film is flawless or a masterpiece as compared to the movies and series shown on Netflix, but with it's appealing cast, it truly deserves every bit of your time.

R Madhavan, Siddharth and Nayanthara are match-winners, but the story fails to clear the ropes.

What we're left with it, as we near the last day of the Test match, is a set of fascinating characters that deserved better writing, and a film in which they are allowed to move the plot — instead of remaining slaves to the plot itself.

Test unfortunately takes this observation to heart, descending into an avoidable 145-minute heap of repetitive and overstretched storytelling during which several people get slapped about. The film is an exercise in ethics, examining the wisdom of the choices made by Arjun, Sarvanan and Kumudha, but the overwritten film introduces plot turns that make it feel ungainly.

Sashikanth's directorial debut is a competent showcase of his abilities as a director. At a time when films largely rely on curveballs and subversions to keep the audiences gripped, Test refuses to become a T20 and prioritises character over plot. What plays spoilsport to such a smooth-sailing film is its cop-out final act, where intricate knots are conveniently and hurriedly dealt with.