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Uri: The Surgical Strike backdrop

Uri: The Surgical Strike

11 January 2019English2h 18m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 21 scored reviews · 3 not rated

Kaushal shines in a technically sharp war film let down by thin writing.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Vicky Kaushal's central performance
  • Criticised: Weak screenplay and genre tropes

Audience

User score 8.1 out of 10 from 11 ratings, Exceptional
Read 6 audience reviews ↓

Critic consensus

What 24 critics are saying

Critical reception for Uri: The Surgical Strike was broadly positive, with the majority of reviewers finding it an engaging and competently made war drama. Vicky Kaushal's performance drew near-universal praise, and many critics highlighted the film's action sequences, sound design, and technical craftsmanship as particular strengths. Common criticisms included a weak screenplay, reliance on Bollywood genre tropes, and for some, an overall soullessness or lack of dramatic depth that undercut its ambitions. Several critics also noted the film's overt political framing, particularly its sympathetic portrayal of the sitting Prime Minister.

How the 21 scores spread

3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 24 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (24)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Top critic

    Film Companion

    Film review ·

    An Unabashed Love Letter To The Indian Army...The dance between a realistic terrorist drama and rousing action thriller proves to be too much
  2. Top critic

    Hindustan Times

    Film review ·

    Vicky Kaushal leads an efficient but unimpressive attack. They may well have titled this film based on 2016 Surgical Strikes the Call Of Desi Duty.
  3. Top critic

    Indian Express

    Film review ·

    The movie on the whole keeps you watching despite some clunky passages. It's always good to have movies in which the soldiers look real, even if the action is buoyed by such dialogues as 'unhe Kashmir chaihye, humein unka sar'.
  4. Top critic

    NDTV

    Film review ·

    Vicky Kaushal plays a steady hand and delivers the goods to an extent that, at times, seems wasted on it
  5. Sify

    Film review ·

    Uri is a work of many achievements. But to me, a film about national pride without a single shot of the Indian flag is the biggest miracle since the invention of the motionpicture camera. This is a glorious beginning to 2019. And if patriotism is the flavour of the year, bring it on, provided it's not about Paki-bashing. Just getting even.
  6. Bollywood Life

    Film review ·

    If you loved watching movies like Border and L.O.C: Kargil, Uri: The Surgical Attack is a film for you. It will make you laugh and cry, and you'll walk out of the theatre feeling proud of the soldiers, both on and off the screen.
  7. Deccan Chronicle

    Film review ·

    URI is edge-of-your-seat ride through recent history featuring Vicky Kaushal's competent performance at its centre.
  8. FilmiBeat

    Film review ·

    Keeping all the debatable aspects aside, Uri manages to make your heart swell with pride for the armed forces who are always ready to sacrifice their lives for the nation.
  9. Firstpost

    Film review ·

    What Dhar squanders on the screenplay, he makes up for in the details. Stefan Richter's carefully designed and executed action scenes, Sashwat Sachdev's thunderous background score, sound mix, sound design and special effects simulate authenticity. As far as war dramas go, Uri: The Surgical Strike is a confidently made film that comes out guns blazing. And when the guns are not blazing, Kaushal certainly is.
  10. IndiaTvNews

    Film review ·

    Produced by Ronnie Secrewvala, this war-drama flings acceptable reasons to watch it -from star performances to the action sequences. A few people in the bunch of movie-goers will give a thumbs up to the film for its honest making!
  11. KoiMoi

    Film review ·

    ...a story of courage told with utmost honesty. Vicky Kaushal's disciplined performance and the way of balancing tensions, thrills make this a movie you don't want to miss.
  12. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    The soldiers give up their today for our tomorrow and no words can signify or repay the sacrifices they make for our country. Uri puts a spotlight on the thankless job they do with passion in their hearts and fire in their bellies. The film is a fitting tribute to the Indian Army conceptually but cinematically, it's not a film without flaws.
  13. DNA India

    Film review ·

    Watch it for Vicky's honest performance and to get a closer look at what happened on the night of the surgical strike.
  14. IBNLive

    Film review ·

    Uri The Surgical Strike has many exciting moments. Don't be surprised if you hear whistles all around when Indian paratroopers blast terrorist camps inside Pakistan
  15. Masala

    Film review ·

    Director Aditya Dhar manages to launch a striking attack in his debut. Armed with the sturdy Vicky Kaushal, he unveils gun battles, one after another. And you can't help but marvel at the precision with which the sound design and lights enhance the warfare.  No drama. No dialogues. Just the bullets peppering our screens and our emotions.
  16. Mid-Day

    Film review ·

    No better actor to lead this charge than the fully fired-up Vicky Kaushal menacingly calm as a military mind - inspiring his peers, with an infectious energy that is impossible to resist
  17. Rediff

    Film review ·

    Movies, their motives and time of release make me wonder if we'll ever be able to see India as India and not a reflection of its governments
  18. Zee News

    Film review ·

    The edge-of-the-seat suspense will keep the audience hooked till the very end and the power-packed performances make for a good watch.

From our readers

Audience reviews (6)

11 ratings · user score 8.1

  1. Tejas NairJan 2019
    6/10

    Even though I am still wondering the point of Uri, a self-boasting, anti-cantankerous film based on actual events, it did not cross my mind till before the second half when I was honestly enjoying Aditya Dhar's superior craft of war and its storytelling as he gives into the dreamy requirements of every patriotic cinema enthusiast in an action film where Pakistan again plays the bad element for the nth time and Vicky Kaushal moves to the next level of stardom. TN.

  2. Priya RajFeb 2019
    10/10

    Bollywood rarely give us such good quality, goid content movies. How's the josh? Too high!!

  3. 10/10

    URI: THE SURGICAL STRIKE is the first great action movie by Bollywood this year. Stylish guns, cool explosions and a clapworthy execution make this film truly epic by all standards. Vicky Kaushal, please do more such action movies in the future. You've earned a sincere fan. If you're an action buff or/and a viewer who likes real-event movies, this one is a must watch. URI is handled well by Aditya Dhar who balances action and emotion very well. Don't mistake it for a war movie. It's about a surgical strike, which means a military attack carried out with the intention of damaging only a legitimate military target and to prevent a full-blown war. Action is the best thing about the film. If you're a PUBG fan, the nonstop action will definitely impress you. While most of the action involves guns, some fight sequences involving fists will also make a crunchy impact. The director has tried to avoid gore for a major part and thus it's low even in the few parts where it's present. All actors impressed big time. Vicky Kaushal finally did an action movie and didn't disappoint. Paresh Rawal's neat performance is praiseworthy. Yami Gautam and Kirti Kulhari also shine in their strongly written roles. Mohit Raina makes his presence felt. Music, dialogues and cinematography are all top notch. It was after a long time that the multiplex audience cheered throughout and clapped at the end of a movie. I'm one of them too.

  4. 7/10

    Troops of army men cross the walls of Pakistani posts, late night. Major Vihaan Sheirgill gets in a hand-to-hand fight with the Pakistani general. When the war is won in the half-morning dew, you feel true pride for your country. But the sad reality is, you get utterly exhausted once the end credit scenes fade out, as it is too much of the reality mixed with melodrama instead of making you root for a true drama. This RSVP production is based on the true events which happened in Uri town, Jammu & Kashmir state (presently the Union Territory). The surgical strike was the biggest Indian strike by the armed forces in Asia. This is an important story where the nationalistic spirit flowed through our veins. The soaring story roars, and just too loudly, in this over-ambitious film which tries to do too many things- tell an important story, make an electoral comment, pay homage to the army and give an insight into the lives of emotional whirlpools of the captains and majors. But what should have made you feel proud of their tendency to always sacrifice their lives for the motherland, seems a little overdone. The film is also problematically too lengthy. This sucks out all the originality and makes it just another army film made in Bollywood. But it has an admirable starcast which performs effectively- Mohit Raina breathes life in a short performance, and Vicky Kaushal, as always is just terrific as Major Vihaan. Although his ambitions seem too Bollywood in style, Kaushal gives it a flight of substance. Kirti Kulhari is just a rendition as fancy arthouse cast, but she gets most of it right in a terribly underwritten, underrated character. And then, the cinematography too is wonderful. The film is shot majestically and the working conditions of army men have been impeccably shot. The storytelling has its own dimensions which are applaudable and worth the masses to cheer up. But unfortunately, the film needed a little more things to be bucked up. It's 3.5 of 5 for Uri. You can surely watch it as a significant story, and as a full-time it has been delightfully textured and Aditya Dhar has so well made the film that you forget all of its flaws. Forget what I complained about the film. Just go and watch.

  5. 8/10

    ''How's the josh? How's the josh?'' I asked myself while Adjusting my seat after credit started rolling on the screen...and yes..I could hear that it is still high and pumped up...Bollywood latest offering 'Uri' is indeed a decent watch even if it falls short of the intensity at many places... Patriotism and cinema have been together for ages..we could find many movies in the annals of Indian cinema with the war background.Some have potrayed chest thumping nationalism at its best and some others were nuanced and subtle in their approach.Uri in its perspective is a little different in this league or a balanced mixture of both.. What's hot:—— (1)cinematography is top notch here and one of the best in the Indian cinema ever..the use of lighting,camera movements etc are commendable. (2) action choreography -most of the fighting scenes are choreographed so well..scenes involving firing from both the sides are so well as if u feel it is happening in real..there must be some vfx work there but i rarely could figure out anything as such. (3) acting and background score- Vickey kaushal in the lead and Mohit Raina in the first half are amazing..while Vickey is one of the finest actors we have, Mohit's screen presence is as infectious as hell..Vickey kaushal has only 3 proper scenes in the movie (running sequence, war cry scene and and the climax one ) and he completely nails it..he can be the sole reason to watch this movie..supporting cast including yami gautam, paresh rawal(as Ajit dobhal), rajat kapoor (as narendra modi)among others were also good in their characters. (4) This film also showcases the emotional side of an army officer who is also a human being and can shed tears at times..moreover, some dialogues like 'हमारा झगड़ा पाकिस्तान की जनता से नहीं है, वहाँ बेठे आतंकवादियों से है' aptly sums up our stand. (5) Intermission point:: one of the best intermissions after PIKU..surely will give you goosebumps. What's not: loose script : it falters at some points..some of the scenes like strategy making and interrogation ones were not intense and convincing and did not evoke any strong emotion.. So, in all, Uri is finest in the technical department and looses some points here and there in its essence enroute to climax.. if you like action flicks and that too filled with pride and patriotism and don't mind cinematic liberty, this film is for you.u will be thrilled. But those who are expecting 'the hurt locker' and 'zero dark thirty' will miss the intensity here.. P.S: Surgical strike took place or not has been the talk of the town..there is division in the society based on their political inclinations or affiliations..I believe it happened. If u don't..even that is fine..if u are not going to watch this film as u don't believe in it,then I must tell u that it is much more than that, this movie shows the hardship and pain army men go through for the pride of the country.just appreciate that.

Credits

Cast & crew

Cast

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