HIT Movie Review: Vishwak Sen's investigative thriller is a hit

Every now and then, directors claim that their films (thrillers) will hold everyone's attention from start to finish. Seldom does a film achieve the feat? While a few films get somewhere close to that mark, many films fail big time in ticking what they intended to. That is where it becomes hard to believe that HIT is director Sailesh Kolanu's debut film. With HIT, the director has hit the bull's eye. Well, almost!

Vikram (Vishwak Sen) is an effective and intelligent investigative officer who is struggling to deal with post-traumatic stress. He gets panic attacks whenever he's reminded of his past. He takes a special interest in a case involving the abduction of an 18-year-old Preethi, and while doing so, the memories of his past are triggered.

HIT (Homicide Intervention Team) is a perfect example of when a brilliant script meets the best of cast and technicians. Right from the word go, the film holds you by the shoulder and grabs your attention. The film doesn't waste time establishing characters. It delves right into the story. And the tension in finding the whereabouts of Preethi makes the audience equally curious about the case.

Director Sailesh Kolanu's HIT works well with the audience majorly because of its attention to detail and its inventiveness. The film doesn't masquerade as an investigative thriller and gives the viewer a rundown of a case. You get to know how a lie-detector and narco tests are carried out. The film gives you an accurate portrayal of an investigation and pulls you into it.

The filmmaker should also be appreciated for showing his hero Vishwak Sen as a human being. He is not the usual 'hero' who gets everything right from the moment he jumps into the case. Here, Vikram struggles personally and also finds himself in a helpless position when the clues are not concrete. And the use of fire to describe Vikram's emotions adds a brilliant touch to this well-executed film.

Vishwak Sen's measured portrayal of Vikram is the soul of HIT. He is completely in his element and doesn't display his emotions at the drop of a hat. And that's exactly what you expect out of a police officer. Ruhani Sharma made a cracker of a debut with Chi La Sow. In HIT, she has limited screen presence but makes the most of it.

HIT is one of the few films which keeps you guessing till the end. The only drawback of the film is its climax. Though the story perfectly connects all the dots, it is still underwhelming when the big reveal happens. That's the only grouse in an otherwise perfect film.

Right from the grim colors used in frames throughout the film to the near-perfect art direction, HIT gets everything right. Editor Garry BH's work is impeccable. He keeps the pacing of the film just right. Vivek Sagar's background score is what the film needed.