The unforgiving, perilous mangrove forest, treacherous rivers and canals, blood-curdling tigers, demonic pirates and brave law enforcement agency members - all the elements of a good thriller film.
Operation Sundarbans has been one of the most anticipated films in recent times, and the occupancy rate of the cinema halls has been quite satisfactory so far.
Dipankar Dipon has presented another good cop thriller after Dhaka Attack, which is much better than his previous venture. Making a sleek, no-nonsense cop thriller without making it over-the-top or caricaturish is quite a daunting task, and he has managed to do so.
RAB Welfare Cooperative Society Limited has produced the film. The film does not lack in the talent section, flaunting the likes of Siam, Riaz, Nusraat Faria, Raisul Ahmed Asad, Shatabdi Wadud, Roshan, Darshana Banik, Rownak Hasan, Taskeen Rahman, Manoj Kumar Pramanik, Arman Parvez Murad among others.
The film's storyline has been inspired by real-life events, keeping the plot grounded in reality. Sundarbans have been presented in their full regal glory - uncharted, dignified, minacious.
The plot is simple, and the subplots never hinder the story's pace except in a few places and are neatly tied in the end. The screenwriter Atikur Rahman has done a fabulous job, while the dialogues written by Ziaur Rahman Bidyut never feel out of place.
The editing is done nicely, and there is also no hastiness on the technical side. The background score has hit its mark in creating necessary environments in the plot, but the romantic songs could have been placed better. The romance has not been fully fleshed out, and it remains underutilised.
The fight choreography has been absolutely top-notch for its realism and authenticity. The characters have been saved thanks to the plot armour in some places, but overall, the action sequences hold water.
And the ending twist is a genuine surprise, and the climax has been developed masterfully. Even though the climax required more tension and finesse, it was a fresh twist.
Siam is getting into the skin of uniform-wearing roles, so much so that he has shown a natural swagger as a commando in this film. Ziaul Roshan has also done his part well. However, Riaz, a well-established actor, has failed to grasp his role completely. He seems like delivering a speech while talking, and his high-tone, loud mannerisms add little to his merits in this film.
Nusrat Faria has captivated the audience with her glamour, and her role in the film has been quite developed. Darshana Banik's performance has been rather one-directional, and she is outshined by Tuya Chakrabarty, who has presented a bold performance.
Manoj Kumar Pramanik has the most interesting subplot, but his character has not been developed well. Shatabdi Wadud is a typical antagonist, albeit with a much murderous aura. Taskeen Rahman has nailed his role nicely, but he has been typecasted as the same character in his last ventures, so it was a big giveaway.
The film is not an extraordinary film, on the contrary, it would feel like over-glorifying the RAB. However, it is indeed an entertaining two and a half hours.
Films like Operation Sundarban are mostly the paisa wasool films that the audience would not regret watching, nor would they be overwhelmed. All in all, it has been a time well-spent.
