Spark The Life, hitting theaters on November 17, 2023, falls short of expectations, earning a modest 2.5/5 rating on Piktalk.com. Directed by Vikranth Reddy and produced by Leela Reddy, the film stars Vikrant, Mehreen Pirzada, Rukshar Dhillon, Guru Somasundaram, Nasser, Vennela Kishore, Suhasini Maniratnam, Brahmaji, Srikanth Iyyengar, among others.
Vikrant, who also pens the story and screenplay, plays Arya, who catches the eye of Lekha (Mehreen Pirzada). However, a series of suicides and mysterious deaths create suspicion around Arya. The film attempts to blend suspense, romance, comedy, and action, but its over-ambitious approach results in a disjointed narrative.
Positives include high production values, grand visuals, and commendable performances by debutant Vikrant, Mehreen Pirzada, and Rukshar Dhillon. Vennela Kishore and Satya inject humor at intervals, and Guru Somasundaram delivers a solid performance, despite dubbing concerns. The latter part of the movie offers some redeeming scenes.
However, Spark falters in its attempt to encompass various genres, becoming a mishmash that dilutes its potential as a solid crime thriller. The film’s extensive runtime of nearly 3 hours tests audience patience, with the introduction of multiple subplots and twists that are predictably foreseeable.
Technical aspects receive mixed reviews, with praise for Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music and A R Ashok Kumar’s cinematography, while criticism is directed at the editing for elongating the movie unnecessarily. Despite exquisite production values, the execution lacks the necessary finesse, making the inexperience evident in several scenes.
In summary, Spark had the ingredients to be a compelling thriller, but its execution falls short. Lead actors perform adequately, and the second half provides occasional highlights. However, the unnecessarily protracted runtime hampers the overall viewing experience, resulting in a less than satisfactory outcome.