Genius begins with a botched mission in Porbandar that leaves RAW special agent Vasudev aka Vasu Shastri (Utkarsh Sharma) crippled. But, the man still has patriotism running in his veins, so much so that he even chases a speeding convoy on a bicycle with a limping foot to correct an upside down tricolor on a politician's car. After being labelled 'incompetent' by his seniors, Vasu decides to take the matter in his own hands and complete his unfinished mission.
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Utkarsh Sharma's launch pad turns out to be a damp squib with its messy plot. The young lad's shoulders ain't sturdy enough to carry the burden of this mess. Right from solving a Ribik cube to deactivating a bomb to chanting vedic mantras and pumping bullets, he does every act! Ishika Chauhan adds just to the glam quotient. It's disheartening to watch a talent like Nawazuddin Siddiqui hamming to his fullest. The actor looks as confused as the audience. Mithun Chakraborty and Ayesha Jhulka suffer from underwritten roles.
While Anil Sharma's Genius may sound thrilling on paper, it is reduced to mockery when translated on screen. Remember how Abbas-Mustan went wrong with 'Machine'? Anil's latest directorial venture too falls in the same trap. The plot is devoid of logic and the screenplay wobbles throughout the film. The director tries to pack in too many elements in this potboiler. But, none of them strike a chord. The over-the-top dialogues add more to the mess. Thankfully, when the acting and direction fails, the picturesque locations are at least appealing to the eyes. Genius has some good music but the songs have been misplaced and act merely as fillers.
What’s Good: There are several exotic locations in the film that will leave you amazed.
What’s Bad: The film’s plotline has been stretched unnecessarily. There is nothing novel in the film’s theme.
Final Verdict: Nothing much will be missed if you decide to skip this film.