Commando Season 1 Review : The story falters, but the action continues!

Story: When the top-secret covert mission in Pakistan goes awry, Commando Virat (Prem Parija) formulates a rescue operation to safeguard both his country and another commando-cum-his best friend Kshitij (Vaibhav Tatwawadi), who is apprehended in Pakistan. Will he be able to carry out his plan?

Review: Created and directed by Vipul Amrutlal Shah, who also produced the 'Commando' franchise (starring Vidyut Jammwal), this show is essentially an expansion of the tale from ‘Commando 3’ (2019). The violence in the series, like in these films, is brutal as it will take some nerve to see those scenes. But this series is nothing more than the reboot of a popular film franchise with some new faces.

‘Commando’ uses cliché tropes that action thrillers with such subjects usually do, like the hero making a grand entry and single-handedly bashing all the baddies. The drama has a lot of well-choreographed action sequences, but the story takes time to gather momentum. The basic plotline of one brave commando saving one of his own and the nation from the terror attacks has been seen in multiple films, and this four-part series with 35-45 minutes of content offers nothing new.

The fact that everything works in favor of the protagonist, who is on a quest to save his friend, seems unconvincing. Additionally, the subplots and stories of secondary characters (Shreya Chaudhry, Manini, Chadha) might have been expanded further to strengthen the overall narrative.

What works in favour of the series stays true to its core—it delivers heavy-duty action, with raw hand-to-hand combat and gunfights. Prem as Commando Virat scores on every action scene with his slick kicks and punches, however, he lacks finesse when compared with OG Commando Vidyut. Adah Sharma who returns as Bhavna Reddy, too, packs a punch in this hardcore action series. Adah continues to speak in her strange dialect, which is annoying, but she appears charming on-screen. Vaibhav Tatwawadi plays Kshitij convincingly, and one feels his suffering when he is cruelly tortured in jail.

Tigmanshu Dhulia and Amit Sial have both previously impressed with their performances, but they don't quite match the menacing characters of RAW chief Bakshi and Colonel Jaffer, respectively. Unfortunately, these characters are so one-dimensional and formulaic that there isn't much to keep you interested.

Despite its flaws, the 'Commando' series has enough to entertain action buffs and the climax of the show is a standout moment, leaving viewers curious and eager for a possible next season.