Silence 2 Movie Review: The first Silence film, starring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead, emerged on OTT platforms during the second phase of COVID-19. The specifics of that movie now seem hazy to me, though I doubt it’s due to my advancing age. It was a rather forgettable whodunnit, its only claim to fame being the formidable presence of Manoj Bajpayee. Now, we have a sequel (did anyone actually request this?), Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout, which treads a similar path – an average murder thriller that owes much of its appeal to the inclusion of Manoj Bajpayee. Silence – Can You Hear It Movie Review: Manoj Bajpayee Takes the Charge in This Engaging if Predictable Murder Mystery.
Bajpayee reprises his role as ACP Avinash Verma IPS, heading the Special Crime Unit (SCU), alongside dedicated team members portrayed by Prachi Desai, Sahil Vaid, and Vaquar Shaikh. Their latest assignment involves investigating a deadly shootout at a bar named Night Owl, leaving nearly all patrons dead, including the secretary of a minister. As their inquiry progresses, Avinash discovers that the killer’s target was a single individual, with the other deaths mere collateral damage. This revelation leads them to uncover a dangerous human trafficking ring, implicating minor victims and its mysterious kingpin, who could be the killer.
Watch the Trailer of Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout:
Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout is written and directed by Aban Bharucha Deohans. The movie strives to be a whodunit, laden with glaring red herrings and a killer reveal near the end that might not surprise once the obvious candidate is ruled out. I mean, if you want your viewer to keep guessing, don’t cast a popular face in a role that offers little until the very end. Alternatively, ensure the supporting cast is also filled with recognisable faces so that the prominent one doesn’t stand out.
A Still From Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout
The trafficking subplot allows Bajpayee to showcase his angry side more frequently, even creating some rather farcical situations to provoke his character’s ire. Like when he and his team arrive at a grisly murder scene only to find a constable playing with a doll. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai Movie Review: A Brilliant Manoj Bajpayee Leads This Effective Courtroom Drama With Panache!
A Still From Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout
There are numerous twists, turns, and mishaps in the case to maintain the mystery, but the execution of the entire affair feels akin to an extended crossover between CID and Crime Patrol. The writing lacks the ingenuity and cleverness to genuinely engage, with some particularly glaring loopholes and illogical contrivances. The killer is portrayed as highly intelligent, yet they are depicted using an aide to be present at the bar shootout, despite the aide potentially leading the cops to them. This decision by the writers seemed like a contrived attempt to conclude an already overstretched mystery that deserves many, many minutes of trimming.
The climax is particularly vexing, especially after the film reveals the killer’s identity and their frustratingly irrational motivations. The lazy manner in which the film wraps up the killer’s plot only adds to the sequel’s overflowing bucket of woes.
A Still From Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout
While Manoj Bajpayee dependently leads the pack and Desai, Vaid, and Shaikh also deliver their roles competently, the supporting cast’s performances fall short.
Final Thoughts on Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout
Like its predecessor, Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout is another forgettable murder mystery brought down by its ordinary making, some okayish performances and a writing that needed more smarts to feel convincing. It is too much to ask for Manoj Bajpayee to save the show every damn time. Silence 2: The Night Owl Bar Shootout is streaming on Zee5.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 16, 2024 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
