‘Eleven’ Movie Review | Naveen Chandra anchors a familiar story with a gripping finish

Tamil cinema has seen a wave of serial killer investigation stories in recent years, but one film that truly raised the bar was 'Ratsasan', starring Vishnu Vishal. If you loved Ratsasan, 'Eleven', directed by Lokkesh Ajls and headlined by Naveen Chandra, is worth a watch, even if it doesn’t quite match the former’s brilliance.

At first glance, Eleven feels like familiar territory. The film opens with the investigation of a series of gruesome murders, and we meet Assistant Police Commissioner Aravindan (Naveen Chandra), a composed yet relentless officer assigned to crack the case. With his loyal aide Manohar by his side, Aravindan starts connecting the dots, only to uncover a disturbing pattern: each victim is one half of a pair of twins. This revelation steers the investigation into chilling psychological territory, hinting that the killer’s motives are deeply personal and tied to a dark past.

What truly works in Eleven is the way it keeps you engaged until the very last moment. Just when you think you’ve pieced together the puzzle, the story throws in an unexpected turn, upending your theories. The narrative is peppered with cleverly placed decoy characters and misleading subplots that constantly divert your attention, ensuring that the mystery never feels straightforward. The third act in particular is gripping, with high stakes confrontations and revelations that elevate the film beyond its otherwise conventional structure. The background score intensifies these sequences, making the final stretch genuinely tense.

However, Eleven also stumbles in several ways. The most obvious flaw is how overused and rehashed the core plot feels. Audiences have seen their fair share of cat and mouse thrillers, and while 'Eleven' tries to join that league, it rarely feels fresh. Instead of building tighter storytelling or exploring new angles, the film spends a little too much time glorifying Aravindan’s persona, his swagger, his cigars, the repeated slow motion entries, and the dramatic background music meant to establish his authority. After a point, these elements feel indulgent rather than purposeful.

Naveen Chandra, to his credit, delivers a solid performance as Aravindan. He brings a quiet intensity to the role, portraying a cop who relies on sharp instincts rather than brute force. He never overplays his hand, which makes the character more believable and watchable. Actor producer Reyaa appears as Sanjana, a woman drawn to Aravindan, but their romantic track feels shoehorned in. The chemistry is underwhelming, and the placement of the song sequences interrupts the otherwise dark tone of the film, making you momentarily wonder if you’ve stepped into a different movie altogether.

There are also noticeable writing inconsistencies, certain clues seem to appear out of thin air, and a few twists feel far too convenient. These issues don’t completely derail the film but do make parts of it less convincing.
In the end, 'Eleven' is a flawed yet engaging thriller. It may not redefine the genre, but its gripping final act and strong central performance make it worth a watch if you enjoy dark, investigative dramas.
The movie is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.