More than two decades back, director Ram Gopal Varma and Telugu superstar Akkineni Nagarjuna gave us a gritty thriller in Shiva. Even years later, the movie is considered as a cult classic and one of the best works in the career graph of both the actor and the director. So when it was announced that RGV is all set to direct Nagarjuna in his next, Officer, we should have been excited. But we weren't. And that's all because how the quality of Ram Gopal Varma's work has nosedived these days.

It also didn't help that the promos of Officer didn't create enough buzz, and the director's talent of attracting controversy (his online war with Pawan Kalyan) didn't help either. And when the movie finally came out, it has been getting very average reviews. While they have praised Nagarjuna's performance and dedications, they have criticised RGV's direction and a waylaid second half.

Here are some excerpts of the reviews -

Times of India says, "Unfortunately, Ram Gopal Varma's latest film 'Officer' is all action and no substance. There is no thrill and there is no astonishment - there's only boredom. Officer is full of guns, blood and gore but what the film lacks is a good story. The film looks amateurish and the characters seem to be as uninterested in it as the audience watching this film. Officer marks the return of the Nagarjuna-RGV combo but it's a forgettable venture."

Hans India says, "The first half of the movie introduces as a good story and raises the expectations on the second half. But as the film progresses, it entirely comes down and ends as an average movie. A departmental investigation on a bad cop is the engaging element in the movie which has created excitement and curiosity in watching the movie. As the second half starts, the story becomes pointless, and Ram Gopal Varma ruins with his overboard directional skills. On the whole, the film that starts on a good note ended up as a disappointing movie."

Chitramala says, "The film did not have enough story to appeal to the audiences, but the director tried his best in coming up with an exciting cat and rat drama. The storyline is interesting, but as it progresses, there is no scope for further storytelling in the movie. As a result, the second half of the film falls flat and starts testing the patience of the audiences. The first half is much better when compared with the second half. On the whole, the film is nothing but a disappointment for the viewers and Nagarjuna fans who are expecting that this collaboration is going to recreate the magic of Shiva."

Have you seen Officer? Do you agree with the above views? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 01, 2018 04:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).