Yash Raj Films' first female-led entry in its spy universe, 'Alpha', has finally hit cinemas, and reactions on social media are split right down the middle. Months of promotion, songs and trailers had built up massive expectations for the film, but once viewers walked out of theatres, the response turned out to be decidedly mixed. Early reactions on X suggest audiences are enjoying the film's stylish action and visuals, even as sharp criticism piles up over its story, script and logic. Here is a rundown of what viewers and critics have been posting, covering every angle of the film.
Praise for Sharvari's screen presence and the technical craft
Several viewers said they genuinely liked the film's technical side and the performances. In particular, Sharvari's screen presence and her character have drawn praise. One person wrote that 'Alpha' has some powerful moments, but its average story holds it back. According to this viewer, the film's biggest strength is its screen presence, since whenever that presence shows up on screen, it brings a fresh burst of energy and depth to the film. Despite limited screen time, it manages to leave a strong impression on the audience. Whether in emotional scenes or action sequences, this part of the film gave it everything it had, even though some action scenes look terrific while a few moments feel less than real. Another user, clearly more interested in the technical side of filmmaking, praised the cinematography and editing. This person wrote that the story in the first half feels like a mashup of concepts lifted from several Hollywood films, but if you set that aside, it isn't bad at all, they were enjoying the watch and hadn't felt bored so far. They noted that the editing is tight, and that the CGI and VFX, while not entirely photorealistic, have good render quality that keeps them from being distracting. The surround sound mix, they said, was quite engaging, and even watching it in a 2K laser venue, the DCP picture quality came through as excellent. They found the colours impressive too, and strongly recommended catching the film at a bright laser venue, since the contrast, saturation and sharpness are all top notch there.
The first half leaves audiences disappointed
However, as soon as the first half wrapped up, clear discontent showed among viewers stepping out for the interval. Many found the story scattered. One viewer wrote during the interval that they couldn't understand what was going on, that everything seemed to be following the same repetitive pattern, with several absurd scenes thrown in between. According to this person, the first half is scattered and weak, packed with plenty of childish moments, leaving them quite disappointed. They added that Alia Bhatt and Sharvari now need to deliver something meaningful in the second half, and that until that point, the film was coming across as poor. Around the same time, film critic KRK also took a sharp jab at Alia Bhatt's acting and the screenplay. KRK wrote:
Forty-five minutes of Alpha are over, and I still don't understand what nonsense is going on and why. Alia Bhatt is doing such comedy in every single scene that anyone would end up asking what exactly she is doing and why. Complete nonsense!
Anger over a 'copy-paste' script and zero logic
On social media, the film's writing is being openly called lazy. Many viewers allege that the film blindly copies Hollywood movies and simply repeats the same old, worn-out formula, without any real thought and in a strangely lifeless manner. One user described it as a massive, watchable trainwreck, writing that instead of elevating YRF's spy universe, the film completely derails it through lazy writing, zero logic, and style placed well above substance. According to this person, it is a complete insult to the audience's intelligence, nothing more than a hollow money-making exercise from start to finish. They described the screenplay as a disorganised mess that wanders around without any real stakes or purpose. The writers, they said, clearly tried hard to craft a big, high-stakes action thriller, but the dialogue ends up feeling forced, artificial and oddly stilted. They also called out the pacing as sluggish, with the first half amounting to little more than a flashy, over-edited montage, while the second half spirals into pointless melodrama that tests the audience's patience.
Questions raised over the villain's twist as well
Trade experts and critics also picked apart the story's strange twists. One user wrote that Yash Raj Films and its writers have pulled the same trick yet again. Just like previous films in the spy universe, an Indian army officer has once more been made the main villain who turns against the country, but this time the writers have thrown in a particularly weak twist inspired by Hamza Ali Mazari. This time around, Bobby Deol plays the officer who built the 'Alpha' super-soldier programme. Even after the Indian Army shuts the project down, he keeps running it illegally. Alia Bhatt's and Sharvari's characters are also said to be products of this same Alpha programme, which is how they get abilities that resemble a Spider-sense along with other powers that appear borrowed from various Hollywood films. According to this user, the story is so absurd and strange that as the film progresses, viewers end up feeling anger, irritation, laughter, disappointment and total confusion, all at the same time.
Echoes of 'Pathaan' and 'Mission Impossible' as well
Another user compared the film's scenes to a mashup of 'Pathaan' and 'Mission Impossible'. They wrote that the real fun kicks in after the interval, when an agent is shown infiltrating enemy territory while eating french fries, which they found quite off. According to them, Alia Bhatt comes across as irritating because of her laughter and attitude, though the action scenes are well made, while Sharvari is shown shooting Nike and Puma reels in Spain. This user further noted that the RAW chief is portrayed as a thief and a former R&AW soldier turns villain, a twist already seen in 'Pathaan'. They summed the film up as a female version of Captain America mixed with 'Judwaa' and 'Mission Impossible'. Taken together, these reactions on social media make it clear that audiences for 'Alpha' have split into two camps, one won over by its style and performances, the other dismissing its story and logic outright.
