System Review
Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Date Created: 2026-05-22 19:11
2.5
System Review: Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari, Prime Video’s latest legal thriller stars Sonakshi Sinha as Neha Rajvansh, Jyotika as Sarika Rawat in the lead roles alongside Ashutosh Gowariker, Addinath M. Kothare, Nishant Singh, Vijayant Kohli and others. The movie has a runtime of around 2 hours and 3 minutes.
System Review
In Prime Video’s System, Neha Rajvansh is introduced as a young woman who works as a public prosecutor but wishes to establish herself on her own terms, away from the influence of her powerful lawyer father, Ravi Rajvansh. She tries to establish herself on the basis of talent rather than name and tries to prove that her success comes out of sheer merit. This becomes Neha’s major motive for winning several cases through legal action. At this stage of her professional life, Neha gets acquainted with Sarika Rawat, who acts as a stenographer at court but comprehends the legal system much better than any person of a similar profile.
What I enjoyed about the Prime Video System movie is that it does not make Neha appear to be an ideal hero. At first, Neha believes in the system, thinking that if you put some effort into it, it will serve its function and reward those who deserve it. However, as more stories happen throughout the movie, she understands that each and every step taken inside is defined by money, status, and influence. The most effective moments are those that concentrate on the struggle inside her mind.
This movie constantly keeps on reminding us of the difference between justice and truth. In various situations, Neha wins her case legally, but there are certain emotions attached to those victories that do not give us much comfort. This aspect of moral ambiguity becomes one of the best parts of this movie since everybody involved in the process here is neither completely good nor completely bad.
One of Sonakshi Sinha’s more subtle performances can be seen here. Rather than getting too carried away with her acting, she manages to keep her character of Neha down to earth and realistic. Slowly but surely, the tiredness and frustration of Neha start to show as she comes to realise the truth about the system. The way Neha’s character is depicted is refreshing because of the realism of her ambition rather than idealism.
The true shock of the Prime Video film System comes from Jyotika’s portrayal of Sarika Rawat, who takes away the most complex character in the film. While Sarika is portrayed to be calm and caring, there is always a certain enigma attached to her personality that fascinates you. Jyotika portrays the character extremely well and does not give away anything more than necessary regarding her feelings. Even in subtle moments, Jyotika makes sure that she leaves a mark with her performance. It is because of her that a large chunk of the film’s emotion rests on her shoulders.
And here is where Neha and Sarika’s relationship becomes the crux of the movie. One girl comes from a privileged background, while the other has been living through this flawed system her whole life. The dialogue about justice and compromising for survival is much more interesting than the plot twists and turns of the investigation. When this movie sticks to human emotions, it truly shines.
With all that said, there is no denying that System has some shortcomings of its own. However, the primary flaw of the movie lies in the pacing, which is quite off the mark when compared to other legal thrillers. The courtroom scenes do not seem to have enough time allocated to them, making them less significant than expected for the story’s plot development.
The screenplay itself also becomes somewhat predictable in its middle portion. While the mystery part continues to be compelling, the narrative itself does seem to fall into the common clichés that a courtroom drama typically takes on. Instances of convenience become quite common at certain points in the movie, and a couple of confrontations appear overly dramatic. In addition, there is an absence of thrills and action, with the focus being much more on introspection.
Nonetheless, I admired the attempt by the filmmakers to make a point. Beyond all the court cases and investigations involved, what comes out strongly from ‘System’ is how institutions let down regular folks. Do we really have access to justice regardless of who we are, or can we afford it only if we have power? In spite of an unstable screenplay, System is emotionally relatable for reasons of the class disparity seen through Neha and Sarika.
In terms of visuals, the director sticks to simplicity. Rather than making the film a highly stylised thriller, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari prefers simplicity, and this works well at times. The problem with her choice is that at times it makes the film emotionally void when the scene should have been emotionally charged.
Prime Video System Review: Summing Up
Overall, this film is one of those movies that is good primarily due to its performances and themes as opposed to its execution. The movie has a lot to say and offers genuinely good moments for the actors portraying the main characters, yet the slow pace and predictable plot prevent it from being an entertaining courtroom thriller. Nevertheless, the emotional aspect of the movie, along with an amazing performance by Jyotika, makes it worth watching at least once.
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