First Time Movie Review: A Bold Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller with Impressive Visuals

In an industry dominated by routine commercial entertainers, First Time arrives as a refreshing attempt that blends science fiction, romance, mystery, and spirituality into a unique cinematic experience. Written and directed by Hemanth Ippanapalli, the film stands out for its ambitious concept and visually rich storytelling, despite being made on a limited budget.

What makes First Time particularly interesting is its core idea. The story revolves around the mysterious timeline of “1-1-1” — the first year, first month, and first day of Earth’s existence. The film explores the hidden connection between time, nature, and human existence, while mixing scientific theories with emotional and spiritual elements. It’s not a regular commercial entertainer, but rather a thought-provoking thriller that attempts something different for Telugu cinema.

Newcomer Saurabh Dhingra delivers a confident performance and carries the film well with his screen presence. Akhil Sarthak, playing the second lead, adds depth to the narrative, while heroine Anikka Vikraman performs her role effectively. Supporting actors like Bhupal Raju, Shiva Kumar, Gayathri Gupta, along with senior actors Mime Gopi and Annapurnamma, provide solid support and help elevate several emotional moments.

Technically, the film is surprisingly strong. The biggest highlight is undoubtedly the VFX work. For a film made without depending heavily on AI-generated visuals, the effort put into creating cinematic graphical sequences deserves appreciation. Director Hemanth Ippanapalli not only handled the direction but also took responsibility for editing and VFX, making this project feel like a true one-man show.

The background score by Sri Venkat adds intensity to several scenes and supports the mystery-driven atmosphere effectively. Cinematography by Venu Muralidhar and Ram gives the film a visually polished look, especially during the sci-fi portions.

However, the film is not without flaws. The first half feels slightly slow in parts, and some scenes take time to establish the concept. Viewers expecting a fast-paced commercial entertainer may find the narrative a bit heavy initially. But the second half picks up strongly and keeps the audience engaged till the end.

The runtime of 1 hour and 48 minutes works in the film’s favor, as it avoids unnecessary dragging and keeps the storytelling relatively crisp.

Overall, First Time is a sincere and daring attempt that deserves appreciation for its originality and technical ambition. It may not appeal to everyone, but audiences who enjoy science fiction, mystery thrillers, and concept-driven cinema will likely find it engaging and visually satisfying.

Rating: 3.75/5