Minister Thangapandi (R.V. Udayakumar) is shown in the beginning of the movie aiming for a sizable plot of land that belongs to the Kombaiammam Temple. We meet Karuna and Aadhi (Sasikumar), who have been inseparable companions since infancy, as well as Sokkan (Soori), who is a devoted servant to Karuna's family, in Kombai. Karuna's life-saving orphan Soori is a dependable figure in both families, taking meticulous care of their business.

Upon arriving in Kombai, the minister's goon, Mime Gopi, presents Karuna with an alluring offer: turn on Aadhi and turn over the temple records in return for wealth. Because to his wife's ambition, Karuna accepts, which starts a terrible chain of events. When Sellaayi (Vadivukkarasi), Karuna's grandmother, passes away inexplicably, it opens the door for the lands to come under control. Karuna strategically positions himself as the new trustee by playing on Sokkan's loyalty in order to make it easier to steal the documents. Unaware of his friend's betrayal, Aadhi is brutally killed, and Sokkan witnesses this horrifying deed. Sokkan is forced to make a difficult decision, which sets the scenario for a violent altercation, because he is torn between his natural sense of justice and his loyalty to Karuna.

Garuden keeps things moving quickly and rarely has a dull moment. The betrayal hits considerably harder since the film demonstrates how close the three major characters are to one another. Sokkan is a unique character that experiences mixed feelings. His physical makeup nearly goes against his natural tendency toward loyalty. When his master is there, he also cannot lie, and his verbal vomit in a stream of consciousness provides for some entertaining moments. 

While adding to the film's tension, its concentration on gory scenes and killing feels overdone. The relentless assault of knife wounds, throat slits, and mutilations grows monotonous and loses power. Additionally, the narrative is the same old betrayal drama that you have seen before. It makes one think of Sundarapandian. What makes Aadhi bring a baby to a knife fight, too? It didn't seem right. And he continues to walk into his death despite several warnings. 
Soori, Sasikumar, and Unni Mukundan all get roughly the same amount of screen time. Sasikumar performs admirably, playing with his customary flare. Unni Mukundan performed with sincerity. But Soori is the one who makes the movie better. The emotional core comes from his transformation from a devoted servant to a man standing up for what is right. He delivered a fantastic performance and has continued to play important parts since Vidhuthalai. Shivada Nair makes the most of her little moment, and Vadivukkarasi's little presence is remarkable.
The background of Yuvan Shankar Raja is commendable. The fact that there are so few songs is perhaps a good thing. Arthur Wilson does a great job capturing the muddy, brown mood of the brickfield. Those who enjoy an emotive rural action movie will enjoy Garuden.