Twist, too many!
It was one of the movies which was cited as a sequel which was better the first part. So naturally I was intrigued to watch. ‘Drishyam’ could easily be classified a modern day classic, just the amount of remakes would be a proof of it. With each additional language the movie released, the respect for the original got higher, not only for filmmaking but for Mohanlal’s acting as well. It’s not just the mere numbers but the difference in each of the films which got praise for the first film. But with the second part of the film which feels like a “suspension of disbelief” or “too much of a coincidence”, it makes the part one feel far less great and whimsical.
The movie begins at the most important juncture of part one, where a man on the run sees Georgekutty coming out of Police station. He gets arrested by the police later. The setup was good because it’s a given that no one who commits a crime would do it without leaving a trace but the problem which that scene made was, it makes us think of the moment this was going to break. So we couldn’t enjoy Georgekutty’s normal life.
This was a tool which was appreciated by majority of critics and kept the casual film goers hooked but it was the same reason I started disliking the movie. It would have been nice to have seen their family who was still reeling under the aftereffects, without a problem of contention which was going to come in future. Thankfully the problem was not as bad as ‘Taken 2’ which would lead to the second daughter facing a crisis.
Around the interval block we get to know that the neighbors are not really neighbors but undercover cops. That secret reveal was nice and un-guessable. Actually the film till then was a bore. It felt like Jeethu Joseph wanted that as interval and wrote the remaining part to maintain the “normalcy” which was not as normal and enticing as the first part. It lacked the charm. By charm I don’t mean that it should have had a happy vibe but at least the oscillation between the restlessness and normalcy could have been conveyed in a more interesting manner.
The second half was quite engaging and made as an “Edge of the Seat” thriller but the sudden introduction of characters, especially the lawyer who fights for Georgekutty felt finicky. The book twist was too good to believe. Ebert said that if one doesn’t understand something it’s not meant to be understood. Similarly, if it’s too good to believe, it’s not believable. The fun and satisfaction of seeing George Kutty escape in the first film couldn’t be matched in the second one.
The director used various tools to employ the tension. The storytelling, literally, was different because it was literal at most points, as you hear it from people directly and don’t see it. Kalabhavan Shajohn was a major miss from part one, the tea shop too looks different. So the whole acting heavyweight falls on Mohanlal, which he does well but there are carefully composed massy elements and minute “high” scenes, like the one where he comes out of the court. These scenes actually make us look at him as a hero and applaud but not a man next door.
It was great the way the image of Georgekutty had transformed among the villagers, who no more see him as hero but jealous of how famous he had become. It was a nice change of play. Wish we could have seen more of Jose George’s story (Ajith Koothattukulam) which felt like an intriguing prospect. Guess, it was intentionally kept that way so that there could be some solid story/twist in part three. But whatever little role he got he was terrific.
The major problem, as said above was the scenes where he escapes. He becoming friends with everyone, writing a book, using it as evidence etc. was farfetched. Didn’t like the oral dictation of his character as a man who has sworn to protect his family at any cost by the police. Wish he wasn’t made such a hero but left as such a person who did heroic things.
constantscribbles 