Take a bow Mr. Basil Joseph for creating an impressive and admirable pure desi grown superhero movie when it’s easy to think of superheroes as being too Western now a days. Most superhero are recognizably formulaic and often comes with a side order of super cliches, but that’s not the case with MM. This one is very much grounded in reality but at the same time maintaining an entertaining factor. Point proved, you dont need a massive budget and eye whopping CGI to make an impact. A simple tale and great execution is all that matters.
Set in a fictitious village Kurukkanmoola in 90's, on a XMA's eve, the world is about to witness a triple conjunction phenomena which happen once in 700 years where the three planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury comes close together. A powerful lightning and thunder are the outcome of that event. Two unrelated men (both earn a quiet a bit of disrespect) in the village struck by this unusual bolt and survives. Later they realize the superpowers and that transformation part is told in an interesting way. The backstory is narrated in a compelling way and the the film pulls off some interesting narrative tricks. Like most superhero movies show, the origin of creation is conceived quite well and manages to serve as a somewhat realistic original story. The story does offer plenty of incentive to cheer for its titular protagonist and this one is equally enjoyable not only for kids but for adults too.
It does have few over the top inspirational moments but that is a very common trait you will see in any Superhero movie. The story the two titular characters then becomes a great canvas for a broader scope of human emotion. Here these two are not driven by any material ambitions or into showcasing their powers. The best moments of MM story line appear when this film tells a personal story and is attached to the main characters. A special mention goes to Guru Somasundaram (Tamil film Joker fame) for his terrific antagonist portrayal. The other persons i can imagine playing that role is Shine Tom Chacko and S. J. Surya.
The subdued music, careful editing and some brilliant camerawork makes this journey all the more absorbing. The local flavor that is presented is able to provide a new color that makes it different. In the end, MM lives up to the narrative requirements of the genre, combining retro feel with relevant context. This makes us believe that that the genre still has some life in it. The only thing left to do is to await sequel. It is a refreshing entry to the vast realm of superhero cinema and one that fans of the genre should definitely explore.
Verdict - 3.5/5(Rises from the Ashes)