The film industry has had a long and strong fixation with serial killers, especially Koreans have mastered that art for a long time now. So it’s not easy for a yet-another-serial-killer story to differentiate itself. But here comes an interesting Tamil film from the debutante Vignesh Raja, which takes a smart approach to a tried and tested format.
The movie hits a right spot in terms of intrigue, narration and packs few punches thanks to its tight screenplay and a very focused attention to details. How he combines that with realistic unspoken friendship makes a huge difference.
The whole approach and a detailed characterization of its contrasting lead pairs is done in an authentic and in a sensible way. The detailed profiling and investigative routes feels very familiar, yet it strikes you hard. Two Chennai based police officers in charge of investigation, the rookie Ashok Selvan and veteran Sarath Kumar starts on a wrong foot. There is a day and night difference between their ideology, their approach and most importantly their emotional angle. One is bookish and another is practical. But they have one common thing which is their deducing skills. How they join hands to crack the case forms the major plot. Interestingly the humor part was spot on. What i missed is a haunting BGM rhythm of Ratsasan. The dark side of society and backstory may sound bit weaker but it is what it is. You need a motive in these kind of stories. The ending may feel bit rushed but the final message and move on approach worked for me. Hoping to see another case puzzle for this duo soon.
Even with some minor quibbles here and there, this is a gripping psycho thriller that needs to be appreciated and it will stand out from the rest. I came out more than satisfied from theaters.
Verdict - 3.5/5(A sharp focus)