Rorschach

This film was not as expected but it is not bad by any means. I loved the whole concept of telling a revenge story in a different manner. It sometimes resembled shutter island here and there. Mammukka was great throughout. But something was missing don't know what, maybe its because i had high hopes. Time jumps was a bit confusing at the beginning but nearing the first half it all made sense. The background score was excellent it kept maintaining the whole vibe of the film. The film starts of with an accident and from there it leads to chain of incidents that all end up being related to each other and gives Luke (Mammukka) his redemption and revenge. But there are many plot holes here and there so there is another problem. But it is entertaining and a different approach that could have been a little more better.... All i can say with out spoiling anything is that it kills an already dead person again.

While most superstars in South India struggle to surprise their audiences and have fallen into the status-quo trap, 3-time National Award Winner for Best Actor Mammootty has continuously managed to deliver roles that are far off the beaten track. In his very first production under his newly launched banner "Mammootty Kampany", the veteran thespian delivers a completely out-of-the-box revenge thriller that breaks every convention in Mollywood, giving us an immserve, brooding dark thriller that staggers with its mood-setting, buildup and its chilling conclusion.

Mammootty stars as Luke Antony, a mysterious NRI who turns up one day in a sleepy village hamlet, having seemingly lost track of his wife after they both were involved in a car accident. Hell bent on finding her or the perpetrators behind his disappearance, the stranger takes up residence in the town and eventually find out that the outwardly simple-minded villagers all have something to hide and their own secrets to protect. Director Nissam Basheer, who made a name for himself with his debut film "Kettiyollaanu Ente Maalakha (2019)", gets his casting spot on in his sophomore venture, with Jagadeesh, Bindu Panicker and Grace Antony shining in their respective roles.

The background music provided by Midhun Mukundan, the virtuoso behind the smash hit renditions of "Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana", ensnares you fully into this hypnotic world of vengeance, deceit and retribution where you are never fully aware of the motivations and moral compasses of the characters before you. The script and dialogues from Sameer Abdul will continuously keep you guessing while the eclectic camera work from Nimish Ravi doubles the impact of the gruesome proceedings on screen.

"Rorschach" might not be everybody's cup of tea given its insistence not to spoon feed the moralities and convictions of its characters to its audience and its open-endedness in terms of several character arcs. But for fans of moody, atmospheric thriller with dollops of dark humour, this is a definite must-watch and a much-needed break from the template thriller Mollywood has fallen prey to off late. After "Munnariyippu (2014)" and "Puzhu (2022)", Mammootty continues to dazzle in a grey-shaded character and one wishes that the writers in Mollywood rise up to the challenge and give him more such unconventional roles where we can see his full range on display.

Rorschach (2022) : Brief Review -

A must-see only because we rarely get to see such psychologically complex supernatural revenge dramas in Indian cinema. Those who know the meaning of 'Rorschach' know that it is a psychologically complex term, and it is very much unbelievable. Those who don't know anything about it are the happiest people on the planet. Joke aside, but seriously, this Rorschach thing will disturb your peaceful mind. Do you remember that scarecrow thing from Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins"? It was inspired by the Rorschach process, but with extreme effects. Nissam Basheer's Rorschach brings that intricate formula to Indian cinema with one of the finest actors the country has ever seen, The Mammootty. The combination is enough to get your nod for the viewing. Mammootty plays Luke Anthony, who has a mysterious past and is out on a mission to seek revenge from someone who has deeply destroyed him. The revenge is regular, just like any other film, but the process is new and extremely complex. It may bore you in the first half, but you have to be patient to realise how it is going to explain everything by the end. The director has added a couple of typical action scenes just to entertain you, but frankly, it is contrary to the kind of intelligent cinema he was trying to make. I mean, you can't expect Nolan's thriller to have an explosive action scene like a Michael Bay film, right? Nissam Basheer makes that mistake here, but hardly for 5 minutes. The predictability factors are less here because the majority of our Indian audiences are completely unaware of this theme, and moreover, the supernatural theme makes things difficult for your predictions. The performance, screenplay and music are pluses, while the direction and storyline fumble a little. Nevertheless, it's a worthwhile experience if you're bored of watching regular suspense thrillers and revenge dramas.

RATING - 6.5/10*

By - #samthebestest.

Rorschach is the kind of experience that will divide viewers into two: ones who believe this revenge story doesn't need such a detailed storytelling and ones who revel in studying the finer, more minute details à la slow-burn Korean revenge dramas. It reimagines a film like The Chaser or I Saw The Devil, psychologically turns it on its head, and weaves an engaging yarn around it. The level of grey shades differ in each character, and you wouldn't believe how the script accommodates this texturing. A collaboration of the finest order between director Nissam Basheer and writer Sameer Abdul, you'll be left wholly intrigued at how each character, the protagonist included, evolves with every passing scene. The closest attempt in Indian cinema would be Sriram Raghavan's Badlapur, but it's still vastly different.

Rorschach is a genre-bender indeed and it seamlessly blends elements from various genres. There's thrills, slasher aspects, psychological warfare, dark humor, and even a tinge of the supernatural. I love how the makers use colors such as white, black, grey, and green in the film. It just has to be seen to be believed - the greyness of the unpainted house melding with that of the Mustang GT driven by Luke, the jackets worn by Luke meshing into the green, forested backgrounds, and more along those lines. Nimish Ravi's (Kurup, Luca) frames are magnificent, taking us through different doors of the protagonist's mind, and shifting perspective often. Kiran Das' edit work also needs praise, as he allows the scenes to breathe and have a natural progression. The astounding winner in the technical department, however, is composer Midhun Mukundan ( Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana), who comes up with a spectacular soundtrack that elevates the film (especially in those character transformation and procedural scenes) to another level altogether.

There's no way I can hold myself back from praising the entire cast who literally compete with each other to provide incredible performances. Leading from the front is Mammootty who continues to surprise us (at 71) and ensures his character Luke Antony is deeply studied by critics and audiences alike. Right alongside him would be Bindu Panicker who is mind-blowing in the role of a subtly fierce Seetha, and Grace Antony who plays the bold-yet-vulnerable Sujatha. It is wonderful to see Jagadeesh, Sharafudheen, and Kottayam Naseer lend gravitas to their respective roles. They're dependable performers if the script has something substantial for them.. new-gen writers, take note.

A big request to mamooty Kampany & Wayfarer Films : please don't give remake rights to Bollywood Kollywood or sandalwood they will spoil.

Not at all for a commercial audience who expects comedy and songs

Also it's not at all a usual screenplay with hero introduction heroine villain etc etc

This movie is for the audience who already watched different kind of scripts and screenplay in foreign movies and expecting when can we get the same feeling by seeing our stars on screen.

Bindu panicker and grace Antony acting was outstanding in this screenplay

It's time to make world to see south indian movies are giving quality scripts more than them.

Thanks to director and the whole team

Thanks for the superstar mamooty for choosing this script and giving us your best acting.