A neatly crafted survival thriller
‘Jan.E.Man’ director Chidambaram’s sophomore movie ‘Manjummel Boys’ opens with a tribute to Kamal Haasan’s critically acclaimed work ‘Gunaa’. The 1992 movie had kicked off individuals’s fascination in regards to the mesmerising cave situated en path to Kodaikanal. In ‘Manjummel Boys’ too, the identical wanderlust and fascination drive a bunch of fun-loving males to discover the cave. What begins off as a jovial journey takes a darkish flip for the gang, and shortly ensues as a struggle for survival.
If James Franco’s 2010 survival thriller ‘127 Hours’ targeted on the protagonist’s lone struggle for survival, in ‘Manjummel Boys’, it’s friendship that takes the cake. Chidambaram, who succeeded in giving us a phenomenal film on human feelings and a novel aspect of affection in ‘Jan.E.Man,’ employs his magic contact in ‘Manjummel Boys’ too.
At surprising moments, he pulls at our heartstrings. He excels most in creating an emotional join with the central characters. The neat screenplay and soulful narration make you root for the gang, regardless of their total informal lifestyle.
Not like blockbusters akin to ‘2018’ and ‘Take Off’, ‘Manjummel Boys’ just isn’t an edge-of-the-seat thriller. Although Subhash (Sreenath Bhasi) is trapped inside a 900-foot-deep cave, the lensman Shyju Khalid does not create the phantasm of intense depth or concern. There is a mellowed-down, real looking strategy to the entire state of affairs, which slows down the film within the second half. The climax scene is a winner, although, and renews your religion in friendship, miracles and skill to beat odds.
Soubin Shahir as Kuttan excels in his position because the older member of the group. The helplessness and despair he feels at an important second within the film has been superbly essayed by the actor. Sreenath Bhasi’s bodily transformation for the movie is noteworthy, although the makers might have paid extra consideration to element concerning his character. The ‘Jan.E.Man’ forged, together with Balu Varghese and Ganapathi, return in ‘Manjummel Boys’ however play smaller roles within the movie. Veteran actor Salim Kumar’s son Chanthu makes a formidable debut with the film. Although his character Abhilash is kind of the oddball, he performs an important position within the film.
Sushin Shyam’s background rating and songs mix effectively with the movie, however there may be nothing out of the peculiar. However, one cannot overlook how he employs delicate music to raise the strain through the rescue operation. The 1992 evergreen quantity ‘Kanmani Anbodu’ and Kamal Hassan’s dialogues are successfully and superbly blended in with the narrative, which is without doubt one of the greatest highlights of the movie. Ajayan Challissery’s manufacturing design and Shyju Khalid’s cinematography, are excellent. Total, the film is a neatly crafted story of friendship that triumphs over the survival drama.
