GRANDMASTER

GRANDMASTER

Theatre : TVM Ajantha

Showtime & Date : 6.00pm, 05-05-2012

Status : Housefull

B Unnikrishnan, the scenarist of some engaging movies as well as some craps is back with Mohanlal again after the successful movie Madambi. The movie also marks the entry of  UTV MOTION PICTURES into malayalam cinema. The movie had created some hype with the niitial photoshoot stills itself portraying Mohanlal as an aged cop. Whether movie satisy us?? Lets take a look

Story

Chandrashekhar(Mohanlal) is the chief of Metro Crime Stopper Cell in Kochi. He was a former national level chess player & a divorced person after an issue with Deepthi(Priyamani) 10 years ago. The movie though begins with a mission, the show really starts when he gets an anonymous letter from a killer who wants the smart Chandrasekhar, like him 10 years before back in action to make his psychic killing spree a thrilling one. Though initially Chandrasekhar resists to take up the job, later he decides to play the game with the killer.

Performances

Mohanlal as Chandrasekhar looked great. Acting wise this one is a cakewalk role for him, nothing special other than his aged looks & character of a father of 16 year old. In action sequences & in dialogue delivery, as always he shines. Once again a fact got proved - Even though the character is a simple man, a simple usual dialogue becomes a punchline, only if it is delivered by the actor Mohanlal. Narien was wasted in a simple role, Jagathy too. Siddhique scores as usual eventhough he's there in movie in just 2 scenes. Babu Antony's initial scenes were superb with the mannerisms of a psychic, but somehere in between it lost. In climax episode, he was good. Manikuttan, Devan, Roma, Mithra Kurien,Riyaz Khan, Anoop Menon, Priyamani were usual characters only. Mithra Kurien didn't look the mirror during makeup session I think, HORRIBLE!!!

Songs & BGM

Songs were fine. Aaranu Nee song was a speed breaker picturised in a comparititvely low profile sets. Akaleyo was well picturised. BGM lacks the punch.

Technical

Cinematography was just ordinary. Editing lacks the thrill needed to be maintained for these kind of flicks. Art Direction was good. Dileep Subbarayan's fights were realistic.

Script & Direction

Script by B Unnikrishnan had a strong base oneline to be converted to a smart thriller. But the screenplay fails & falls into cliche pits of predictability at many times. The villain of the film was very much predictable in first half itself. Towards the second half, the reason for that too becomes predictable. Still the movie manages to engage the audience with its simplicity in proceedings. The movie seems to have required a wide canvas to execute this one. Then why it didn't happen when UTV was there?? I don't know. Mohanlal saves the show at many parts. The climax was a big failure as it becomes everything predictable because of last two years' biggest hits' shades were there. Dialogues were simple & fine. Also the style he mixes those lines for fans is a commendable one which would have been a out of the box stuff if not good.

Direction by B Unnikrishnan was engaging altogether. Climax execution was a failure. It ended as a cliche item. Shades of Shaji Kailas style as usual was there throughout the movie. Also we may feel that the script writer had a lot to tell the audience & director too wants to execute another set along with the other. Direction could have been a lot lot better. 

Overall an engaging onetime watch

Verdict : Tads above average

BO Verdict : Hit