Monthly Archives: June 2026

Primate

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Vampire Owl: A movie with another monkey at the core?

Vampire Bat: This is an ape who is not really a toy like that movie.

Vampire Owl: I feel that Vampire Monkey will not be that happy. Neither will be Uncle Dracula.

Vampire Bat: Vampire Monkey is no longer affiliated with the vampire castle.

Vampire Owl: So, he is a freelance vampire with part-time work.

Vampire Bat: We do not offer part-time work anymore, as it affects overall quality.

Vampire Owl: Well, there has been some strange things going on around here.

Vampire Bat: Still, not that strange as the human field of work.

Vampire Owl: Well, humans have never been the species to look forward to. They are the fallen ones. Ask Dr. Frakenstein for details.

Vampire Bat: Even humans after death are not the kind of people we should choose. Compared to them, witches and zombies are clean.

[Gets a savala vada and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Lucy (Johnny Sequoyah) is a young college student, who is on the way back to her home in Hawaii after spending many years far away from her family and friends. Her best friend Kate (Victoria Wyant) is also with her and meets her in the airport, but is dismayed to see that Kate has also invited an additional guest, Hannah (Jessica Alexander), without telling her earlier, and this particular acquaintance is not someone she is really fond of. While boarding the flight, the three friends also meet Drew (Charlie Mann) and Brad (Tienne Simon), two young men who are taking the same flight to have a grand vacation in the same place. In Hawaii, they meet up with Kate’s brother Nick (Benjamin Cheng) who drive them to the family home located on a cliff with all the modern facilities. They also meet Lucy’s father Adam (Troy Kotsur), who is a famous novelist, and a deaf man who mostly communicates through sign language. Then they also come across Erin (Gia Hunter), Lucy’s younger sister. Ben (Miguel Torres Umba), a chimpanzee owned by the family is also present at the house.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Ben is considered to be highly intelligent and has been taught to communicate using a software on a tablet by creating sounds by clicking on it. Ben lives in an enclosure outside the house, but comes into home when he is taken there by the family members during daytime. Later that night, Ben begins acting strangely after being bitten by a mongoose in his enclosure. He plans to take the mongoose to a lab the following morning to check for infections and asks Lambert (Rob Delaney), a veterinarian to check on Ben as he has to leave for a book signing. But as the friends enjoy the party by the outdoor infinity pool at the cliff’s edge, Lambert who enters Ben’s enclosure, is attacked and brutally killed by Ben, who is clearly infected by rabies after that bite by mongoose. Ben escapes the enclosure and moves towards the pool, towards unsuspecting youngsters, only to be noted by Kate and Lucy who found the teddy bear covered in blood. As Ben unleashes chaos, the youngsters enter the pool and hopes that the ape would leave, but is it possible?

The defence of Primate :: The movie maintains strong tension, jump scares and edge-of-the-seat situations which keeps the terrifying situation quite strong. The survival mode is activated soon enough, and after that, the movie keeps us close to the main characters, going through the journey of trouble with them. The attacks are also violent and the gore adds to the seriousness of the situation and reminds the pet owners to be careful, not just for themselves, but also for those who live around them, or with them. There has been too many cases of violent dogs affected by rabies attacking even little children and elders who cannot move away in time, and it has been more of the result of animal lovers not taking the right action and the pets being left on the road without care – replace the chimpanzee with dog and you have the exact reflection. The attack here seems to be unique and never exaggerated, making us feel close to the whole situation. The setting is too good, not just perfectly suited for the situation, but also visually stunning. The movie is of short length, and never really makes us feel bored as something seems like ready to make a difference all the time.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s tale is just the usual repeated one with a number of youngsters hunted by a force which feels almost impossible to stop. Some of the characters are just generic, and feels even less important than other horror movies which at least brands them into a group as even more clearly said in The Cabin in the Woods. This one has the extra characters seemingly just to get killed by a chimpanzee which is too smart and is powered as much by his earned skills as by the rabies which just got into him. There are two friends of the main girl added here instead of her coming alone, but the use of the characters seems to be in the minimum. As in other horror movies, they remain not that smart, but in those movies, they were at least smarter than chimpanzees in the forest around them. There is also that chance to bring innovation being lost here, as there was such a fine setting, and so much to be done – here, they just have the swimming pool, lost phones and the cliff which are not used to the best efficiency.

The performers of the soul :: The biggest performers of the movie is indeed its main antagonist, the work with the ape has been quite remarkable. The rest of the work is led by Johnny Sequoyah, who comes the closest to what should be called the protagonist-like character, even though this one is also not written that much with never really getting enough time alone or with a past that could make the movie and performances stronger. It is more like the character is placed there and the rest, we have to create with imaginary characterizations. But she surely becomes what would be the closest to the scream queen around here, leading the way as the movie nears the end as much as the lives of the remaining characters who have somehow manages to be not ripped into pieces by the ape. Jessica Alexander just supports well and so does Victoria Wyant while Gia Hunter manages just fine. Troy Kotsur is good when he is around, while Benjamin Cheng, Charlie Mann and Tienne Simon are there mostly to serve the ape purpose.

How it finishes :: The movie’s journey is quick and strong, even though there is not that much of a focus on the story. The reminder to keep the pets checked and the fact that animals will always remain with their characteristics is reiterated here with ease – those who were chased by some dogs on the streets or those who were frightened by the neighbour’s dog will know this the best. The thrills are surely there, and the strength of a survival movie is also present along with being a horror flick with moments that will stay for the quick effects and the everlasting gore. The terror of the ape feels real and lasting. But the storyline, predictable structure and mostly shallow characters hold it back from being a memorable one which is there to stay. Yet, it you want entertainment or is with a wish to be scared, this one is definitely there for delivering the same. For the other kinds of survival movies, there is always something like The Shallows in the ocean and Gravity in space or even Bollywood’s own Trapped in an apartment, but this one is more about bringing the scares as much as providing the need to survive against all odds.

Release date: 18th September 2025
Running time: 89 minutes
Directed by: Johannes Roberts
Starring: Johnny Sequoyah, Jessica Alexander, Victoria Wyant, Gia Hunter, Benjamin Cheng, Troy Kotsur

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<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Drishyam 3

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Vampire Owl: I did not think that this was ever going to have a third movie.

Vampire Bat: I consider the ending of Drishyam 2 as a classic closure.

Vampire Owl: Even the first Drishyam had a fine ending.

Vampire Bat: The second movie had kept its standard and everything came together in the end.

Vampire Owl: Well, they still wanted a third movie for some reason.

Vampire Bat: Maybe the wanted to have a very high grossing movie in the franchise.

Vampire Owl: An inferior Hindi version would always have higher collection.

Vampire Bat: I think this wanted to go on the Lucifer 2 model banking on earlier success.

Vampire Owl: Yet they are not planning to create a better sequel here at all.

Vampire Bat: There is rarely a sequel which is better than the original, not even Alien and Predator.

[Gets some burritos and three cups of hot chocolate with tea].

What is the movie about? :: Five years have passed after Georgekutty (Mohanlal) provided Varun’s (Roshan Basheer) remains to Geetha (Asha Sharath) and Prabhakar (Siddique), and Thomas (Murali Gopy) who had investigated the case had also felt that there was no scope in the case. Now, Georgekutty, Rani (Meena), Anu (Esther Anil) and Anju (Ansiba Hassan) feel that they are now in a safe zone, with assurance from their lawyer Renuka (Santhi Mayadevi). Geogekutty has also produced a movie with superstar Harikumar (Biju Menon) as the hero, inspired from the events of their own life. He even gets into good terms with the eye witness who testified against him earlier, Jose (Ajith Koothattukalum) and Mary (Krishna Praba). The other police officers involved with the same case, DySP Philip Mathew (K B Ganesh Kumar) and CI Antony (Antony Perumbavoor) are also not interested in taking the case any further, and Sabu (Sumesh Chandran) who was also involved in the case as an undercover police officer is under suspension and has no interest in anything.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: A former police officer Suresh Babu (Irshad) becomes friends with Georgekutty, who becomes confident that he has some contact with the police department. But at the same time, Yamini (Veena Nandakumar), an investigative journalist with the support of the cameraman Rony (Shiva Hariharan) becomes more interested in the same and starts asking questions about the incidents related to Georgekutty all by herself despite the channel not showing that much interest in the same due to Geetha and Prabhakar no longer pushing that hard for their son. Georgekutty has the other people involved in the case under his wing and payment in the form of Rajan (Dinesh Prabhakar), Mathayi (Royas Marmakala) and Shreya (Shraddha Gokul) as they keep his special secrets safe with them. The director of his movie, Aneesh Raj (Muhammad Musthafa) chooses Georgekutty for another movie and things seem to get even better for him, but an old rival Sahadevan (Kalabhavan Shajohn) once again comes to the picture. How will it change the overall situation?

The defence of Drishyam 3 :: The movie continues to have that suspense element, and twists are added right towards the end, with new opponents coming out of nowhere and desperate situations requiring desperate measures. The movie with fine visuals, tries to have a closure to at least one question of the tale related to the protagonist while leaving the options for even a fourth movie right there in the end which could have further manipulations. The performances work well, and bringing some new characters to the light works nicely to bring the much-needed deviations that lead to the twist that defines the journey yet again. The relationship between the main character and his family remains something of significance and as this one goes in that direction, appeals to the family audience really well, and as an emotional drama score without trouble. The feeling that friends are the one’s causing trouble from behind, and with opponents becoming friends, this is a tale that brings a lot of dynamic character changes. The characters who have been close to our hearts to get the attention that they deserve yet again.

The claws of flaw :: Compared to the previous two movies this third film is a step downwards indeed, and as we keep wishing for something special to be added, what we get is something that comes down in the overall quality. There doesn’t seem to be that much of an effort to elevate the movie, and coming after two fine endings in precious two movies which would not have demanded sequels, this one ends with the possibility of a sequel without a closure, and that makes one wonder about the future possibilities as much as why this one could not capitalize on the basics which were already laid. The difficulty in matching that final twists of earlier movies can be seen here. The movie had also taken a lot of time to get to the main area of the tale, with a lot of time going on to find some interesting points. The idea of depending more on coincidences or far-fetched possibilities does not serve the purpose that much as compared with the more realistic happenings – this one feel more of luck-based rather than anything else. There is the feeling that this one is less natural and beyond the common man or usual smart man and something often forced.

The performers of the soul :: Mohanlal once again comes up with a masterclass in restrained acting which stands above the rest. He excels even when the tale seems to go in the wrong direction, and we see him keeping things in control. Meena does seem to have lesser jobs to do in each movie of the franchise, and seems to have to go through the same, but the same is maintained well. Ansiba Hassan remains good in the one role in which we remember her, and Esther Anil manages the character’s moving on to maturity well. Kalabhavan Shajohn’s return is good, but it also feels a little strange in characteristics, and not maintained well to the end. Siddique character change is not that much believable and feels forced, even though it is performed well. Murali Gopy is one person who remains solid and maintains the level of his character, and it is one work that feels perfect. Veena Nandakumar is wasted after a fine beginning, while Irshad, Santhi Mayadevi and Dinesh Prabhakar leaves a mark. Ajith Koothattukalum also has more to do here and he does even better than the earlier movie.

How it finishes :: The movie remains somewhat a good continuation to tale which has kept us interested with two entries in the franchise and also spawned so many remakes in different languages. There is still the fact that it could not meet the grand expectations which is always associated with this particular franchise. In between, Jeethu Joseph had come up with other thrillers, a superior Kooman and inferior Neru, 12th Man and Mirage. The movie succeeds in keeping audiences interested in its suspenseful narrative, emotional family drama and strong performances led by Mohanlal in another work to remember. The exploration of the long-term consequences of the protagonist’s actions and the psychological burden carried by the man who is determined to protect his family at the expense of others, also gets something extra here. Just like Lucifer 2: Empuraan, this one has scored with the initial collections so well that it does not need that much of opinions from the audience to become the fourth highest grossing movie of all-time in Malayalam movie industry, but one would feel that Drishyam 2 would have scored even higher at the box-office if it had released in theatres as the quality was surely much higher there. For now, Amazon Prime Video has this one ready for your eyes and soul.

Release date: 21st May 2026
Running time: 160 minutes
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Kalabhavan Shajohn, Ajith Koothattukalum, Kirshna Prabha, Asha Sharath, Siddique, Murali Gopy, K B Ganesh Kumar, Veena Nandakumar, Shiva Hariharan, Irshad, Santhi Mayadevi, Anjali Nair, Dinesh Prabhakar, Antony Perumbavoor, Srikant Murali, Sumesh Chandran

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Scream 7

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Vampire Owl: So, we have one more Scream as a part of an infinity.

Vampire Bat: Well, you just cannot stop the Ghostface from keeping on coming.

Vampire Owl: The serial killers of Hollywood never stop the process.

Vampire Bat: The serial killers never really stop, do they?

Vampire Owl: I am surely not asking them to stop.

Vampire Bat: Well, serial killers should focus on killing only evil humans.

Vampire Owl: That would be a lot of such victims if you ask me.

Vampire Bat: I hope that none of the victims turn into vampires.

Vampire Owl: I see no humans worthy enough for that.

Vampire Bat: Well, they know that death is only the beginning; so they will try.

[Gets a ulli vada and three cups of Kodaikanal tea].

What is the movie about? :: Two lovers visit the original Ghostface killer’s home as a horror tour only to find themselves killed by someone wearing the same mask. The Ghostface also sets the house on fire and leaves. Meanwhile, Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) is married to the police chief Mark Evans (Joel McHale) and is living a happy family life in Pine Grove, Indiana. She also named their elder daughter after her old friend, and this daughter Tatum Evans (Isabel May) is trying not to have any memory of her mother’s terrifying past come to her. Everything seems to get into track with a successful café already under their ownership until Sidney gets a video call from a scarred Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard) who announces that he is going after Tatum and is outside the theater where she is rehearsing for her upcoming play with her friends. Sidney informs her husband and arrives with the police but Ghostface escapes after killing Tatum’s best friend Hannah Thurman (Mckenna Grace) and another friend who has been helping with the play’s background work.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Their neighbour Lucas Bowden (Asa Germann) tries to help, but his mother Jessica Bowden (Anna Camp) is suspicious about them as she feels that trouble follows the family and her son who follows these stories of murders could also end up being a suspect for absolutely no reason. On the same night, Ghostface comes right out of Sidney’s attic and after a fight with the family, knocks Mark unconscious. Sidney takes Tatum to a safe room and uses the room’s alternate exit to go and get help. But Ghostface who finds the movement on the other side of the wall, tries to stab both of them right through, but fails in the same, only to face Mark again. As he tries to run away, is hit by the car with Gale Weathers (Courteney Cox), Mindy Meeks-Martin (Jasmin Savoy Brown) and Chad Meeks-Martin (Mason Gooding), the three survivors of former attacks of Ghostface. After removing the mask, Sidney recognizes the killer as Karl Gibbs (Kraig Dane), a murderer who escaped from a nearby mental institution who was earlier at their café.

And what more can happen here with a serial killer on the loose? :: Sidney visits the mental health institution, where supervisor Marco Davis (Ethan Embry) recognizes Stu as a mental patient that had no memory and lived in the room next to Karl, and tells them that those two were best friends. He further adds that the man was only recently released, and Karl who was a true psychopath had left the hospital following him. Sidney does not want Tatum’s boyfriend Ben Brown (Sam Rechner) to help her, as she distrusts him due to her own personal experiences. Mindy, Chad, Ben, Asa and Tatum joins Chloe Parker (Celeste O’Connor), another friend of Tatum in a tavern to discuss possible plans to find out who the killer is. But the only thing they end up finding out is that almost everyone is a suspect. At the same time, Sidney reluctantly agrees to be interviewed by Gale on live television to make Stu interested in the situation, only to leave the interview as she is asked too many questions about her children whom she wants to protect. At the same time, Mark is brutally attacked by the Ghostface, and soon, the killer calls and reveals what he is going to do. Can any of these people stop the person in time?

The defence of Scream 7 :: The movie starts really well, and the first one itself is a fine kill with some nice scares here and there with surprises that quickly come out of nowhere. But it is only the beginning, as many murders follow, and the first one had really set the mood for this flick. Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott and Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers brings the old model slasher nostalgia back as the original characters come strong and stays right at the centre. Isabel May is the perfect addition here, and with her around, we can be sure that this scream queen legacy will live on for long – she gets in here with such an ease that we feel her to be a long-time part of the franchise. Some meta-horror humour along with smart references to horror tropes keep the movie working further. The final twist works as the suspense is not something that one would guess with ease. The Ghostface remains an antagonist that will continue to impress us with moments and this is one serial killer who needs no supernatural support with so many characters taking on that mask, and that works really well here too.

The claws of flaw :: The movie got rid of Mckenna Grace too early, and as we look at her as a future scream queen who was part of Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Malignant, Annabelle Comes Home and others needed a bigger spot in this horror franchise than just get killed by the Ghostface in a minute or two. The repetition that we have been seeing in the franchise continues with this one, and so many things keep happening again and again. The motivation of the killers does seem to be rather unconvincing, weak and strange in character. Then there are those characters which are not developed, and most of the side-characters miss the strength, with too many deaths occurring too quickly rather than everything happening as part of the development of the story. The dependence on nostalgia does not let it go for something bigger or to bring too much innovation, and one can only keep wondering what more can this franchise bring in a next movie if it comes, for this is like a franchise that seems to stretch towards eternity.

How it finishes :: This movie is surely better than the predecessors except for the first few movies which set the whole thing very well. The slasher mode works well here with that nostalgia attached to it, but does not get the innovation working here due to that overdependence on a past which remains the core of the movie’s present and future. The Ghostface remains an image that we will remember for long, and even its parody would remain scary enough – the movie seems to know its advantages and focuses on the same without taking much of a risk; the world is direct here without any complications. This would be a light, nostalgic slasher experience which seems somewhat set to pass on the baton to a new generation with the introduction of the daughter character to the scene, but how it would turn out is yet to be seen. This is like that eternal slasher movie which gets new characters behind that well-known mask, and with this one, we know that there has just been enough again, and any more expectation from the fans would be a demand, but not a right. May our favourite Halloween season mask live on.

Release date: 27th February 2026
Running time: 114 minutes
Directed by: Kevin Williamson
Starring: Neve Campbell, Isabel May, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Anna Camp, David Arquette, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O’Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Tim Simons, Matthew Lillard, Joel McHale, Courteney Cox

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Bhishmar

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Vampire Owl: This sounds like a tale that comes out of the puranas.

Vampire Bat: Malayalam movies do not always have titles that match with the content.

Vampire Owl: Well, there is always at least a distant match for each movie.

Vampire Bat: We know better though, as we have known an eternity of cinema.

Vampire Owl: A wise vampire once said that there is an eternity or infinity in cinema.

Vampire Bat: Cinema is not eternal, just we are forever.

Vampire Owl: Well, some of the characters in cinema are also forever.

Vampire Bat: As people who have witnessed fall of civilizations, we cannot be sure about that.

Vampire Owl: We no longer have civilizations, as we see only nations.

Vampire Bat: There is no need for much of a time for any of these to fall. Uncle Dracula knows better.

[Gets a paneer samosa and three cups of boba tea].

What is the movie about? :: Murugan (Dhyan Sreenivasan) is a middle-aged man who is running a fruits and vegetables stall at the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border. He was in love with Gouri (Divya Pillai) whose family was running hotel business in the town, and as Murugan was supplying vegetables there, her family would not approve of the alliance. She is forcibly married off to Guru (Senthil Krishna), who is an alcoholic policeman who beats and abuses her regularly after reaching home without his senses. Murugan has remains permanently depressed as he has to see Gouri suffering right in front of him as the couple had settled down in the house right opposite to him. His friends ask him to do something about it, but Guru is that kind of a person who does not care about anyone and will not listen to any person who comes to advise him. It is revealed that Murugan and Gouri had planned to elope together on an eventful night, but he had failed to reach the location in time, leading to her family fixing the marriage on an earlier date. On the same day, another event had occurred leading to Murugan being arrested by the police.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: One night, he comes across a man named Aravindan (Vishnu Unnikrishnan) who is trying to jump off a bridge into a full river after failing to cause an accident. Murugan and friends try to help him by taking him with them as they feel that he would commit suicide otherwise. Aravindan tells them that he is in love with a girl from his college, Rasiya (Ammayra Goswami), and after their relationship became known her father Razzak (Santhosh Keezhattoor), the family had quickly fixed her marriage to a person she had never seen before. Now, the girl has threatened him that she will commit suicide before she is forced to marry a stranger instead of Aravindan. But Razzak will never let his daughter marry a non-Muslim, and the case of Aravindan is not even close to being a consideration for him. Murugan and friends decide to help him, but it turns out that both Razzak and Murugan got a tale which goes back to the night when the elopement plan with Gouri was scheduled. Can Murugan and friends solve the multiple problems so that everyone can leave and live happily ever after?

The defence of Bhishmar :: The movie has managed to bring a big list of actors around here without fail, and has come up with some interesting characters that they play as a suitable part of the proceedings here. Everyone seems to go through this smoothly as there is no real scope to come up with something huge. The cinematography seems to give the movie an advantage, while the music also keeps us a good level. The humour is somewhat working, and there are some moments which serves better than the rest. The contrasting style of Dhyan Sreenivasan and Vishnu Unnikrishnan works quite well in that case, especially with the comic side. When this comedy gets a little bit of romance and some emotions to be added, a family module is ready here, never really getting out of hand in the attempt. The movie also has messages about regrets and second chances, and goes against complications, keeping things simple. This has the kind of formula of feel-good which has worked some time ago in the past, and by not taking any risk, the desire to keep in the genre is once again asserted.

The claws of flaw :: The movie does not bring anything new, and follows too old a policy which has been followed with a usual feel-good tale in a small town with the hero lamenting over lost love and going on with the usual life with good friends ready to help with anything and everything. There is never that much of a scope with this one unless the movie takes some strange risks, and we know the same from the beginning itself, and despite adding a small twist in between which does not feel new, there is no attempt to go through risky terrains, which limits this movie. The humour also gets lost at times, and the feeling of danger is also lost too early. Some of the scenes seem to be prepared for convenience and not to keep the narrative strong and effective. It just takes the liberty to jump through some situations and reach the final moments. The idea of quickly solving a big problem has not done the movie much of a favour either. The slow pace and the lack of updates to an old tale can keep us worried as much as the new generation tales which has no real story or anything good – but those become blockbusters, and old style does not survive.

The performers of the soul :: Dhyan Sreenivasan who is supposed to the lead the way do the same with relative ease, and goes through the journey like nothing more needs to be done – he is just natural himself and plays the commoner without ups and downs. His Kunjiramayanam or Adi Kapyare Koottamani humour would have helped further here. Vishnu Unnikrishnan plays an interesting character with multiple shades, and as the same is not explored further, he just goes through the character’s strange mannerisms without bringing anything spectacular. There is always some humour around when he is there. Divya Pillai is very good in her character, and this is another fine character that she gets after Dheeram. One feels that she went to the background from leading roles too soon. Ammayraa Goswami is okay, but does not do much except for being unconscious, showing smiles all the time and occasional crying, with not much of an interesting dialogue for her. Senthil Krishna has a strong presence, and could have even had more, while Indrans scores heavily in just a few last minutes. Santhosh Keezhattoor and Vineeth Thattil David play the negative shades really well. Abu Salim should not have been restricted to such a small role as the setting had the options for a lot more for him here.

How it finishes :: If you are looking for a light family entertainer, this would serve the purpose, but there might be a chance that you will put a label which says outdated right here. This too old style a writing, slow pacing and some uneven screenplay cripples the movie at times, but the cast with their natural acting in a common man setting adds some humour and emotions to hide its faults. I have to say that I never saw that a movie like this was releasing in the theatres, and this one seems to have released without making that much of a noise. One cannot help thinking that too many movies are releasing these days and they are coming and going from the theatres without any warning. Even during last year, there were reports that most of the Malayalam movies are not that well no the big screen, and that only a small percentage of movies brought good revenue. Well, without some good promotion and without letting anyone other than some so-called influencers know about the release, one wonders how any movie can make people aware of its release. When a movie releases without enough hype, one wonders if it really got the attention it deserved.

Release date: 20th March 2026
Running time: 142 minutes
Directed by: East Coast Vijayan
Starring: Dhyan Sreenivasan, Vishnu Unnikrishnan, Divya Pillai as Gouri, Ammayra Goswami, Indrans, Senthil Krishna, Gibin Gopinath, Manikandan Achari, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Abu Salim, Shaju Sreedhar, Unni Lalu, Jayan Cherthala, Binu Thrikkakkara, Akhil Kavalayoor, Vineeth Thattil David, Sohan Seenulal, Vishnu Groovi, Smriti Pandey

<<< Click here to go to the previous review.

<<< Click here to go to the biggest movie of last year.

@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.

Aadu 3

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Vampire Owl: So, we have the third movie this time.

Vampire Bat: Well, there was always going to be a third.

Vampire Owl: But the situation seems to be entirely different in this case.

Vampire Bat: Well, there was the talk about the grandeur being a lot more.

Vampire Owl: The connections which seem to be made here feels rather strange when together.

Vampire Bat: That is quite natural as the genre itself seems to have changed by a mile.

Vampire Owl: I do not know if Uncle Dracula would like this change.

Vampire Bat: There is no need for you to show this to him, or your friend Mr. Frankenstein.

Vampire Owl: Dr. Frankenstein is now beyond all entertainment.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frank is beyond everything sensible.

[Gets a taco and three cups of Strawberry milk tea].

What is the movie about? :: It is the year 2370, and Earth is ruled by a ruthless dictatorship known as The Organization which has managed to quash every attempt at rebellion. They are an all-powerful entity which was never really challenged, considering its power and ability to stop all riots even before they begin. The dictatorship would not stay away from unleashing violence if it is threatened, making the ruling group an entity which one would need to fear beyond everything else. According to the resistance leader Baba (Indrans), the Organization has achieved this status through a celestial object called the Star Dust, which allows time travel, and in the process, rewrites timelines according to their will. Baba assures the other resistance fighters that time is not linear as past, present and future coexist simultaneously, and actions in one timeline would change the other. Baba understands that preventing the Organization from acquiring the Star Dust is the only way to stop them from achieving total dominance through time travel. For the same, he feels that there can be some unexpected heroes in different timelines who can help them and make sure that the balance is maintained and the inter-timeline evil can be stopped.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: In 2025, Shaji (Jayasurya) and his gang had received three million US dollars after the events involving the fight with Chekuthan Lazar (Hariprashanth M G), Anali Sabu (Anson Paul). They make the plans to travel to the United States of America to convert the cash from dollars to rupees, but Cleetus (Dharmajan Bolgatty) misses out as he has no proof, neither an SSLC Certificate, driving license nor an aadhar card to prove his identity, missing out on passport as well as that possible visa to the United States. As Cleetus gets depressed about missing out on the opportunity, takes a funny dialogue by Shaji’s niece Rachael (Athira Patel) related to seeing the American President when he comes to Coimbatore and exchange the dollars for rupees by just talking to him. As the date of Donald Trump visit arrives, and Tamil Nadu Police with the Central Forces have come up with a strong security, and Cleetus gets in there and shouts terrorist instead of tourist as he gets arrested. The currency is discovered to be fake, with Benjamin Franklin wearing glasses for the first time in a note, and now the team has to save Cleetus.

And what more is to happen here as another timeline calls for more? :: In 1790, Maharaja Padmanabhan Thampuran (Jayasurya) is ruling his small kingdom which seems to be weakening day by day, as his influence keeps going down even in his own circle. He is helping Vareed Mappila (Vijay Babu), to build a bridge which would change the fate of his kingdom – Vareed is an architect who had earned his degree from abroad in a reputed university, but is struggling, and is strongly supported by Kunjukunju (Noby Marcose) and Palazhi (Nirmal Palazhi) who provide local support even though adding a little bit of silliness to the situation. The whole thing has Lord Walter Joseph (Sunny Wayne) as the overseer, but this British lieutenant is called more as “water” due to him being drunk for most of the time. He always has Soman (Sudhi Koppa) and Sundar (Bijukuttan) to aid him, as they struggle to finish the bridge in time. As the king has problems with his spine, he sends his driver Koran (Aju Varghese) to find a doctor, but the bigger problem arrives in the form of the ruthless Azam Khan (Vinayakan), a commander under Tipu Sultan who wishes to destroy everything. How will all of these incidents in different timelines come together now?

The defence of Aadu 3 :: Jayasurya as Shaji Paappan holds the most value once again, and we see him leading the way to glory here too, as this character gets another twist for him with one more to play around here. Among the characters, those played by Saiju Kurup, Vinayakan, Sunny Wayne, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Vijay Babu and Indrans score the highest, while the support only seems to get only stronger. The bigger than usual attempt makes it possible to have a post-apocalyptic dystopian connection out of nowhere make it one of the best attempts to go big with some risks taken. We could have never had our own post-apocalyptic world with a past without this, as even though I have written a novel in such a world, such world-building feels outside the limits of Malayalam movie-makers. Then they create those new generation alcoholic high grossers without content, but I shall watch none of them. But here, some fine production values and background score along with that humour which comes out of nowhere and takes it out of nowhere makes an impression. The feeling of nostalgia will still continue with this world and its characters with that cult following.

The claws of flaw :: The movie’s deviation from the original ideas might hurt its purpose and the loss of two of its best characters played by Sandra Thomas and Chemban Vinod Jose had already hurt the second movie and it misses out more on humour every time. There are also too many worlds and happenings around here, and this non-linear narrative does not always seem like managed in the same manner. The time spent at establishing different worlds seem to have affected the humour’s balance at times. The franchise has always been something belonging to silly humour like Kunjiramayanam and Maranamass which never really hard a smart character; yet we remember that Adi Kapyare Koottamani could add some seriousness to the same. In comparison, in this movie which tries so much, despite trying very hard, the overcrowded feeling seems more like a setting for the next movie rather than keeping this one going forward. This might be same reason why we do feel that the movie is not reaching anywhere as the timelines go through middle part. We often keep looking forward to having better connection and a smarter arrangement of things, and it is something elder audience would feel more.

How it finishes :: We are no longer watching that usual fun-filled silly entertainer, but something more, as we see different timelines coming together to face a problem of timelines – from a light-hearted situation to universe-threatening darkness that spreads, we feel that change is too much real and with high ambitions. Now, the next movie is sure to be something grand, and we will see such spectacles in Malayalam cinema that we might not have imagined before. It is a commendable job to transform a cult comedy franchise into a huge-scale fantasy adventure having time travel, reincarnations, future post-apocalyptic world and dystopia, with the same characters living through different timelines – still, the movie maintains the quality, and we can only appreciate the same. Midhun Manuel Thomas taking the decision not to repeat the same formula and instead choosing the unexplored territory has kept this franchise alive, as it was already losing a lot of steam with Aadu 2. He has indeed tried to make this work with all his heart, and this is the kind of grand experimentation that Malayalam cinema needed, and it should keep pursuing the same while leaving that new generation nonsense behind.

Release date: 19 March 2026
Running time: 170 minutes
Directed by: Midhun Manuel Thomas
Starring: Jayasurya, Saiju Kurup, Vinayakan, Sunny Wayne, Dharmajan Bolgatty, Vijay Babu, Bhagath Manuel, Harikrishnan, Renji Panicker, Indrans, Bijukuttan, Sudhi Koppa, Alleya Bourne, Krishna Jeev

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Dridam

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Vampire Owl: We have been looking for similar police investigation movies.

Vampire Bat: Malayalam surely has the best investigation thrillers.

Vampire Owl: If this was in any other language, the twist would be to mass masala.

Vampire Bat: If it was Bollywood, there would also be special item dance too.

Vampire Owl: That would be as far away from reality as possible.

Vampire Bat: Well, Bollywood and reality never really come together.

Vampire Owl: I guess that they are very much against reality.

Vampire Bat: Their audience also has that kind of a taste, it seems.

Vampire Owl: I would give away my eternity to save myself from things like Singham franchise.

Vampire Bat: It is one franchise that I would never wish to remember.

[Gets a vegetable cutlet and three cups of Yorkshire tea].

What is the movie about? :: Vijay Radhakrishnan (Shane Nigam) gets his first posting as Sub Inspector in a rural area where there are usually not many problems and DYSP Alex Jacob (Mathew Varghese) feels that it is a good place to begin due to the peaceful atmosphere and wishes him all the best. A civil police officer there, Vidya Jayachandran (Saniya Fathima) becomes immediately romantically interested in him, and the same love interest is supported by a little more senior officer Remya Surendran (Krisna Prabha), as they attempt to get into his good books and gain a marriage alliance for Vidya. Due to Vijay’s lack of experience, the senior police constables Krishnan Kurup (Shobi Thilakan) and Balan Nair (Kottayam Ramesh) are there to help and advise him. The other supporting policemen in the station are Sathyan M (Dinesh Prabhakar), Anand Manoharan (Nandan Unni) and Bibeesh A (Vinod Bose) who are locals and going through usual problems of the village. Vijay starts off well in the village well with some simple problems.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Vidya who is a karate black belt, manage to get the attention of Vijay, and the police station seems like a happy place in the beginning days. But soon, problems begin to show up. People discover a severed hand followed by the rest of the corpse which shocks the villagers who face such a situation for the first time. Then there is a robbery in the nearby finance company and a number of people have also gone missing, and they are all suspects and those who have been holding a grudge against the company for a long time. The situation does not seem to be ideal for Vijay as the media as well as the superior officers call for the change of investigation lead, as he seems to be too inexperienced and a junior by all means. It is during the same time that more dead bodies are found, while Vijay and Balan are also attacked while discovering a body in a remote area. As Vijay finds himself in further trouble every day, the locals also turn against him, there are protests to the police station. Can he solve this mystery in time or will he be suspended or transferred?

The defence of Dridam :: The movie takes on a realistic path throughout its journey despite deviating in the last few moments. The whole journey follows an interesting pattern while never really trying to overdo the procedure of investigation despite chances being always present. Until the movie nears the last few minutes one never really has a real clue about the grand plotting behind all of these, and the suspense is indeed nicely maintained and the twist works, as it is not just one turn of events related to a person or two, but is really much more. What lies beneath is more than what people usually guesses with these kinds of movies. The visuals are really good, and as we had seen in Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu, the setting really plays a major factor here too, and if that was about how forest plays along, this is about a small town surrounded by greenery goes on with the strange situation; in both situations, one police station and its people remain more important than anything else. The cinematography and background score supports this mood despite that initial feeling that there is so much good around here.

The claws of flaw :: The beginning stages spends quite some time in establishing characters and the setting, and the mood is never brought there. The movie seems to go full action in the last few moments, and despite how realistic they try, we feel that it is an impossible flight in the end, and that there has been a little too much of freedom taken with the same. There is that certain change with comes and seemingly struggling to manage that transformation as one might feel that it is not the same movie in the beginning and the end. Sometimes in between, the audience might feel that this is just going on and on without any major clue being followed, with the thought that this investigation might reach nowhere with repetitions seemingly happening too often and without attempts to think beyond limitations. Some of the characters can also be seen not being that developed, and a few seems to be there just for the sake of being there. There are also some situations which are not that explored. Some moments seem to be there to stretch the movie, as not much is gained there.

The performers of the soul :: Dridam has Shane Nigam leading in a police role, and it is not something new to him, but this might be the one where he has to lead more, considering the overall cast. He excels in the role of a young police officer who is placed in a situation from where problem-solving is too difficult. The performance here is restrained, and as the role demands, showing no overdose in a matured performance which could make even some senior actors feel the need to play a police officer in control. The character’s simplest characteristics are brought to light really well by him, from determination to frustration and the sides of the person and professional. Shobi Thilakan’s police role here is something to be admired, as he manages a seemingly usual, but multiple layered role with ease. Krishna Prabha has a smaller, but notable role which is managed well. Nandan Unni, Dinesh Prabhakar and Kottayam Ramesh perform their parts without any complication. Bitto Davis, Prashant Murali and Mathew Varghese come up with dependable supporting performances as they seem to blend into this world really well. A special mention goes to Saniya Fathima who is a lovely surprise and contributes so well to the situation.

How it finishes :: Dridam has a rather lesser known presence in the theatres during its release, as it never really managed to catch the attention of the common audience, and I remember never really hearing about the movie when it released, unlike those other police investigations from Memories to Anjaam Pathiraa and Forensic, all of them releasing with some fine hype; even John Luther which was a surprise entry had everyone talking about it, and Abraham Ozler had nicely followed the lead. In between, there was Kooman. Unlike those other movies, this one has to depend a lot on the main actor, and Shane Nigam makes sure that a certain strength is maintained here. We can call this one a well-crafted investigative thriller that moves on as an engaging mystery with grounded performances and more of realistic portrayal of police work, with twists also added. But the slow pace and the strange changes to the journey by the end might not satisfy everyone. It required to do better in moments, and appeal to the audience more with situations to remember, but there is not that much around here as this one goes on without trying to take the risk with big variations beyond the procedure. Jio Hotstar makes sure that you give this one a try.

Release date: 8th May 2026
Running time: 128 minutes
Directed by: Martin Joseph
Starring: Shane Nigam, Saniya Fathima, Shobi Thilakan, Krishna Prabha, Nandan Unni, Dinesh Prabhakar, Kottayam Ramesh, Bitto Davis, Prashant Murali, Mathew Varghese.

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Influencers

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Vampire Owl: I still do not understand why humans call some online people influencers.

Vampire Bat: These online people have the power to affect the purchasing decisions and behaviours of others, through their presence and content on social media platforms.

Vampire Owl: But we are influenced by everyone around us.

Vampire Bat: Yes, but these people consider this as their job.

Vampire Owl: We also influence people, don’t we?

Vampire Bat: Yes, but we do not make people buy things.

Vampire Owl: That should be because we do not take cash to talk of a product.

Vampire Bat: So, technically, the influencers are those who do ads.

Vampire Owl: It feels like celebrities coming in advertisements.

Vampire Bat: True, those celebrities have always been the influencers, never really using the products, but taking cash to speak high of them.

[Gets a uzhunnu vada and three cups of Yercaud tea].

What is the movie about? :: The movie begins by showing a visibly disturbed woman cutting her own throat after looking at the mobile phone. Meanwhile, it is seen that Catherine (Cassandra Naud) had left behind her past of taking on the identities of influencers on social media after abducting or murdering them. Her last victim Madison (Emily Tennant) had remained a suspect in the murders of influencers and their friends while nobody had any proof to make her a suspect – at least a photo of her to prove her to be the mastermind behind identity theft and killings was never to be discovered anywhere. Madison’s influencer life ended as she was continuously blamed online for the murders despite the court letting her go – she no longer remains a face for the advertisers who have gone after new viral names. Meanwhile, Catherine manages to hide nicely in France, and also finding a lesbian partner in a photographer named Diane (Lisa Delamar). This relationship goes stable as it becomes more and more romantic and intimate with their first anniversary which they decide to celebrate with another trip.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: As they decide to get the best room in a hotel to share their intimacy, Catherine is frustrated to find out that the hotel had given the same room to an influencer Charlotte (Georgina Campbell), seemingly to get some promotion of their property. As Charlotte seems to message her and ask her to give her company on a journey, Catherine is further irritated. She gets out of the room early, and after finding Charlotte, tells her that she will accompany her and will take some nice photos. They go to an abandoned monument to take some special photos and she pushes Charlotte off to her death. After the act, she begins to impersonate the influencer on social media as she had done a long time ago. She even messages Diane from Charlotte’s mobile phone that she had left for Spain to make the disappearance feel natural to her. As Charlotte, like many other online influencers, did not have many friends in real life, which leads to her going missing being attributed to her usual journeys.

The defence of Influencers :: There is the strength of dark humour that this movie uses to effectiveness, as Cassandra Naud seems to make use of the same perfectly. Her negative role is something that need to become a measuring scale for similar performances of later – the close shots show the perfection in her facial expressions, and it is like the mark on her face also performs with her. The movie does make fun of the hashtag obsession, digital narcissism and unmatched addiction for social media in a way in which the movie world is in the realistic mode. In a world in which people create videos for money praising something and call themselves influencer despite not really knowing a product, the question remains if the word “influencer” can ever be used in a positive way. Well, during these days, people get viral by doing all the nonsense, and otherwise, there is the option to show partial nudity as much as it is allowed on the social media; Instagram being the most affected platform. It is always fair to satirize this kind of a situation as it influences the youth so much, and even causes suicides.

Positives and negatives :: There are moments when the movie seems to have missed chances for making it bigger, and the psychological terror could have reached bigger heights – but those are just small elements in a movie which makes uses of its minutes so well that even if it was a longer movie, we would have continued to watch it with the same interest. The visuals are so good with locations in France, Thailand and Bali. We get immersed in so many moments of the movie, as the antagonist’s manipulation is so good, as she known when to be a psychotic killer with a knife or axe, an intimate and romantic lover, a seductive beauty who sheds her clothes or a damsel in distress with tears coming out of her eyes as the situation demands. The way in which this difficult character with multiple shades has been done to perfection by Cassandra Naud is something nobody will miss around here. We would love to see her in a full horror movie with a psychotic serial killer or supernatural entity on the other side – she could be a scream queen of something like Evil Dead, Scream, Halloween or other long franchises or the next generation ones like X, I Heart Willie and others that we are to cherish for a long time. Just watch the final scene of fighting and stabbing and you will know.

The performers of the soul :: Cassandra Naud’s performance here might be the strongest element of the movie, as she elevates the whole thing at the beginning itself. It can be seen that she carries the movie with unparalleled confidence, and she does the same for a role which would have made the common actresses struggle or even overact, as we have seen in many cases. Even in those scenes which seem serene, her expressions and body language create such tension and the fear that the whole situation is going to be more twisted. The chaos in her cuteness and beauty will be something that we remember, and the way in which she manages that with grace is her class as an antagonist to remember. The chance to be a loud and exaggerated villain is avoided, and she is just too good in this manner – calm, calculated and manipulative like never before. Her friendliness and detachment and going there and back feels so good. The facial birthmark adds to the uniqueness of her character’s screen presence making the character so much visually and intellectually memorable. The others, especially Emily Tennant, Lisa Delamar and Veronica Lang shines and Jonathan Whitesell nicely adds to the same.

How it finishes :: Influencers is that movie which keeps one interested with dark humour and a possibility of infinite horror that too in a realistic way, as Cassandra Naud leads the path in a manner that not many lady antagonists have done before. She breathes life into this movie and raises the bar, keeping us wondering and surprised with different moments. Even though I have not watched the first movie, it feels that this can only be an improvement on that one unless that one had some special ingredient other than being the first of the franchise. The sharp commentary on influencer culture is the need of our world indeed. If you enjoy those modern psychological thrillers about identity, fame and online obsession, this is surely the movie for you, and Cassandra Naud’s magnetic performance attracts you more and more as your time in the movie passes, and despite her being the antagonist, you want to see her more, and keep asking for a sequel. Such a demand is just natural as she is indeed too good.

Release date: 12th December 2025
Running time: 110 minutes
Directed by: Kurtis David Harder
Starring: Cassandra Naud, Emily Tennant, Georgina Campbell, Lisa Delamar, Jonathan Whitesell, Veronica Long, Dylan Playfair

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Popeye’s Revenge

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Vampire Owl: Isn’t this that person known as Popeye the Sailor Man?

Vampire Bat: Well, this character entered the public domain in the United States of America.

Vampire Owl: This reminds me of those other movies which dealt with similar idea.

Vampire Bat: Well, these childhood icons were truly killers, I would say.

Vampire Owl: Yes, the truth that William Golding said about children, right?

Vampire Bat: The children are all inherently evil, we know.

Vampire Owl: Even the newly reborn vampires are no different from the same.

Vampire Bat: Children in their original form are children of the night.

Vampire Owl: But we are also children of the night, aren’t we?

Vampire Bat: But we are less evil compared to humans who lack even basic goodness.

[Gets a bourbon biscuit and three cups of Ooty tea].

What is the movie about? :: Johnny (Steven Murphy) is a man with a troubled past. As child, his peculiar appearance with muscular forearms and a strange chin made him the target of continuous bullying at school, and his love for sailor outfit had not made things any better. One day, after a bully hurts a girl who tried to save him from bullying, the boy ends up killing one of his tormentors by strangulation which also leads to the boy’s eyes popping out of their sockets. To protect their son, his parents hide him in their basement, where he befriends an unseen person slipping supportive messages from under the door of another locked door there. But the townspeople who are driven by fear and anger for the unknown psychotic child tries to seek vengeance on the ugly, brutal killer and set the house on fire. He escapes while his father and mother burns in the fire, but seemingly drowns in a nearby lake which keeps the angry people of the local town relieved and satisfied about the boy’s fate.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Fifteen years later, a group of vloggers Alan (Kyle Jordan), Cherry (Eva Ray) and Mia (Danielle Scott) visit the area for their episode of Haunted Houses of Evil, a series taking the viewers inside the homes of murderers. This time, they talk about the killer boy Johny who is called Popeye for his looks, and his house is being renovated by new owners who have no idea about what to do with the house as there has been so many disappearances in the area. They try to make it feel that Popeye’s ghost in haunting the area, but Mia who sees some movement in the fog is concerned about what is happening around there. They keep moving around in the unusual fog, and Alan goes to the basement with Cherry while Mia sets up the sound for the shooting before the owners or the locals show up. In the basement, Cherry removes her clothes and seduces Alan, and while they are having sex, Popeye drops in and kills both of them. He also kills Mia who wanders further in the fog. But this disappearance goes unnoticed as nobody knew that they were there.

And what more is to happen with one of the strangest killers on the loose in the fog? :: The house gets transferred to the name of Lora (Amanda Jane York), a former teacher at the school where Popeye has studied as a kid, and she along with her husband George (Oliver Mason) have plans for the house, while their daughter Tara (Emily Mogilner) comes up with an even bigger plan, to make it a haunted house attraction which can become one of the best in the state with the kind of backstory it possessed. She had listened to the story from different people she knew, and her boyfriend Dylan (Connor Powles) agrees to the same. They are joined by their best friend Donna (Danielle Ronald), her boyfriend Nick (Bruno Cryan), his secret sex partner Sky (Atlanta Moreno), quick money seeker Kathy (Karolina Ugrenyuk) and a nerdy Max (Fyn Phoenixx) who are all looking for some extra pocket money which Tara has promised them along with a few interesting nights on a charming holiday mood in the cabin in the woods. With tension running between Donna and Sky to claim Nick as their own, the group has to deal with the killer and a seemingly insane woman named Olive (Kelly Rian Sanson), can they do it before facing death?

The defence of Popeye’s Revenge :: Here is another unstoppable force of a psycho killer, and this is someone right out of our childhood, a hero turned into pure evil. This makes the whole situation different from Halloween, Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer or any other which comes as the natural slasher antagonists of ultimate chaos. To add to it, we have a fine setting, an environment which keeps the horror going with a supernatural touch, as the villain is someone who will keep coming at you. There are some practical horror moments with a lot of interesting kill scenes, with the bath-tub murder bringing the best of it – the grasscutter and many others do follow the same as the full slasher mode is switched on; there was also a test does in the beginning when we look closer to it. This violence clashes with the nostalgia creating a new world of favourite childhood terror. The isolated house in the middle of nowhere and stalking by a resurrected monster makes the blood and gore that much more interesting in this world of childhood monsters. The fear is nicely generated in the situation which is leaves with no options to escape.

The claws of flaw :: The movie often feels particularly suited for the slasher audience, and the rest might not enter this world with that much of an ease, as a certain amount of specialization can be felt, never going out of that self-imposed restriction. If one thinks much more about, there can be a feeling of missed opportunity, and it might be due to the lack of budget that provides such a feeling. If there is a second movie with the same character, one might be able to find a better budget and bigger scenes out there. The slasher effect can be seen the best in the group of youth involved here, as they are mostly generic slasher victims whom we have talked about in The Cabin in the Woods which explored the whole genre model. We once again have the young group coming, getting hunted, some of them dying, followed by an attempt to survive, and there is some success with the antagonist killed or almost murdered and coming back. The character development was minimum even though they have managed some balance by letting the characters work on some interesting moments.

How it finishes :: Popeye the Sailor Man as the one-eyed, spinach-loving cartoon sailor known for his superhuman strength after eating spinach, and having Olive as girlfriend, has defined our childhood for quite a long time. But this time, we see the other side of him, and these twists related to our childhood characters depicting them as murderous monsters in the form of a different Steamboat Willie, Winnie-the-Pooh, Peter Pan, Bambi etc, continues to make an impact. The movie’s quality might be called into question here as we do not seem to have the budget in its favour here, but still, it shall entertain in its own way as a slasher in the usual old model. While not going on a polished horror model, this one still manages to raise its level without trying too hard and following the usual policy. After watching this version of one of the greatest cartoon characters of all-time, it is yet to be seen if we will see Popeye as the same cartoony person again, for this character is also going to stay, and the version will stay in the slasher list for some time.

Release date: 13th February 2025
Running time: 80 minutes
Directed by: William Stead
Starring: Steven Murphy, Emily Mogilner, Connor Powles, Danielle Ronald, Bruno Cryan, Atlanta Moreno, Karolina Ugrenyuk, Fyn Phoenixx, Kyle Jordan, Eva Ray, Danielle Scott, Amanda Jane York, Oliver Mason, Kathi DeCouto, Paul Frost, Kelly Rian Sanson, Clarisse Félix, Max Arlott

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Sukhamano Sukhamann

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Vampire Owl: Are they asking if we are doing well here in this realm without all the human chaos and hatred?

Vampire Bat: Well, in the Dracula Castle, everyone can only be well.

Vampire Owl: Yes, immortality itself makes one feel better.

Vampire Bat: I see dead people walking in this movie too.

Vampire Owl: Are they real or just hallucinations?

Vampire Bat: A few things which are real to some people might be unreal to others.

Vampire Owl: Yes, just like humans do not believe that we, werewolves and witches exist.

Vampire Bat: Like we do not believe in the nonsense by most of those romantic movies.

Vampire Owl: Most of the new generation movies are clear nonsense to us.

Vampire Bat: I am actually surprised that some of them really made so much money.

[Gets a paneer patty and three cups of boba tea].

What is the movie about? :: Theo (Mathew Thomas) is a shy and lonely young man who has been living alone since the death of his father. He was mocked and isolated by his schoolmates and later by the people around him, with no real relative or friend for support. Those who knew his father tries in vain to get him settled, but his strange behaviour always comes in the way, and he ends up losing his jobs one after the other, the last one being that of a driver. Going on and on with the trauma and loneliness, he finally gets the job as an ambulance driver with Ipe (Jagadish) who is in charge of a funeral home and spends much of his time collecting and transporting the dead bodies for funerals. As he continues with this kind of a work for a long time, Theo begins to have some strange visions of the dead people, who become his unusual companions that visits his home and stays with him as new members of a family which never existed. Ipe remains a kind-hearted mentor for him too, as he seems more settled in his new job than ever, but still feels incomplete.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Theo’s world gets more life with dead people such as Vallyapachan (Spadikam George) whom he first meets and finds in his house, followed by Vallyammachi (Kudassanad Kanakam), Unni Chettan (Noby Marcose), Tabalist Gopu (Akhil R C Kavalayoorand), Rapper Porottakkaran (Abin Bino) and even a Japanese lady who dies in Cochin, and these are the people who bring meaning to his life. All these people point to the fact that Theo needs a lady love in his life. It is then that he comes across the flex about the death of Charu (Devika Sanjay), and it turns out that she was never really dead, but someone who is dying, with doctors giving her a maximum of two to three months maximum to live. Meeting her in an act of death in advance with paid actors, both Theo and Ipe become good friends with her, as she had come to Australia searching for her relatives. They try to make her believe that they are her relatives as she hopes for the best final moments of her life. Can they give it to her or will she have to leave for Australia too soon?

The defence of Sukhamano Sukhamann :: The way in which the movie explores isolation, and the human need for companionship in a sweet manner with hope needs to be appreciated – it is not an easy thing to do as we cannot always have the same in control with the deviations in such a topic so easily possible. The creation of emotional bonding with the dead to live in a world of humans is an idea less tried, but with an emotional touch and never going through the darker side, this one achieves its goals rather easily. The combination of fantasy or rather magic realism with comedy running through to give a cute and comforting feeling makes this movie one real feel- good. Wherever you look, you never really find tense moments; the abiding sadness and feeling of loss would be there, but it never gets to that level when we are thrown into an abyss of hopelessness. At least that much is expected to survive in our world of chaos, hostility and hatred. We understand loss as part of life and we move on with this movie, with the understanding that the world needs us. There are moments when we fear that hope is going to be lost, but the same is not the case, and we get the brighter side.

Positives and negatives :: One can still blame the script for not fully developing into a story with heavy motivational strength, and can keep hoping for a push during some occasions. The uneven pacing does not serve the purpose at times, and there is a certain lack of attempt to elevate it to a classic magic realism or fantasy. The ending would also seem like something which arrived too quickly, that too when everyone was getting even more interested. Yet, one can notice that the lightest moments here are delivered by some of the ghostly characters who also serve as comic relief as much as they are the reminders or metaphors of a past that refuses to leave a world which has already said goodbye to them. The visuals also support the overall mood of the movie, and how it supports the progress also needs some appreciation. The emotional depth works exactly as we would want it to, never really letting the melodrama in, but we are left to ponder over the feelings. The short tun-time also works in its favour. The music and sound track provide some smooth support from behind. At least some hope in humanity gets restored with this one, and we can only be glad about it.

The performers of the soul :: Mathew Thomas successfully comes up with a natural and believable boy-next-door charm to his character, and he is once again the character we sympathize with, just like he had in Kumbalangi Nights and Thannermathan Dinangal. Despite the seemingly negative campaign against him online, one has to say that he has continued to deliver fine performances in most of his works. The emotional impact that he has managed to deliver is indeed memorable, unlike those bigger rated actors of the same age. At the same time, we see that after that classic performance on debut in which she played another dying girl in Njan Prakashan, and that charming work in Makal, Devika Sanjay has come up with another performance to remember. There is a certain quantity of happiness factor about her performance, and the positivity of the character is only balanced by her joyful screen presence. Jagadish remains solid in this movie, and extends the feel-good as much as the emotional side. Among the rest of the cast, Sphadikam George and Nobi Marcose stands taller than the rest.

How it finishes :: The movie serves as a small-scale fantasy drama that tries to tell a heartfelt story about loss, loneliness, grief and the importance of human connection in life. It scores with an unusual premise on a young man who finds companionship among dead people living with him. This feel-good with an emotional touch makes sure that those who love the gentle fantasy stories above the fast-paced commercial entertainers are not to be disappointed. The fact that the more delusional feel-good Sarvam Maya released a month or two before might have affected the total run of this movie, but this is that flick which deserved better. In the world of new generation Premalu, Avesham and Vaazha, this is the kind of movie that we need to come up with the real feel-good, something which does not glorify silly violence or alcohol, but people who wish to make the world better. Being a sincere, good-natured film which never ceases to have a kind heart and hope for the future is much needed in a universe of chaos and inherent evil. If people do not like this one enough, it is a change which might not be in the right direction – well, people did not even like Mili, which reminds us that our people rarely like divergent people who are good at heart, and instead go for the alcoholics, goons and drug addicts like most of the relationships of these times reflect.

Release date: 13 February 2026
Running time: 107 minutes
Directed by: Arun Lal Ramachandran
Starring: Mathew Thomas, Devika Sanjay, Jagadish, Sphadikam George, Kudassanad Kanakam, Nobi Marcose, Akhil Kavalayoor, Manikuttan, Jibin Gopinath, Abin Bino, Taba Reema, Gayathri Mayura, Sandhya Manoj

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Whistle

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Vampire Owl: I have a doubt whether these people are fans of Chennai Super Kings.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that there are not talking about a normal whistle.

Vampire Owl: All whistles are normal enough for the undead.

Vampire Bat: You mean to say that even dead whistling through life is normal?

Vampire Owl: Well, if death decides to do so, who am I to complain?

Vampire Bat: You should remember that it is still not normal behaviour.

Vampire Owl: If you include Chennai Super Kings, it will stay normal.

Vampire Bat: You should understand that we Chennai fans do not blow an Aztec Death Whistle.

Vampire Owl: Let there be death whistles to all the opponent teams.

Vampire Bat: I am sure that you will be banned from all IPL stadiums soon enough.

[Gets a paneer pakoda and three cups of Wayanad tea].

What is the movie about? :: Mason Raymore (Stephen Kalyn) leads his basketball team to victory despite having visions of burning man, but after the celebrations, finds himself caught by the same man, and the teammates find him burning to death in a shower, to the surprise of everyone. A few months later, a new transfer student Chrys Willet (Dafne Keen) gets to use Mason’s old locker and finds a strange skull-shaped whistle. After a fight over the locker, Chrys is sent to detention by their teacher Mr. Craven (Nick Frost), along with her cousin Rel Taylor (Sky Yang), Mason’s old teammate Dean Jackson (Jhaleil Swaby), Dean’s girlfriend Grace Browning (Ali Skovbye) and the smart girl of the particular institution Ellie Gains (Sophie Nélisse) who also has diabetes. Mr. Craven who finds and confiscates the whistle after discovering that there is some Meso-American, probably Mayan antique value about it, just blows the whistle out of curiosity post the feeling that the writing is Mayan. Soon, as a chain smoker, he finds a strange apparition that somewhat looks like him which gets on to him and crushes his lungs.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Later, the detained students who meet at a pool also has Grace blow the whistle, whose sound causes everyone who listens to the same to be haunted by apparitions which are revealed to be themselves in a brutal, tormented form which looks very less like themselves. The next day, as they go back to the educational institution, they realize that Craven’s death is reported as extreme stage lung cancer, but they realize that there was no sign of any illness on him when they last met. Chrys and Ellie later meet Mason’s antique-collecting grandmother Ivy Raymore (Michelle Fairley) to return the whistle, but she gives it back to them while saying that it is a centuries old Aztec death whistle carved with the phrase “summon your death” instead of “summon the dead” which they had thought. She adds that anyone who hears the whistle becomes stalked by death and is soon killed by a manifestation of their own body just before dying. As they understand that Mason was to die by burning at some stage of his life and Craven by lung cancer caused by excessive smoking, Grace dies after rapidly aging into an old woman, and Dean is later killed in a manner resembling a motor accident. Now, can they stop it in time before anyone else dies?

The defence of Whistle :: When you take horror our of some Aztec whistle, there is the feeling that not much can be known about it, and therefore escape is to be near impossible. The early coming of death in the exact same way as destiny has planned is something innovative, and a twist on death coming to us in multiple brutal ways. The atmosphere created by the movie is really good, and we see some nice spooky thing coming out of nowhere every time, as being visually engaging seems to be a skill around here. The death sequences remain creative, with the addition of old-age apparition as much as the other brutal death modes. The mystery elements of the movie continue to stand strong, and we see the power of death not being a gentleman, thus not making Emily Dickinson with her poetry not that agreeable. There is no complication with the basic idea and with the characters and the quick pace, will be appealing to the new generation from the beginning itself. They mystery remains mysterious and sets tone for an even bigger sequel, if there is a chance.

The claws of flaw :: There are moments which make one feel that there are missed opportunities which could have easily been taken to elevate the movie. There was always the chance for more, with the scares as much as with the imagery. The supernatural elements taking the form of a future death could strike terror like no other. The appearance of apparitions could be scarier with some extra blood and gore, with more frequent appearance also possible. The middle part feels like a little deviating as the characters do make some strange decisions, yet it is not something we have not seen in other horror movies where the some characters die early, some others refuse to listen and often make the dumbest decisions; these have become a regular part of the genre, but this movie could have deviated from that formula as it had already taken some divergence with the premise and a myth that goes a different way. The idea also seems to move on and on, and the possible solution also seems a little too predictable.

The performers of the soul :: Dafne Keen who has been known for Logan, The New Mutants and Deadpool & Wolverine, has the lead in this particular horror flick, and we already know the kind of intensity she has displayed as a mutant and therefore would have no doubt about her possibilities in a horror movie. Her performance remains the highlight of the movie. Then there is Sophie Nélisse of 47 Meters Down: Uncaged which had its own sharks to bring the horror underwater – this time, she does an even better job. The two becomes a fine team together, and keeps on moving the story with defiance against death and its methods. Ali Skovbye is another lovely addition here, and becomes the person who set things in motion for friends, scoring more in a run against death than anyone else. Sky Yang plays another interesting character well, while Jhaleil Swaby comes next with some fine moments. Percy Hynes White plays a negative character with further shades of evil later revealed, and that surely works. Michelle Fairley nicely adds to the mystery of the movie, while one would feel that Nick Frost and Stephen Kalyn are missed too early.

How it finishes :: Bringing variety in horror has been one of the most difficult tasks of these times, and the movie has managed to do so, seemingly taking an extended inspiration out of something which is not that well-known or followed. After all, there is a lot of scope with different kinds of horror as part of separate myths and legends, like the franchise having Stree, Munjya, Thamma and others had in India, and remains relevant throughout the world, as just the vampire legends would do the job. This movie takes itself beyond the usual world of The Conjuring, Annabelle, The Nun, Sinister, Insidious, Evil Dead and similar flicks to create innovative horror from an idea from the past. The full effectiveness of the same might not be there to be taken at all times, but this one remains something to be remembered for going through that divergent route, and make the whole thing work well enough. Well, we never have enough of horror in a world of chaos which can have nothing more than hopelessness and death – if death comes in many forms beyond Final Destination, we also take them into our hearts and hope for the human suffering to end.

Release date: 13th February 2026
Running time: 100 minutes
Directed by: Corin Hardy
Starring: Dafne Keen, Sophie Nélisse, Sky Yang, Jhaleil Swaby, Ali Skovbye, Percy Hynes White, Michelle Fairley, Nick Frost, Stephen Kalyn, Conrad Coates, Mikayla Kong, Lanette Ware, Christine Sahely, Dina Pino, Izaak Smith, Vicki Kim

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Sky Force

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Vampire Owl: Actually, this is the first time I am hearing about this particular movie.

Vampire Bat: It is the same for me, and I am rather surprised.

Vampire Owl: Yes, we do not miss such movies too easily.

Vampire Bat: So many similar movies used to come to our lands, but not anymore.

Vampire Owl: I guess that the travel problem was the one thing which made it difficult.

Vampire Bat: Well, we no longer go to the theatres that much these days.

Vampire Owl: We are just not feeling the need anymore.

Vampire Bat: But once upon a time, we had stormed the theatres in a flash.

Vampire Owl: We had watched more than hundred movies in theatre in a year, racing towards infinity.

Vampire Bat: Well, those days are gone and we are now people of the OTT with the mobile recharge offers assuring of the same.

[Gets some banana chips and three cups of Nilgiri tea].

What is the movie about? :: In the year 1965, India had given a decisive blow to Pakistan which altered the course of war despite the early Pakistani advancement and the related complications in between. The world had thought that the wars between the two nations have been stopped for at least a few decades. But later in 1971, the Pakistan Air Force launches a sudden attack on an Indian airbase as India was supporting Bangladesh in their Liberation War against the Pakistani forces along with the seemingly everlasting Kashmir issue. Despite the surprise attacks having some early advantage, Indian forces are able to neutralize the threat and capture Pakistani Squadron leader Ahmed Hussain (Sharad Kelkar). The war continues in Bangladesh with the liberation army of East Pakistan struggling hard for their independence. While a talk between him and Wing Commander Kumar Om Ahuja (Akshay Kumar) brings back the memories of 1965 India-Pakistan War involving war hero Squadron Leader T Krishna Vijaya (Veer Pahariya).

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Going back to that time period in history, Ahuja and his teammates, including Vijaya a.k.a Tabby, are training to fly for the Tiger Squadron at the Adampur Airbase of Indian Airforce. Vijaya is someone who keeps breaking the protocols while trying to achieve the impossible, and remains a highly skilled and valued pilot in the team. He does the best in most of the training sessions, making an impact like nobody else has done before. He shares a close bond with Ahuja, as he considers him like his father who passed away as he has been his mentor for a long time, leading to others feeling that there is a favoritism involved. Ahuja sees his late brother who had passed away, someone who was also a skilled pilot, in Vijaya and his actions. Vijaya’s Geeta Vijaya (Sara Ali Khan) is pregnant with their first child and is scared that there could be a war soon, and her husband would have to leave very soon. Ahuja’s wife Preeti Ahuja (Nimrat Kaur) gives her confidence from her own experiences.

And what more is to follow here in a world which awaits a war of long reaching hostility? :: Soon, they get the news that Pakistan had shot down four Indian military aircrafts, and war might be coming soon, and despite seeing movements on the border with arms and ammunitions set at the area, India decides not to strike before Pakistan chooses to do anything more. But then the attack comes to the Indian airbases and a number of flights of Adampur are destroyed and some of the pilots also killed in the process. Now, the question remains if Indian fighter planes stand a chance against the advanced American fighters gifted to Pakistan as the commander Air Commodore David Lawrence (Manish Choudhary) awaits orders from the top, which he does not seem to get. When they finally get the same, they realize that their targets might not be the ones which have the best foreign fighter planes of Pakistan, and it might be located further into the territory. If the team can get to these planes and destroy them, it might be as part of a suicide mission. Now, the question remains if they can really manage to do that without disobeying some of the direct orders from the top and while facing advanced fighter jets.

The defence of Sky Force :: The movie works as a fitting tribute to the nation’s heroes, and at the same time, works with its action and drama really well. The patriotism never really gets over the line and we do not the situation overdone to create a feeling of hate. Akshay Kumar manages to make another patriotic movie work, and this time, the realistic feeling to his character has us with further appreciation. He had provided a certain variety in the same through Airlift as well as Baby and Bell Bottom focusing not on the big battles but what lied beneath the same, and this one goes directly to war, and he manages to make this keep a certain level with the skill of a veteran whom we have loved since the Khiladi series taking it to the next stage. Veer Pahariya, whom most of us have not seen before and is introduced to Bollywood this movie, comes up with a fine work too. His strong first introduction is something that we will remember for long. Among the ladies, Nimrat Kaur has a strong presence while Sara Ali Khan remains okay. The supporting cast does manage to do the job well.

Positives and negatives :: The movie might still feel to be similar to some other movies in the past which have dealt with similar topics, and the Western influence cannot be denied either. Bollywood has always found it difficult to innovate too much, and that struggle can be seen here too. But it has that punch when dealing with a forgotten hero and the patriotism is at the right place, having no excessive melodrama which often threatens to complicate things. The dogfights and aircraft-related scenes are really good with the movie as they maintain the classic strength of the sequences while never overdoing the same – the visuals remain in quality and the sound effects and background music are nicely blended well. The predictability is still there and not all aspects of war and that part of history are shown. If you are looking for too much of a spectacle with style, you might not have it, as such true Bollywood movies would have some overrated actress; compared to another similar movie, I am glad that this one did not have Deepika Padukone or those usual names, for the focus would be shifted if someone like her is added, for the direct approach of this movie needs no glamour and calls for no bikini or swimsuit show.

How it finishes :: Sky Force is that kind of a movie which works on more than one level, even though not all levels get the same impact as intended. There is a lot of quality here, and to that, everyone would agree, and when patriotism and bravery get the right dose, we are going to appreciate the same every time. It easily becomes a tribute to the past which had some of the greatest heroes of the nation who shall not be forgotten. After all, military dramas with strong emotional core and real-life characters providing inspiration with patriotism are the kind that we cannot ignore. If you are looking for that kind of military movies which turn into stylish action films with Deepika Padukone in a swim suit, this is surely not the movie for you. For this one as a tribute with inspiration from real-life characters shall have none of it. There is no wonder about the fact that this did not do that well at the box-office; people look for style over class, and it is what they opt for all the time. It is also the reason for success of too many romantic movies, for they are easy to create in Bollywood with two or more dumb people falling in love. On the other side, we have movies like this which deserves our appreciation for getting so many things right.

Release date: 24th January 2025
Running time:125 minutes
Directed by: Sandeep Kewlani, Abhishek Anil Kapur
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Veer Pahariya, Sara Ali Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Sharad Kelkar, Mohit Chauhan, Manish Chaudhari, Varun Badola, Soham Majumdar, Rajat Kaul, Ritik Ghanshani, Abhinav Bhattacharjee, Virendra Singh Patyal

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Prathichaya

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Vampire Owl: We have had some high expectation about this movie.

Vampire Bat: We never really had high expectations from political thrillers.

Vampire Owl: I am not sure about calling this one under that label though.

Vampire Bat: Well, labels are part of life and some divisions are necessary.

Vampire Owl: Yes, even vampires use different types of labels towards infinity.

Vampire Bat: Labels are forever, even after death and burial.

Vampire Owl: Everyone knows that death is only the beginning.

Vampire Bat: Only the humans do not realize the same caught in the waves of chaos.

Vampire Owl: Maybe they need to make a call from the dead to the living.

Vampire Bat: There are no connections to the living’s identity in the realms past death.

[Gets a chilli paneer dosa and three cups of Darjeeling tea].

What is the movie about? :: K N Varghese (Balachandra Menon) serves as the Chief Minister of Kerala, and has been proving his governing skills which has taken him to new heights, even rising above all those tough allegations raised against him by the opposition. His elder son Tobin Varghese (Nishanth Sagar) is a Member of Parliament, a position asserted by Varghese’s influence, and is married to Rani Tobin (Vijitha Vijayakumar) who is hoping that her husband would one day become a minister. His younger son John Varghese (Nivin Pauly) is a tech entrepreneur who keeps away from politics and is married to Rosa John (Neethu Krishna) with whom he was involved in left-wing politics during college days. Varghese wished to have John involved in his politics, but he had remained elusive, as he had fallen in love with communist leader N P Jayadevan’s (Saikumar) daughter, who became his wife and had decided to not let any more politics in their lives. Varghese, despite his busy life as Chief Minister, has remained a loving husband to Annamma Varghese (Sabitha Anand) and spent time with his children.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Varghese has his new struggles as the minister, as people within his party and coalition also have problems with his method of working, especially with his closeness to common people and the quick decision-making without involving other elected members or even veterans or ministers. A case of approving bars and closing them according to situation also angers the coalition members, especially who are in charge of particular departments. But things change when a woman named Nisha Chandrakumar (Ann Augustine) comes up with an interview to a reporter Elizabeth Jacob (Aneena Mariya), which is telecasted on the television channel owned by the business tycoon Ravi Madhavan (Sharaf U Dheen). This brings a new scandal to the scene, as Nisha claims that she was called to the minister’s home, and was sexually exploited in his room when she visited him for a favour when nobody else was present at her home.

And what more follows here as a crisis unfolds in a world of chaos and distrust? :: Nisha had also recorded herself entering the house and the video was provided as a evidence, which quickly means trouble as he had already told the media that she did not come to his house at all. This brings an organized attack against Varghese, and the leftist groups arrange huge rallies to attack him, even injuring him despite being stopped by the police. Tobin finds himself in trouble as he is also considered to be a silent partner in all deeds of Varghese. No longer at peace with himself, Varghese has a heart attack and is pronounced death on the very next morning. John who was supposed to reach St. Pietersburg for a new project cancels his trip and returns. Tobin is considered to be the forerunner for the next Chief Minister of Kerala, but the senior members of the party and coalition seem to disagree. At the same time, John gets in the act to save his father’s name, but can he really do that as political games continue in a world without righteousness? There will be more political secrets and conspiracies involving political rivals – is he good enough to go beyond?

The defence of Prathichaya :: Nivin Pauly as John Varghese leads the way, and holds the movie strong, while Balachandra Menon in a solid role, could nicely manage a character that needed quite some effort. Sharaf U Dheen’s antagonist, Harisree Ashokan’s serious manipulator also works. Nishant Sagar comes up with another underrated performance and Vishnu Agasthya has something more than that direct villainy in RDX. Neethu Krishna’s debut is well-received while other female characters by Megha Thomas, Aneena Mariya, Vijitha Vijayakumar and Sabitha Anand remains effective. With some good performances, the movie shows media manipulation, corporate influence and fake image-building which have been part of politics these days instead of the genuine desire to serve people. The father-son emotional mode remains effective throughout the run. This also remains a visually good movie with nice background score. There are some twists in between related to the proceedings. We feel that there are some reflections of the politics of Kerala in the past.

The claws of flaw :: People might still have their expectations too high after Sarvam Maya, even though Baby Girl had attracted less attention in comparison. There is also a lot of predictability associated with this movie, and people might think that the ending is just usual, quick and too easy to expect from this kind of a film. One can also feel that there are too many cliched dialogues which comes in here and there. The movie is a bit too long, and some of these extended dialogues add to slowing down the overall pace. Even with the new technological ideas added here, the movie can feel like belonging to a past at times, that too with new political situations already seen and explored in real life. There were many opportunities to take it out of that expected corporate level extension to the usual, but the movie never takes them, as it seems to be trying to make the protagonist as too smart a person who can go through all of these with ease and come up with flying colours. Yet, being a little too dramatic remains a weak point – after all, the hero is to focus on the family audience more these days, I guess.

How it finishes :: This is the movie which had some hype associated with it, but never really rising that much when we look at the expectation. Now, available in Jio Hotstar in multiple languages, the movie might get better attention as there is a certain amount of tidiness associated with it, never really going out into that clueless chaos. As a clean movie, a political thriller for the families asserted by its cast, there is not more than what meets the eye, but what is suitable for all eyes. As an emotionally strong one, it tries to bank on the family audience and therefore forgets the rest of the audience, which might have led to its downfall as this genre is not that of everyone from home. Maybe, next Nivin Pauly would go back directly to the family audience with their own kind of genre rather than any other. This is still the best movie from B Unnikrishnan in some time, and it does not overdo what seems to go out of control and twisting out of the usual. One can only say that the political thriller forces could come again with more divergence, for Kerala surely has scope for a lot of the same.

Release date: 26th March 2026
Running time: 162 minutes
Directed by: B Unnikrishnan
Starring: Nivin Pauly, Balachandra Menon, Sharaf U Dheen, Harisree Ashokan, Sabitha Anand, Neethu Krishna, Ann Augustine, Saikumar, Maniyanpilla Raju, Chirag Jani, Nishanth Sagar, Vishnu Agasthya, Vijitha Vijayakumar, Megha Thomas, Nandini Gopalakrishnan, Baby Dhwani, Vyshakh, Aneena, Baby Fyza

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Sambhavam

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Vampire Owl: I have heard a lot of positive about this movie on the way back from silent hill.

Vampire Bat: This feels like a very divergent movie in comparison to others.

Vampire Owl: Yes, one of its kind, as what we understand from the opinions.

Vampire Bat: There seems to be something mysterious about this movie too.

Vampire Owl: I can feel the supernatural and science fiction at the same time.

Vampire Bat: I wonder if they will need science if the supernatural already works.

Vampire Owl: This would be one of its kind in Malayalam, I guess.

Vampire Bat: Every kind of a movie needs to begin somewhere.

Vampire Owl: So, the experimentation has started now.

Vampire Bat: And it seems like it is going the right way this time.

[Gets a red velvet cake and three cups of Ceylon tea].

What is the movie about? :: Anand (Askar Ali) is a civil police officer who had go through his early life as an orphan due to his father’s disappearance during his childhood. Many years later, he is taking charge in an area which is located close to the forest, and it is a punishment transfer to the middle of nowhere as he fell asleep on duty and did not salute a senior police officer. As he takes charge, his wife Neethu (Neethu Krishna) is pregnant, but she assures him that he can go without second thoughts as the full family is around there for her help and support. There he meets the other policemen in the station, the senior officer Ashokan (Assim Jamal) and the other officers Reji (Vineeth Kumar) and Rajamani (Senthil Krishna). Reji is an angry middle-aged man who gets upset about even small things during his duty, while Ashokan who only has a few years to retirement shows the best of maturity, with Rajamani living through some happy moments in his police life. The situation seems to be peaceful, and there seems to be no feeling of danger or crisis anywhere near the forest and village area.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: The joining day seems to be an uneventful one, and as Anand comes to know that Neethu had given birth to a girl child, Ashokan asks him to go home and come back later as there is nothing much to do. Everything seems to go in a usual manner until they realize that Reji has caused a problem with a group of Tamil youth from the other side of border. This is followed by them finding an injured police officer on the way, whom they take to the hospital. From the walkie-talkie used by the officer, they find out that there is another police officer who is injured and lost in the forest. With these calls from the same person keeping on asking for help, they decide to search for the missing man. They make a call to the police station on the other side of the state, but the people on the other side denies having anyone in the forests at the same time. Despite Reji not being in favour of it, they decide to go into the forest and quickly have a look. As they step in and go deep into wilderness, there seems to be too many things that they do not understand. Who all can escape from these complications?

The defence of Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu :: Despite dealing with a difficult topic, the makers of the movie seem to have a fine idea about what it needs to achieve, and therefore the whole thing is provided to the audience without much of a complication. From the beginning itself, we are given the idea that there is something coming, and danger is always around the corner with something strange awaiting to drop in. The time-bending elements are always ready to add more too. The twists are nicely worked with, and the suspense is well-maintained and unleashed at the right moment. They mystery makes us think early enough and there is more to it than what meets the eye, revealed with enough being held for the big revelation later. The setting of forest has been used to the advantage, and the choice of statue and backstory works well to add to the overall mood. Cinematography, background score and editing, all contribute well to the overall quality of the movie. With a bigger budget, one can only wonder what can be made if there is a second movie in this particular series.

Positives and negatives :: Despite how well this has been presented, there will always be some people who do not understand the whole thing, and will remain confused forever. The emotional depth, despite being strong with the father-son bond, losses its power with the repeated idea of seeing the newborn child. There might be similarities with other movies felt at times, but with the setting and background, this serves right in its own way. There is a little bit of stretching as the same thing is repeated in the name of showing different timelines, and incidents happening multiple times, often in the same way or with differences keep us wondering. For those who do not like the basic idea, this will hurt them more. The absence of the big names seems to have hurt the movie, and some more hype during its release would have helped to make this a big name in the theatres too – the experience is something which would work really nice for the big screen with a special feeling that never ceases to leave us. Still, you see how well this is presented, and can always have some time to enjoy the same.

The performers of the soul :: Known the best for Kamuki, Askar Ali comes up with an interesting performance here in a movie which requires some work from the cast due to its shift between timelines and the weird nature of the proceedings would make it even more difficult. The emotional side of the movie is mostly associated with him more than anyone else. Assim Jamal plays a fine police officer, someone who seems to be more responsible than others, and is committed to his duty with a humane touch. From the first introduction itself, we feel that he is indeed a likable character, and maybe he deserved a full run in the movie. Vineeth Kumar plays a serious police character, but we do not see much of him and the character is easily lost in the proceedings as we do not get a character development around there. Senthil Krishna’s small role remains notable, and keeps us feeling that there would be more to him, but he does not get that much of a screen-time to work with. Sidharth Bharathan’s small role should get developed further in the next possible sequel, as it becomes very relevant and well-played with a touch of mystery. As the only relevant female character, Neethu Krishna manages a fine job with the small screen-time.

How it finishes :: Sambhavam Adhyayam Onnu comes up with an idea which is not thought about in Malayalam cinema, and this lack of thought might be more about how people would take it rather than that botheration about the budget. The combination of loops with local myths and legends works really well around here, as the cinematic experience becomes something splendid as much as new, with everything working so well, and even leaves scope for something more to come in a possible sequel – there has been some good appreciation from the audience for this movie, even though early reaction was not much; another movie should be coming around. If you enjoy time-loop mysteries, this one is worth watching for its ambition, atmosphere and that unusual premise which is added to our world in a believable manner. The combination of multiple ideas to a believable mode works really well. This is certainly a step forward for Malayalam cinema and we need to appreciate the same, for Thamma–Munjya–Stree-like folklore developement should happen more.

Release date: 6th March 2026
Running time: 129 minutes
Directed by: Jithu Satheesan Mangalathu
Starring: Askar Ali, Vineeth Kumar, Assim Jamal, Sidharth Bharatan, Senthil Krishna

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Jolly LLB 3

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Vampire Owl: I had once tried to get a law degree from the Vampire Elder University.

Vampire Bat: I never heard about such an episode about you.

Vampire Owl: It was kept highly confidential for everyone’s interest.

Vampire Bat: What can happen if people know about your skills?

Vampire Owl: I will be given more work at the castle.

Vampire Bat: I thought you liked working at the Dracula Castle.

Vampire Owl: I always want some spare time, and this secret will be helpful for me.

Vampire Bat: Even now, you do not really spend that much time at work.

Vampire Owl: Nonsense. I am always working for the upliftment of vampire community, not for its fall.

Vampire Bat: You should know that there are special working committees for the same purpose. We are together in this one with Uncle Dracula.

[Gets a tea cake and three cups of orange tea].

What is the movie about? :: Rajaram Solanki (Robin Das), an elderly farmer from Bikaner in Rajasthan losses his land to a local builder and influential man Raghunath Bhardwaj (Sushil Pandey), as latter created fake documents to support his cause, and the same is accepted in the local court. His daughter-in-law Varsha Solanki (Sarah Hashmi) tries her best, but as the traditional local court of their village do not consider a widow woman’s words to be of any significance, she has no chance to make a difference and bring some hope to the situation either. This leads to Rajaram, who is also a poet, to write a final poem, and commit suicide by jumping into a river with stones tied to his legs, much to the dismay of Varsha who witnesses their family land being taken away by fraud by builders supported by politicians and powerful men from cities. But she realizes that this is not the case of only one farmer committing suicide, as protesting farmers from Parsaul, Uttar Pradesh also seems to be face the same trouble, with more builders and governments themselves trying to acquire more land for construction.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: A few years later, Delhi is seeing two Jollys in the same court – Jagdish Tyagi (Arshad Warsi) from Meerut and Jagdishwar Mishra (Akshay Kumar) from Kanpur are both practicing as advocates in the same city. Their identical nicknames are the reason for constant friction and professional rivalry due to clients approaching the wrong Jolly, and each of them trying to get more cases at the expense of the other. One day, when an NGO representing forty protesting farmers from Parsaul approaches Jagdish, he smartly redirects them to Jagdishwar, believing the case to be a burden without enough payment. But former’s wife Sandhya (Amrita Rao), an activist, later convinces him to take up the case for Janki, Rajaram’s widow, Janki Rajaram Solanki (Seema Biswas) without taking any money. Jagdishwar keeps feeling that he has the advantage compared to his rival with same nickname, but Pushpa Mishra (Huma Qureshi), Jagdishwar’s wife, has no value for him though, as he makes no money in comparison to what she would make if she sells anything from her boutique.

And what more would happen here as something more is to happen in the court? :: When a high-paying case which comes to Jagdish goes to Jagdishwar just because of the nickname, the fight becomes more serious, and they are even forced to come to a settlement in the presence of other lawyers in the nearby offices. The new problem of the farmers is centered on industrialist Haribhai Khaitan’s (Gajraj Rao) “Bikaner to Boston” project, which is a massive infrastructure plan supported by MLA Iqbal Singh Shekhawat (Raman Atre) and the district magistrate Avik Sengupta (Kharaj Mukherjee). After a number of twists, Jagdishwar is selected to represent the corporation against Jagdish. The case is presided over by Justice Sunder Lal Tripathi (Saurabh Shukla), who does not really want the Jollys in his courtroom again. Jagdishwar nicely wins a dismissal of Janki’s complaint much to the dismay of his rival and the farmers. But this would not be beginning or the end of the farmer struggles, as more conspiracies and acts of evil are to be unveiled. Where would the two Jollys stand related to the same?

The defence of Jolly LLB 3 :: The movie deals with a relevant topic of concern which would remain as something of significance as long as the world exists, and as it takes the side of farmers against the corporate evil with sincerity and seriousness without losing humour, there is that feeling of making it appealing to everyone. Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi and Saurabh Shukla lead the proceedings really well, while among the women, Amrita Rao makes the best impact, as she has always done while being underrated. The emotional side is mostly effective, and the revelations are indeed nice. There are some small little twists that happen around here, and the character development surely works well. It is that clean family entertainer that most people would love to have around among those general Bollywood troubles. This ends in such a way that applause is gained, and the two actors nicely getting into their acts shall remain a joy to watch as the experience shows in bringing the humour out of nowhere and with the shift of moods. Some dialogues will remain in our minds for the relevance in the present world rather than anything else.

The claws of flaw :: As the third movie of a series of fine flicks, this one does not raise its level, and it is a disappointment, considering what kind of content they actually have. There is a certain amount of lack of interest which also seems to make its way here and there as the movie progresses, sometimes leading to a certain lag. There are moments when it gets too preachy instead of letting things unfold. Some of the humour will also be applicable only to the usual Bollywood or North Indian audience, and it has not been a problem of just one movie, as keep staring at the movies that surround this one. The comic side of Bollywood has rarely been at its best in the last few years, unless it is copying from Malayalam movies. As the third movie, and with the characters of two successful earlier movies, this could have surely achieved more. There are so many moments when we feel that the whole thing could be made more interesting, but there seems to be the need to align with the safe side with this one. Well, you know that there is always the need to satisfy too many kinds of people as far as Bollywood is concerned, as nobody knows what offends whom.

How it finishes :: The way in which the movie takes on social issues with some humour, but still maintains the seriousness of the situation deserves our attention. The humour does not appeal to most of the audience, but stays strong overall. There were many paths which the movie could have taken to make this even better, but we would find this one effective enough in this way. It is still not as thought-provoking and humorous as the earlier movies, seemingly due to the need to balance two people of the same name coming from their own previous movies. The mostly engaging ride also ends well enough, even though it can be seen that sometimes the punches seem to be loaded for the sake of being there. The attempt to appeal to everyone is not that much there, but we adjust with that. The core issue of the movie still remains something to think about, and if that much of thought is achieved in a world of chaos and hopelessness for the common man, it is an achievement for the movie indeed.

Release date: 19th September 2025
Running time: 157 minutes
Directed by: Subhash Kapoor
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Arshad Warsi, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao, Huma Qureshi, Gajraj Rao, Seema Biswas

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✠ The Vampire Bat.

Companion

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Vampire Owl: Vampires have always looked for eternal companions for togetherness.

Vampire Bat: These people are talking about companion robots.

Vampire Owl: Haven’t we developed a vampire robot yet?

Vampire Bat: We do not need any more scientific development now.

Vampire Owl: I am sure that Dr. Frankenstein would have other ideas.

Vampire Bat: Mr. Frankenstein and his ideas are surely not real science.

Vampire Owl: They are science, especially after inventing that time machine by the doctor.

Vampire Bat: He just declared that he travelled through time.

Vampire Owl: Yes, and it is truth, as he has proven with records.

Vampire Bat: He has always created all the fake records by himself.

[Gets a choco-marble cake and three cups of Chinese tea].

What is the movie about? :: Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) travels to a mansion on the edge of civilization, a huge property around a lake owned by a billionaire named Sergey (Rupert Friend), who is the boyfriend of his Josh’s best friend Kat (Megan Suri) – Kat still calls herself Sergey’s property, keep or mistress due to the nature of Sergey, yet they remain open to welcoming friends as Kat maintains that influence on the Russian billionaire. They also invite two other friends Eli (Harvey Guillen) and his partner Patrick (Lukas Gage). The group seems to spend some happy moments in the mansion at night, and everyone seems to get along with each other well. But on the very next day, Sergey attempts to sexually assault Iris at the lakeside, and Iris ends up killing him in self-defense. She returns to the house in panic, attempting to explain what happened, but Josh tells the blood-covered Iris to go to sleep, and she losses her consciousness, waking up only to find herself strongly tied up to a chair.

So, what happens with the events here as we just keep looking? :: Josh tells her that she is a companion robot that he is renting from a robotics company known as Empathix. He adds that her emotions and intelligence are controlled by an app on his phone, and the love and sexual desire are also under his control. He adds that the memory of them meeting for the first time is a lie, coming out of a pre-loaded idea chosen from many options, and it is her programming that makes her fall in love with him, and the past has all been part of that programme. He adds that now he has to take her back to the company, and maybe dismantle her there, but she does not believe her. He makes her believe by making her speak in the language he wishes to, and also shows that there are many other customizable options. As he goes for one final talk with Kat, Iris manages to escape though, and she also takes her phone to have full control over herself, increasing her intelligence and changing other options as the friends start to look for her.

The defence of Companion :: The movie can boast of a fine cast led by Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, along with Megan Suri’s perfect contribution as she makes that one the most interesting human character around. The film nicely explores the themes of control, need for freedom and toxic relationships through an entertaining sci-fi situation which is thrilling no because of the scientific situation, but the human predicament. The surprises of the movie are good, and even without those big twists, manage to keep us interested. The multiple elements of horror, thriller dark comedy and sci-fi nicely come together effectively while also leaving a few social messages about people, relationships, rights and freedom. The one and half hour length is supportive of the movie’s cause as it goes through the whole thing perfectly during that time period, never too much or less. There is no loss of strength here as we understand that we are quickly getting to a twisted situation, and the mood would remain somewhat similar throughout its run.

The claws of flaw :: The idea of artificial intelligence with a conscience, emotions and physical relationships may feel familiar to viewers with movies like Wifelike and Ex Machina which did the same better – the exploration of the ideas were so much better with an emotional side there, and the latter was indeed that sci-fi classic which deserved all the appreciation in the world. Those two movies were rather courageous with the depictions, but the movie here seems to keep to the safe zone, and at times, even comes up with just the blame game for all characters except the robotic main character. The science fiction mode is also on a struggle at times, as there is no clear focus on the robot either, and its making and structure, as well as the parent company are restricted to a few dialogues. One cannot say that the idea is original, and there is no real further development on the same available data. Some of the character decisions would seem illogical or seem to exist only to create more situations of interest, and the final hesitation of the robotic character to shoot is just one of them. This often feels like an opportunity for glory missed out.

The performers of the soul :: Sophie Thatcher delivers a fine performance, and the way in which she makes even the usual situations remarkable needs a mention. The final moments have her making an even bigger impression. Jack Quaid can also be considered highly effective in the darker role, and sometimes raise the level so much above what we expect according to the proceedings. This is one antagonist who brings the unexpected. Then, who strikes the most playing the side characters is Megan Suri, who is fantastic as the only woman character with a villainous side – among the characters, she seems like the most determined, and someone with a clear vision, and the same is depicted perfectly by her. For a slasher horror movie with supernatural or psycho killers, she would make a perfect choice – there is something about her that suits the genre. Lukas Gage’s work also remains notable, while Harvey Guillén does fine. Rupert Friend as Sergey has his moments despite being there for only a short amount of time. Jaboukie Young-White, Matthew J McCarthy and Marc Menchaca are there in smaller, but relevant roles.

How it finishes :: Companion becomes interesting because it successfully combines different genres with social commentary without being preachy or slow, and the cast nicely supports the same by adapting to the situations. The strongest points here are the performances, dark humour and interesting surprises, while it never really gets out of the familiar themes and the predictable side that comes even in the end. This will never be one of those movies which comes up with innovation in the topic, as it chooses the safe side, but the entertaining side is safe around here. It seems to know what kind of movie it needs to be, and with this knowledge, touches the necessary elements which need to keep the world interesting. The movie is currently available in Jio Hotstar, but you should remember that this idea can be seen in a few other movies which did the same better earlier. So, choose wisely, and go through the idea. Yet, remember that this is the newest version of the same, and therefore has made some nice changes too.

Release date: 31st January 2025
Running time: 97 minutes
Directed by: Drew Hancock
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, Rupert Friend

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@ Cemetery Watch
✠ The Vampire Bat.