5.3
/10
Director: Eashvar Karthic
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Running Time: 132 minutes
Synopsis:
Ajay (Master Advaith) has been missing for 6 years and his mother Rhythm (Keerthy Suresh) is still haunted by
the nightmares of the kidnapper killing Ajay. When a girl goes missing, Rhythm
tries to uncover the truth behind all the kidnappings happening in the town.
Eashvar
Karthic is making his directorial debut with Amazon Prime's Penguin. It is a story of a mother and her unconditional love & ultimate sacrifice for her children's
safety. This is clearly mentioned in the teaser itself which says "Behind
all your stories, There is a Mother's Story".
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| Keerthy Suresh |
The trailer itself sets both mood and expectations high. From the very first moment, the film
tries to build suspense and puzzle the viewers. The first half is designed to make
users familiar with all the characters. At regular intervals, you are served with some twists and turns. The suspense unfolds in the second half of the film.
But
the basic flaws make it hard for us to believe in the storyline. Rhythm's
actions are foolish most of the time and it's impossible for a seven-month pregnant
woman to do all those things which the film presents. Showing her pregnant is
the biggest mistake of this film.
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| Linga (left) and Keerthy Suresh (right) |
The ending is surprising but at the same
time isn't very satisfying, as the main antagonist has not been given proper screen
time and a detailed background. Despite being almost two hours long, the movie fails to
establish a believable story and credible characters. If you want you can find millions
of flaws in this story. To enjoy this film, you must keep your brain in silent
mode so that it doesn't search for the logic behind every action. But it's not easy
to ignore such mistakes. It's a wise choice of makers that the film is launched
on an online platform.
As
debut director Eashvar Karthic has done a respectable job but the story doesn't
back him up. Keerthy Suresh with her incredible and strong performance keeps
the viewer attached to the film. The cinematography (by Kharthik Phalani) is
excellent and mind-blowing. The scenic beauty can't be described in words.
Sound effects and background music perfectly suit the theme and contribute to
the eerie atmosphere. Editing is immature. Lots of scenes could have been easily
removed. In some places the film makes you laugh without any intention just because
of its silliness. Dialogues are felicitous.
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| Maddy, Nithya Kriupa, and Madhampatty Rangaraj (from left to right) |
Overall,
Penguin isn't totally a bad movie but is illogical and underwhelming at times.
It fails to satisfy you after some time. Penguin is just a one-time watch. Don't
go with high expectations by watching the trailer, otherwise, the film may disappoint
you. If you enjoy films without logic then you will definitely enjoy this film.
It went a little off after the first half.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Movie derails multiple time from its track.
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