The tense atmosphere of Anjaam Pathiraa (Fifth Midnight), thanks to the brilliant background score by Sushin Shyam and the overall production setup, is what makes it a gripping thriller worth enjoying while sitting at the edge of your seat without having the luxury to pay a visit to the washroom. Because if you choose to do so (or to get the popcorn), the intended impact will be lost. Midhun Manuel Thomas must have envisioned it that way as he wrote a mystery about a possible killer and police procedural involving the killings. More than the underlying themes that are related to crime, it is the procedural involving cops and other investigative elements (where Kunchacko Boban plays a criminologist) that keep you hooked, and makes this mystery thriller a unique affair for Mollywood consumers. There's enough going on here and with a crisp acting performance and sufficient attention to details, I can easily call Anjaam Pathiraa one of the best films to come out this year. We don't get such thrillers often. If you have the ability to pass certain forgivable issues with the plot, the dialogue delivery, and occasional mishaps involving placement and timing of humour, this is going to be a treat. TN.
