Wow!! Malayalam cinema delivers again. "Manjummel Boys" is a total emotional rollercoaster, especially if you're the kind of person who really feels with characters. Personally, I went through it all: happy, scared, mad, totally despairing, and even felt like I was choking right along with these guys, rooting for them to find some kind of redemption.
As to those who are familiar, this is based on a true story from 2006. It's about a crew of eleven friends who hit the road for Kodaikanal. The good times are rolling, laughter's echoing through the hills, until one wrong step leads to a chilling reality, the infamous Devil's Kitchen, a place known for swallowing anyone who falls. Fear takes over, despair creeps in, but their bond-that strong, unbreakable friendship-becomes this incredible beacon in the darkness, igniting a desperate rescue mission.
Funny thing, the poster initially made me think this was some kind of horror flick - I was picturing a zombie apocalypse or intense internal conflicts. The trailer cleared that up, but after watching it today, I realized it was so much more. I truly saw fear, despair, a real-life drama packed with injustice, and an incredible tale of friendship shining through absolute hopelessness.
On the acting front, almost everyone absolutely shines, with some moments hitting pure brilliance. Soubin Shahir delivers like always, but Sreenath Bhasi completely steals the show as the young atheist. Seriously, he deserves praises for perfectly conveying every single emotion of someone helpless but desperately clinging to the tiniest shred of hope.
Another huge win for this film is the cinematography by Shyju Khalid. It's stunning to watch how every shot takes on this macabre, chilling tone as things get intense, with every detail just popping on screen. And big props to the makeup team for transforming Bhasi so powerfully in the second half. The editing by Vivek Harshan deserves a massive shoutout for those incredible cuts, especially how he weaves Bhasi's cave scene with his childhood memories. He pulls off a similar magic trick with Soubin Shahir, creating one of the film's most powerful moments.
The soundtrack is just as amazing. Sushin Shyam's score plays with light and dark, hope and despair, perfectly mirroring the film's emotional ups and downs. That pre-interval scene with Soubin Shahir's reaction, accompanied by that stripped-down score, is pure genius. And then the climax hits you with Ilayaraaja's iconic "Kanmani Anbodu Kaadhal"-a total gut punch of emotion. This brilliant homage to the evergreen classic from Kamal Haasan's "Gunaa" truly leaves a lasting impact.
Final thoughts: Malayalam cinema just keeps on winning! After recent hits like "Attam," "Abraham Ozler," "Premalu," "Anweshippin Kandethum," and "Bramayugam ((and yes, you should check out my review for that one!)," "Manjummel Boys" absolutely joins that must-watch list. This is an honest, smart film packed with excellent performances and technical wizardry. While it's not absolutely flawless, after all the emotional turbulence you experience with these "Manjummel Boys," any minor missteps are easily forgiven. This film is a testament to Director Chidambaram's masterful execution; he truly crafted a rollercoaster of emotions and an unforgettable tale of friendship.
