Level Cross

It was one of those movies I had no idea about until I saw it on Prime Video's banner. I'm glad I found it, or I would have missed out on a thrilling watch.

The story revolves around a woman who unexpectedly meets an unruly railway gatekeeper at a deserted level crossing due to unforeseen circumstances. They share their experiences, which lead to major revelations coming to light.

This is a film you need to give time to sink in, as it's slow-paced and takes time to establish the narrative. But once the characters start to open up, it's like unveiling a deck of cards-you have no idea who holds what. A game of lies, deception, and betrayal begins, keeping you on the edge of your seat as you try to figure out who to trust. While a few twists might be predictable, they don't detract from the fun of watching the suspense unfold.

Lately, Asif Ali has been part of some interesting projects, and this film adds to the list. He has nailed his role, from his mannerisms to the nuances of his character, making you root for him. He deserves national accolades for this performance. Amala Paul, returning to the screen after a long break, leaves her mark with a brilliant portrayal of a timid yet strong character. Sharaf U Dheen, though limited in screen time, ensures his presence is felt with a layered performance in flashbacks, doing a fabulous job.

Credit goes to Arfaz Ayub, who directed the film masterfully, making the most of just three characters and a small location. His skillful direction keeps you glued to your seat. The twists and turns are the film's highlight. Special mention to the makeup artist for Asif Ali, who made him look the part and added gravitas to the film. Caution, there is one gruesome scene, so it's not suitable for kids.

This movie is highly recommended for all movie lovers looking for something different. Once again, Malayalam cinema offers a unique experience for viewers.

#pranureviews #LevelCross #LevelCrossReview.

So after getting recommendations from Instagram Reels about this movie, I went to witness it's mystery which is definitely not made for all and of course suitable for those audiences who have patience and have no problems with slow burn conversational dramas.

From Storyline POV it's extremely simple and straightforward in nature. But if we put our philosophical theories in the End then it's gonna definitely amaze you. The Screenplay was also little bit in slower side however the duration of this entire movie is properly cut down for any average movie watchers. The Cinematography of this movie felt rich and brilliant especially in the first 12Min of this movie where the Director doesn't put any lines for the Character, The leading character and all over his surrounding was extremely silent But we can simply got the narration in details through our visual memories. You are gonna rate it High or Low depends on your understanding about it's Climax and those hard hitting Metaphors. From Acting POV the Male Leading character was definitely good and Amala Paul also did justice to her role. She looked like Deepika Padukone in this entire movie with same facial recognitions and same kind of Body structures. And another character's appearance was extremely less but good for sure.

From My side it will be 6 Out of 10 Stars for it and it's safe to go with 13+ but I'm not sure whether you are gonna watch it with family or not because 2 mild intimate scenes were there in this movie so choose accordingly. A decent one time watch...

Well, let me phrase out positives and negatives which I felt about the movie:

Positives * Asif Ali's performance was really good. Amala Paul was also good, but I didn't find the performance of Sharaf, that convincing.

* Movie was visually great. We all were wondering where is this shot. From the first scene itself, the movie took us into another far far place.

*Even though some parts of the movie was predictable, climax was not what thought was going to happen(Didn't see that coming!! 😅) *Even though the movie was slowly paced, it was interesting and we would feel curious on what is happening and what could happen *Dialogues were realistic * Definitely a good attempt in making

Negatives *Some part of the plot were totally predictable *Even though it was an interesting watch, it was not all that nail bitting thriller.

Overall, I would say a cliche sentence. Not everyone's cup of tea. But I really liked the making and aesthetically appealing visuals. To some extent, it was thrilling and interesting.

The film takes us to a desert where time and place become unrecognizable.

A railway track passes through the desert. Although there's no road crossing it, there is a level crossing.

In this desolation, a gateman and his donkey exist... and as each scene unfolds slowly, we are drawn into the story environment of 'Level Cross'.

Beautiful frames... Appu Prabhakar's cinematography allows us to enjoy three-quarters of 'Level Cross'.

The long shots, the slow pace of storytelling, the lack of dialogue, and the absence of many characters make the first half-hour a bit dull, but the film picks up as the train starts moving.

The film becomes engaging through predictable yet flawless interval blocks.

The director manages to confuse the audience by narrating the story of the three characters from different points of view.

Even though the film stands out for its technical excellence and unique narrative style, 'Level Cross' is not for everyone.

If you look closely at Asif Ali's performance as the gateman Raghu, you'll find shades of Mammootty's Putturumis and Mada. However, it's no small feat that Asif Ali managed to carry off the role so effectively.

Although Sharafuddin and Amala Paul handle their roles well, they are not given as challenging roles as Asif Ali's.

Vishal Chandrasekhar's background score blends magnificently with the film's mood. There are minor flaws in the set design, especially in the house near the level crossing, but they don't take away from the overall experience.

The twists in the second half enhance the enjoyment of the level crossing scenes.

In the end, I was convinced that the ghost story-the one about a spirit walking with its head turned around-was not just a subplot but an integral part of the narrative. The director doesn't hesitate to let the audience guess who the ghost really is.

Leaving aside the slow-paced storytelling and the overly dramatic dialogues, Arfaaz Ayub's 'Level Cross' is an experimental film with technical brilliance that deserves appreciation.

Though not seen much Malayalam movies, I saw this movie by postive reviewes. I found movie absolutely fresh and well written.. story start with alone man working in remote area near railway crossing..his life change when he found girl near crossing...movie initially start slow to portray man's routine but after 30 minutes you will force to know story of both main characters..it's not typical masala movie but slow burn thriller...after minutes by minutes your excitement leval is gone up...I found main lead actor is very versatile...his dressing mannerism and involvement of character is fabulous.. definitely watch movie for thrilling elements..only downpart is climax.which I feel should done better.