The Priest

Watched after hearing few good reviews. I found it strictly average. Mammootty's screen presence couldn't help the weak writing.

The twists are very predictable. Manju Warrier's character is an extended cameo. Could have been given to some other actress. In fact no actors had any chance to perform a memorable scene. I don't know what was the intention of Saniya Iyyapan's role.

Director tried to make a James Wan style movie but ended up with a mediocre script with lot of cliches.

I am a Telugu speaking person (not the target audience). The highest positive thing is there is no lag in the movie and it is very crisp. That's the reason one can easily give it a try and maybe watch the movie till the end. The highest negative thing would be that there is no wow factor in the movie. Even though there are few potential wow factors, the makers did not properly communicated them. The main lead actor suits the character but for some reason I fell this is not tailormade for him. Overall, onetime watchable for sure if you love crime investigation/ horror/ dark movies.

Outstanding first half followed by cliché second half. Bgm at its top notch level🔥. International level quality. Interval portion was brilliant. Overall an average experience for me. If you can spent time and money, go for an multiplex theatre for better experience.

#MovieReview #ThePriest #SpoilerFree #Malayalam #Mammootty #ManjuWarrier

With Mammooty essaying the role of a priest-turned-investigator, 'The Priest' had immense potential to offer something never before seen in Malayalam cinema.

But shoddy writing and a storyline full of cliches make it just an average experience, held together by the superb performances of Mammootty and Baby Monica (the daughter from Kaithi).

Except for a small additional twist in the climax, every other turn in the thriller can be predicted a mile away, especially for audiences familiar with top-draw Hollywood thrillers.

Exceptional sound design, background music and camera work manage to generate some chills if experienced in theatres.

The debutante director deserves praise for these elements as well as the fine detailing done in constructing Mammootty's lead character of Father Carmen Benedict, who dominates every scene with elan.

Manju Warrier is criminally under-utilised while Nikhila Vimal and Saniya Iyappan are adequate in their roles.

Set your expectations right and the film is a passable theatre experience.

I could watch it without expectation and not thinking about logic.