Carbon

Watching the final moments of Carbon reminded me of Christopher McCandless, that American youngster who left everything behind and embraced nature. Here the main character is going after a mythical treasure almost to the point of starvation and discomfort. I would expect that from director Venu who referenced Kafka in his 2014 film Munnariyippu, much superior than this fantasy drama. Fahadh Faasil plays Sibi, a cowardly fraudster who lives by using his persuasion skills, conning other people, and doing petty odd jobs. He has no regard for his family, and the only purpose in his life seems to be hitting the jackpot somehow. So when an opportunity comes that would take him nearer to that jackpot, he jumps ship. Venu has used his classic crescendoing technique to first describe Sibi and his way of life and then move to the main elements: magical realism and fantasy. So it is sure that the characters talk about Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist while flashing back on their life. But all that Venu crafts ends up as a lukewarm affair because you don't exactly know what he intended to convey. Even if you find it (or them) out, the deadpan style of narration that gives no hints at all makes for a tedious watch. Mamata Mohandas, Kochu Preman, Manikandan Achari are all playing life here, and while you ignore Faasil's overboard performance, you get a feeling that this will end in a twist that will make you go agape. Carbon does not drop the base ever. The exotic locales, realistic dialogue delivery, and the eerie music all add to the suspense that is omnipresent in the film, but somehow there is a feeling of lacking which makes Carbon an average afternoon watch. It's well-crafted, but it's not punchy. And I don't what could make it better. TN.

We can feel the brilliance of film making in Carbon. It is engaging, thrilling and acting is top notch. Fahad was superb in his role and Mamta & all others were brilliant too. Though there are many things right about this movie, I felt the climax spoiled the entertainment value of the movie. I seriously couldn't understand what exactly the story-maker was trying to convey through last 10 minutes. Fantasy and reality were blended too close so that I couldn't figure it out what happened in the climax. I appreciate the approach, but seriously believe the film deserves much better ending. The director opened all sort of paths wide open letting viewers to fancy their imaginations. Watch it and see what you could figure it out from it...Good Luck.

After the critically acclaimed 'Munnariyippu', veteran cinematographer-director Venu teams up with Fahadh Fazil (who is undoubtedly the best method actor among the current crop) on a film that sheds light on the newfound struggle (and eventual evolution) of a young bloke who relishes taking the shortcut route to success.

The protagonist Sibi (played by Fahadh Fazil) totally believes in the concept of 'working smart' as opposed to 'working hard' when it comes to making it big in life. As such, he deals in uncanny businesses that involve gems, barn owls, elephants, and Chinese cycles and racks up a huge amount in debt. He is deemed a 'failure' by the world. His family (especially his dad played by a nuanced Sphadikam George), however, is more concerned about his personal safety (because he goes 'missing' quite often and doesn't respond to calls/texts) than the loans he has amassed.

Circumstances lead Sibi to Mlamedu Palace - a project where he has been asked to transform a crumbling mansion into a tourist hot-spot both by giving it a physical makeover as well putting the word out to the public about its existence amidst serene surroundings. His conversations with Pillachettan (Kochupreman) the caretaker of the mansion, Stalin (Manikandan) an inhabitant of the area who knows his ways around the forests, and Sameera (Mamta Mohandas) a jungle fanatic, ultimately lead him into an adventure out in the wild in search of a lost treasure that dates back to Tipu Sultan's era.

While the storyline may not exactly be newfangled, what intrigues viewers is the treatment - the dialogues are utterly relatable (and sprinkled with clean humor), Fahadh comes up with a multitude of expressions that give every actor of this generation a run for his money, the visuals (by K U Mohanan) are ecstatic. The best scenes, in my humble opinion, are the ones where the viewer is unable to distinguish between real and mythical - such as the one with the mahout (played by an excellent Soubin Shahir), or the hallucinatory episode in the forest.

No one but Fahadh could have pulled off Sibi's metamorphosis this effectively. He is shown to be determined yet fearful and apprehensive for a good part of the first and second halves (he avoids family, undergoes crazy nightmares, is uncomfortable with the idea of sleeping out in the open, and is completely petrified at the thought of peeping into a bear's den) - how he overcomes his weaknesses is organically integrated into the screenplay. Vishal Bharadwaj's song compositions blend into the proceedings quite well (except maybe 'Doore Doore') while Bijibal's soundscape is apt. When it comes to performances, even folks who show up for just a few minutes (or scenes) manage to leave a solid impression - be it Vijayaraghavan, Dileesh Pothen, Soubin or Sharafudheen.

Having known Director Venu's fascination for forests and wildlife (as he also happens to be a family-friend), I had a feeling that it was not going to take long before he blew us audiences away with a story set in the woods. 'Carbon' may not turn out to be everyone's cup of tea - a sense of ambiguity prevails throughout, and the 'rushed' climax may appear underwhelming for audiences who enjoy being 'spoon-fed' all the time. But for me, 'Carbon' is certainly a thinking man's thriller. The aspects of mystery and magical realism are simply great add-ons. Experience it in a crowded cinema hall while you can, people!

Fahad is brilliant as always and the whole supporting cast are almost as great as him still the film gives enough space for Fahad to outshine all of them. Cinematography, subtle characterisation, juxtaposing the protagonist with everyone and everything else all works perfectly. The only problem was that at times it feels very atmospheric but looses that clarity at other times. The journey through the jungle coukd have been a bit more tighter but looking it as the uneasiness of characters communicaying to the audience it works but it was also a little bit uneven with the tone that could have been used considering the rest of the film. If not for these minor problems I would have gave it a higher rating.

Fahad fazil such a great performance in the movie and the director Venu sir such a great job