Vadakkan

Don't rely on user ratings and reviews; the movie was too boring to hold the audience's attention. Better avoid it. By the end, you're not scared-you're just relieved it's over. A horror film where the only thing that dies is the audience's patience. The film boasts dim lighting, endless walking scenes, and dialogue so slow, a meditative journey into absolutely nothing. Watching this film was like opening a horror novel and finding a user manual inside.

Vadakkan is less a horror film and more a cautionary tale about what happens when ambition isn't matched by execution. Watch it only if you're conducting sleep experiments.

The movie felt like an adaptation of found footage horror into a Kerala setting, involving folk like Theyyam. But still they failed to deliver something original to the table. I expected a more smoother blend, but this was just American wine poured into an Indian bottle - superficially repackaged without tasting either flavour. The premise had a lot of potential and they just ruined it.

The cinematography was pretty good, capturing the eerie beauty of rural Kerala. Kishor's acting too, was decent. I also appreciate the experiment. These are the only positives I felt.

I don't understand how it got such a high rating. Maybe people liked the experimentation angle. But for a dedicated horror fan like me, this was a below par attempt.

Indian cinema has made good progress in the field of horror films, but in this film we did not see a good film. Too many actors, a relatively weak ending, much weaker scares (especially the scene where the young man was sitting on a chair and was dragged in the middle of the living room), it was not only not scary, but also funny. So the score is 4. I think if we compare it with other Indian supernatural films, it was much weaker. Even the CGI was weak. In supernatural movies you have to have the best CGI and the best scares. This movie had neither. I didn't feel even a bit of fear or excitement. I don't think the actors played their roles at all. Of course, one shouldn't expect more from Indian cinema.

I had heard some positive buzz about this movie when it first came out and I finally got around to watching it on Prime. I honestly regret it. It is a horrible movie.

The first half tries to pass itself off as a scientific exploration of paranormal activity using the overdone "found footage" technique borrowed from Hollywood horror. But this part feels rushed and poorly executed.

Then comes the second half filled with clichés. Instead of the usual Christian symbolism found in many horror films this one attempts to use local folklore and Theyyam. Now this could have been refreshing if it were done well. But the so-called supernatural entity here does not follow any coherent logic. It is not a wronged soul or a ghost with purpose. It just does random disconnected things. They mention "lust" and "revenge" as motives but the connection is weak at best. The "lust" angle feels completely forced like the filmmakers were trying to be provocative for the sake of controversy.

Add to that the use of obscene and vulgar scenes random English and Malayalam swear words and supposedly "possessed" characters spewing sexual phrases in printed Malayalam. It all just feels immature and unnecessary. Instead of being scary or socially thought-provoking it ends up being unintentionally funny. We were laughing through most of it not because it was funny but because of how badly it was done.

They may try to present this film as some kind of societal commentary but do not be fooled. It is not. It is just cheap horror disguised as something smarter than it is.

Frankly Romancham was a far better movie. It was much more culturally rooted genuinely entertaining and respectful to its genre. And it is rated 7.5. Meanwhile this movie is sitting at an 8.3. That is exactly why I am taking the effort to write this review. Just like the film the reviews seem misleading too.

Theyyam is a vibrant and ancient ritual, and this movie had a great opportunity to showcase it respectfully. While the cast performed well and the acting was impressive, the overall execution of the film fell short of expectations. Given the strong concept and the presence of a talented actor like Kishor, I was hoping for a more impactful and thoughtful portrayal. Unfortunately, the movie didn't quite live up to its potential. The narrative felt disconnected at times, and the depth of the cultural elements could have been explored more meaningfully. With better storytelling and direction, this could have been a truly memorable film.