Aranmanai 4

The film Aranmanai 4 is a horror-drama directed by Sundar C. He acted as the protagonist in this movie. Based on the film's narrative and stylistic choices, I would assign it a rating of "below average." The film's plot is unremarkable, and its approach to storytelling is not particularly engaging.

The film's narrative unfolds as Saravanan, the protagonist, seeks to uncover the circumstances surrounding the mysterious deaths of his sister and brother-in-law. As he continues his investigation, he becomes increasingly aware of the influence of a supernatural entity known as "baak." The plot subsequently shifts focus to Ravi and his ghostly sister, as they attempt to protect his niece from the baak's malevolent influence.

The naturalistic performance of the actors is lacking in many plots. There are numerous scenes that feel contrived and artificial. Thamanna's acting in most of her scenes lacks coherence. Additionally, the comedy scenes with Yogi Babu and VVT Ganesh are not effective.

These factors collectively render the film unrecommended, despite its commercial success. The inclusion of an additional item dance, arguably superfluous, may have contributed to its popularity.

The story started after protogonist's sister family died and he try to save their kids and find behind truth... Normal story and screenplay but comedy didn't workout... Still one time watchable movie

The story started after protogonist's sister family died and he try to save their kids and find behind truth... Normal story and screenplay but comedy didn't workout... Still one time watchable movie

The story started after protogonist's sister family died and he try to save their kids and find behind truth... Normal story and screenplay but comedy didn't workout... Still one time watchable movie.

Given that Aranmanai 3 ended up making money despite the negative reviews, it is no wonder that Sundar C has once again returned to this franchise to prop up his box office cred after the misstep that was Coffee With Kadhal. But you have to give credit to the director for having developed a formula that is essentially critic-proof. All that a reviewer has to do is take a leaf out of the director's playbook, rehash observations from their reviews of the previous films, and it would perfectly pass off as a review of this latest instalment. And so, here we go !

Aranmanai 4 does what it sets out to do - faithfully tread the formula set by the first film (a reworking of the plot of Aayiram Jenmangal), content to be coasting along with a 'people will see this movie no matter what' attitude. It has the failsafe must-haves - good-looking A-list stars who can draw the youth (here, it is Tamannaah, who gets to dial up the melodrama to an extent she's never done before, and Raashi Khanna, in a role that appears throughout the film while hardly making any impact), scares that thrill kids without disturbing them (they can take a peek at the scenes through their fingers without worrying about having nightmares), a spiritual element that might appeal to the women (featuring a cameo by a yesteryear actress in the climactic song; here, we have two!), and comedy that works for the entire family (though the humour quotient keeps going down with each film; Yogi Babu and co are quite unfunny here).

And the tropes keep coming - palatial mansion, formless smoke figures, brutal murders, children who can sense/see the ghost, bumbling comedians who get thrashed by the ghost, godmen spouting mystic mumbo jumbo, tragic flashback, tacky visual effects, and, of course, Sundar C in a part-detective part-mass movie hero avatar, taking on both henchmen and ghost with the same unfazed expression.

This time, the plot or the clothesline on which the director hangs these tropes, involves a mother trying to protect her kids from the spirit realm after having been tragically killed by a demonic entity. This is baak, a creature from Assamese folklore that can take the shape of the person it kills (though it is still treated in a way that's no different from the way the ghosts in the previous films were). In another film, the fact that the wife dies trying to protect her kids from the baak, which has taken the form of her husband, could be read as a commentary on domestic abuse, but subtext is the last thing this film could be bothered about.

The one noticeable difference is the slightly different visual aesthetic in the first half (borrowed from the Kannada film Vikrant Rona); the glossy, ad film-like forest we see here at once feels unreal and unsettling. But the director soon returns to the chaotic, hyper-saturated look of the second and third films and the rapid cuts.

On the whole, Aranmanai 4 does what it intends to do - overwhelming us with kitsch and underwhelming us with its lack of imagination and originality, in utterly predictable, instantly forgettable and mildly entertaining fashion.

What else justifies this amount of laziness? When was the last time Sundar C had an original thought he wanted to explore? This is the 4th movie in a series that didn't have a single good movie (which of course is mostly speculation on my part, as I have only watched the first; which was bad, watched bits of the second; which seemed horrible, and wasn't even aware of a third until I saw the fourth in theaters). There's nothing here to enjoy really, as the movie is as predictable and pathetic as you'd come to expect. Is it funny at least? Nope, not even close. Having Yogi Babu in your movie doesn't automatically make it funny, and this is something directors just seem willfully blind to. In any case, save yourself the trouble of watching it, as there's absolutely nothing to enjoy here. The most it could squeeze out of you is a couple of chuckles and that too could just be you laughing at how stupid the movie is.

From previous Sundar C movies, I can say that his movies can be quite typical and predictable, but Aranmanai 4 is a whole different case for this.

If you are going to watch this movie, please dont go into the cinema with the expectations that I will be the same as the previous installments in the Aranmanai Saga because this movie stands on the top by itself as the best in the series.

Positives:

• Great story concept compared to the previous installments (finally a change of pace)
• Tamanna's performance is top notch and gives that amazing emotional connection to the viewers
• Jump scares in the movie are timed perfectly
• There is absolutely no 'Glamour Scenes (sex appeal from female characters)' in the movie as compared to the previous installments. There is one scene where it pops up but its in the final song during the credits which is fine
• Hiphop Tamizha's music is amazing and can be said carried the flow of the movie
• Cinematography is very clean, cinematic and fits the genre
• Good character developments
• The VFX is decent and works...sometimes

Negatives:

• The comedic scenes for the movie can be the downside to the movie, this is because it is inconsistent but sometimes the jokes do land and feels good.

• The overall pacing of the story is draggy, there is a lot of filler in the first half of the movie that is unnecessary
• There is also this weird flow of the story where at certain points its slow but then a second later everything rushes at you and then goes back to being slow.

• The fight scenes in this movie can be considered to be too exaggerated at points
• Editing at a few parts of the movie is a bit sloppy but overall not too bad

Overall, I believe that Aranmanai 4 is a great horror family entertainer and its also a big step up for Sundar C which is great to see. This movie should be watched in the cinemas while its still running before it goes off the big screens. Again I repeat, dont go in thinking this movie is going to be a typical Sundar C Aranmanai movie...because it really isn't, hopefully those who watch it will understand what I mean.