Carbon

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

Well this movie is totally different from the other adventure chiller's, after watching this movie you would get to know the another meaning of your life. The fist half is all about the character Siby Sebastian's (Fahadh Faasil) connections to his daily life situations but the Second half is just came from no where just fascinating to watch with full of chills and thrills on a adventurous ride on its rich layers. In a self-discovery path where the man could able to chase his dreams or not??

There is a time in everyone's life when we fantasized. We imagine things in our head and twist reality to our whim, so much so that sometimes, the two worlds get confusingly mixed up. Most of us 'grow out' of this after we become adults and the child inside fades away. But what about those of us who don't fully grow up? Is there any place for fantasy in our overcrowded minds and overpopulated lives?

Carbon tells us the story of one such guy who is stuck inside his dreamworld, or rather half stuck. He doesn't have a job, but he has an abundance of schemes and ploys which can make him rich overnight. None of these schemes ever work though, either because they're too far-fetched in the first place or due to plain bad luck. He is, in society's words, a loser. What would such a person do when he realises that reality has long caught up with him? Does he give in to the blandness of the real world or does the dreamer inside him push him to do something beyond logic, in absolute desperation.

This is a beautiful film which many of us can painfully relate to on several levels. The responsibilities towards your home, your aging father standing at the bus stop, your friend who has an own house and a new wife, all of which call out to you, asking, what are you doing with your life?

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.

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.