Drishyam 3 Movie Review: Mohanlal hardly has to give any explanation of why Georgekutty is one of the most interesting characters in Indian cinema. As Jeethu Joseph tries to cap one of Malayalam cinema’s most popular thriller series, it’s that magnetic presence of Drishyam 3 that keeps being present in the picture.
This time, though, Georgekutty is not just dishonest cable TV operator. Now a successful producer, he brings with him the emotional baggage from the past of his family and another dangerous chapter ahead. Emotionally, the film is rewarding at the end, with Mohanlal so well in control of the pieces. The way to this, however, feels stretched, rougher and less exciting to drive than the previous movies. This instalment of the franchise can’t help but be a bit like waking up from a long dream to discover you had forgotten what it was about Drishyam that was so special.
Directed by Jeethu Joseph, and with Mohanlal back as Georgekutty, the story follows suit to the events of Drishyam 2. Now, Georgekutty is a successful film producer and the film produced by him is aptly named “Drishyam 3.” Meanwhile, his family is still haunted by the old case. His daughter is being unable to marry because of the trouble in her past, and the emotional bruises. From there, the story examines the possibility that the family might be able to move on and whether the unsolved case is actually “closed”.
Perhaps the best aspect of the film is the final climax. The final third is the pay-off that the script has maintained a sense of anticipation. The groundedness of the resolution is very good. In many aspects, it is a similar kind of conclusion that a lot of the viewers might have desired in Drishyam 2 as well. The finish feels like a bit of a cop-out, but Jeethu Joseph cleverly builds up clues around Georgekutty’s actions and just when one expects the most shocking moment, it comes along, making the moment a strong one.
In terms of performances, Mohanlal is only confirming why Georgekutty is one of the most iconic characters in Indian thriller films. He is a natural with his body language, reactions, and his silent way of conveying fear, intelligence, and emotional exhaustion, it’s brilliant. It’s either Georgekutty is expecting trouble for his daughter or he is making his next move in stealth mode, but Mohanlal is the one who carries this film on his shoulders. His acting skills always hold the show together, even when the script has fallen flat.
The film’s technical finish is still good. A few moments of the background music are oddly like TV serial-style emotional scores, but the score will serve to add intensity at moments that are crucial in the film. The film looks grounded and realistic, as one would expect from a movie in the franchise. As with each of the earlier films, Jeethu Joseph has crafted a familiar tale in the manner that audiences are accustomed to from the series but this installment is not as racy or consistent as the previous films. There are a couple of times where it doesn’t feel like it’s connected to the universe of Drishyam at all and more like one of his independent thrillers with the same characters.
The biggest flaw in the film is the pacing. It’s quite long (about 2 hours and 38 minutes), but more of that is because of the numerous long and repetitive scenes in the first half. Some moments subtly drop in clues, and many spend too much screen just adding nothing to the urgency of the story. But this is the same in the second half, where important developments are explained over and over without having to proceed quickly toward a conclusion.
That’s a drawback as the whole movie is lacking of flow, whereas earlier Drishyam movies did well based on the constant tension and curiosity. In this case only the partials of the suspense work. At times, the film didn’t even seem to be advancing the plot much, it just seemed to be wanting to postpone the inevitable seeing thing.
One other problem is how one character is dealt with in this screenplay. The film continually drives viewers to believe that the character and the actions are suspect, and the actions are so similar to what viewers are likely to predict that it just seems too easy to guess. Because the actor has performed in similar roles previously, parts of the story line become predictable. This ambiguity is not fleshed out in a more fresh or intelligent way, rather, it remains the same thought over and over.
The movie also undermines its own power, extending scenes after it has disclosed a big fact towards the end. A more evocative and powerful ending would have been more suitable at that time. Don’t also look for an earth-shattering turnaround. The climax is a good emotional and logical build up, but not a big shock reveal.
One of the reasons why Drishyam 2 was more successful was because of the constant tension on the film. There was always a sense that Georgekutty was in a strait-jacket and every scene moved the film forward. However, Drishyam 3 appears to be quite uneven. The screenplay is not as cohesive as it is in the other movies, and thus the film never reaches the level of achievement of the other movies.
Neatly done Tamil dubbing and Mohanlal dubbing himself to add authenticity. Nevertheless, emotional involvement is not at all consistent.
Overall, Drishyam 3 is a decent enough once-off that is boosted by a very good ending and another solid effort by Mohanlal. The slow tempo, the needless run-time, and the uneven script, however, prevent it from being as brilliant as the earlier movies. This felt more like a movie for eventual OTT viewing at the end than a must see movie for the cinema.
Rating: 2.75/5
