I am marvelled at South's ability to churn out quality thrillers one after another. Anjaam Pathira (The Fifth Midnight) is the latest Malayalam film to be a part of this bandwagon.
The story is about a shadowy serial killer who targets Cops!!! After a string of gruesome killings, Kochi Police DCP Catherine (Unnimaya) upon the advice of ACP Anil (Jinu) ropes in criminal psychologist Anwar Hussain (Kunchako) to help them crack the case. Together they begin the hunt for the perpetrator who employs brutal and unique methods for committing the murders.
I have always believed grit is the most vital component of a thriller. The moment you lose the tempo, the story is bound to lose the edge. This is where the movie scores brilliantly. Writer Director Midhun Manuel Thomas renders a taut tale where we come across ghastly crimes, compelling scenes and sharp twists & turns at every crucial juncture. This engaging treatment which doesn't allow the tone to slack off is the movie's strongest asset. Yes there are flaws. There are certain minute details which call for an explanation (the figurine story, the burning incident hypothesis). English dialogues appeared a bit contrived. There are a few cliches which could have been avoided.
But Anjaam Pathira overall remains a riveting tale of suspense where the right elements are combined in apt proportions. There are horrific crimes, startling revelations and a good backstory. One can't help drawing a parallel to the Tamil movie Ratsasan (The Devil). While Ratsasan had a more interesting plot development, Anjaam Pathira's ending is better fleshed out.
You will love it.
