Release Date : August 12, 2022
123telugu.com Rating : 2.5/5
Starring: Amala Paul, Adit Arun, Athulya Ravi, Harish Utthaman
Director: Anoop S Panicker
Producer: Amala Paul
Music Directors : Ranjin Raj
Cinematography : Aravind Singh
Editor:San Lokesh
Star heroine Amala Paul came up with the mystery thriller Cadaver which is produced by the actress herself. The movie is currently streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar. Let’s see how it is.
Story:
Bhadra (Amala Paul) is a famous Pathologist. She keeps solving the most complicated cases and helps the police department with her expertise in many instances. The death of Salim Rahman (Ravi Prakash), a well-known surgeon, comes up as a challenge for Assistant Commissioner Vishal (Harish Utthaman) and he takes the assistance of Bhadra to solve it. In the process, they come across a prisoner Vasu (Adit Arun) who has openly pledged to kill the surgeon. During this, a series of murders take place. It comes as a surprise to Vishal and Bhadra as how a person who is inside a cell managed to do all these murders. Bhadra and Vishal feel that someone from outside is helping Vasu. Who is getting killed? What is the motive of Vasu behind this series of murders? Did Bhadra and Vishal chase this? This forms part of the rest of the story.
Plus Points:
The main thing that is good about this film is its main twist that reveals over the end. The backdrop of the film is set differently and it gives freshness to the story.
Amala Paul as a police surgeon did a very fine job. She carries the film on her shoulders for the most part of the time with ease in acting. Harish Utthaman, Athulya Ravi, and Adit Arun were decent in their given roles.
There are a few intriguing scenes like a dead body remaining the same without getting decomposed even after 4 years, that raise curiosity and catch the attention of the viewers. The initial portions are set well and generate interest.
Minus Points:
Any good thriller needs a fast-paced screenplay and that is not the case here. After a good start, the film loses its steam and slows down completely. The flat narration doesn’t help the proceedings either. The suspense factor is clearly missing. Though the idea is good on paper its amateur execution has let down the film big time.
Another huge drawback is the film gets completely predictable in many places. This shouldn’t be the thing for a mystery thriller. The flashback sequence is very routine and fails in bringing the emotional aspect to the film.
The very reason why Vasu’s character is in prison lacks clarity and this is where the writing team fails miserably. Just like these, there are many logical loopholes that make the film lackluster. There are many subplots in the film which seem rushed and are not handled well. The loose ends present in the film are not connected well.
Technical Aspects:
Though the songs don’t catch our attention, Ranjin Raj’s background score does. It is compelling. The cinematography by Aravind Singh is fair enough. The mortuary setup is depicted well through his camera work. Production values are high.
The editing team could have done an even better job. Coming to the director Anoop Panicker he has done a below-par job with the execution of things even with a promising storyline. Though he has given a good start, the narrative loses its tempo in the mid parts. He should have been cautious regarding the logical part as well.
Verdict:
On the whole, Cadaver is a clumsy thriller that is okayish in parts. Amala Paul’s performance, the basic premise, and the main twist are its saviors. On the other hand, poor writing, illogical screenplay, and predictability factors are its major flaws. Anoop Panicker succeeds only in very few parts with this thriller which otherwise would have been great with engaging narration and good execution. If you expect an edge-of-the-seat thriller you will be disappointed.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team