Abrahaminte Santhathikal Review: A Deft Suspense Thriller That Is A Compelling Watch!

Abrahaminte Santhathikal, the film which the audiences have been eagerly waiting for, has graced the big screens today (June 16, 2018). Mammootty is all set to strike big with this movie, which is high on expectations. The movie is undoubtedly one of the most hyped films of Mammootty in the recent times and let us see how Abrahaminte Santhathikal has turned out to be.

Plot

Derick Abraham is one of the most revered cops of the force and he is often assigned with special tasks. He is one such person who upholds his profession much above anything else. But, one such instance occurs when his brother becomes an accused in a murder and what happens later has been narrated in a deft manner in Abrahaminte Santhathikal.

At first, let's see how the cast & crew members of Abrahaminte Santhathikal have fared for the movie...

Mammootty As Derick Abraham

Mammootty is in top form as the lead character and he steals the show with his performance, which is rich in all aspects. The emotional variations and the inner conflicts are safe in the hands of the master actor. Be it the occasional mass sequences or the emotional ones, which hold due importance in the film, he excels. He has done a good number of cop roles in the past and he has made it a point to make Derick Abraham quite different from each one of them.

Anson Paul As Philip Abraham

Anson Paul gets to play a meaty role as Philip Abraham, the younger brother of Derick Abraham. The actor has bagged the big opportunity that he has got and has come up with a confident performance even though there are rooms for improvement.

The Leading Ladies

Kaniha appears as Diana Joseph, the public prosecutor and she does complete justice to her role and she has her own importance in the story. On the other hand, Tarushi as Aleena has delivered a decent performance in a crucial role.

Rest Of The Cast

Abrahaminte Santhathikal is rich in star cast and the movie also features some of the talented supporting actors in important roles. Siddique excels in the role of a cop yet again. Similar are the cases of Renji Panicker and Kalabhavan. Bringing in Yog Japee for an important role was indeed a good idea of the makers.

Script & Direction

Haneef Adeni, who had scripted The Great Father, has penned Abrahaminte Santhathikal as well. He has already proved his ability to etch some fine thrilling elements with his debut venture and Abrahaminte Santhathikal is a befitting continuation. The script has been layered in a good manner and the suspense elements have been kept under the wraps till the end. Much like in The Great Father, the script also focuses on the emotional and family angle, especially in the first half.

It is a confident debut by Shaji Padoor as a film-maker and he has put the years of experience that he has, to play. He has brought in freshness in the way he has opted to tell the story. The narrative pattern of the film is tricky and it is safe in the hands of an experienced player like him. He has given due importance to the actor in Mammootty than the star in him. At the same time, has cleverly embedded some mass elements in between, without affecting the flow of the film.

Other Aspects

Gopi Sunder yet again strikes big with the BGM and it does provide a huge build up to Mammootty's character. The songs too were good and gels well with the narrative of the movie. Special mention to Alby who has done a fantabulous job by setting the right frames for a thriller like this. Editing by Mahesh Narayanan is skillful.

Overall View

Abrahaminte Santhathikal is definitely in the lines of an investigation thriller, but it's quite different from the ones that the audiences are used to. Especially, the narrative pattern in the first half of the film might seem to be a bit off-track but, this helps to build the suspense and the foundation of the core plot that the film has to narrate. Moreover, the film is not just about the thrill elements as it delves deeply into the personal life of the main character, which has been narrated with the core storyline in an apt way.

The film begins on the right note with an investigation which has been dealt with in a swift manner. There is a drastic change in the film with the movie shifting its focus to family bond and emotional aspects. This change has been showcased in a convincing manner but might not be digestible to all. The slightly excessive emotional elements in the first half with some clichéd elements do leave the audiences a bit confused about the way the film is heading. Nevertheless, this approach has favoured the film's intent up to an extent as it keeps us guessing about what will happen next and thus, keep the audience's interest intact.

However, Abrahaminte Santhathikal's second half is the high point of the film with the last 30 minutes turning out to be the lifeline and the major attraction of the movie. These portions feature the best sequences of any crime thrillers of the recent times. The film shifts gears and does take the audiences for a thriller of a ride, with unexpected twists and turns that lifts the film to a higher level.

Verdict

Abrahaminte Santhathikal is a nicely crafted thriller, which is high on emotional elements as well. The film has a narrative pattern that is quite different from the investigation thrillers of the recent times and the movie has turned out to be a compelling watch.