Popular Malayalam filmmaker Jeethu Joseph, known for Drishyam and Memories, is back with the latest crime thriller, Mirage. The film has Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali, Hannah Reji Koshy, Hakim Shahjahan, and Deepak Parambol. However, it is released in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but falters due to weak storytelling and an overdose of predictable twists. Keep reading the Mirage movie review to understand whether you should watch it or not.
The story revolves around Abhirami (Aparna Balamurali), who is shocked by the sudden death of her fiancé Kiran in a train accident. However, she soon finds herself being hunted by Rajkumar, who is her company’s corrupt owner.
Moreover, his henchman Riyas suspects she possesses an important hard disk containing incriminating evidence. However, the story took a surprising turn when Abhirami started a dangerous journey with her friend Rithika and investigative journalist Aswin (Asif Ali) to uncover the truth.
Too Many Twists, Too Little Impact
The strength of Jeethu Joseph has always been his ability to twist intelligent suspense with subtle hints. For example, small details created engaging puzzles in Drishyam. However, the screenplay depends heavily on the dialogue-based spoon-feeding in Mirage to leave a little room for cinematic tension. Moreover, SP Arumugham’s dialogues reveal almost every truth, which makes the suspense feel forced and less engaging.
Indeed, the movie was full of twists. Still, they fail to deliver the “wow” factor. Instead, the constant surprises in the movie feel repetitive. At one point, a police officer in the film also said that the story of Abhirami sounds like a “clinched movie plot”. It was a line that unintentionally mirrors the sentiment of the audience.
Performances and Technical Aspects
Asif Ali gives a convincing performance as the skeptical journalist. Similarly, Aparna Balamurali brings intensity to the emotional scene. However, her character stays underdeveloped. Moreover, Hakim Shahjahan and Hannah Reji Koshy struggle due to poorly written roles.
Cinematographer Satheesh Kurup experiments with graceful camera movements and chase sequences. However, the visual style feels gimmicky at times. Moreover, the background scores of Vishnu Shyam add some tension, but they cannot boost the overall weak narrative.
Mirage Movie Review: Verdict
Mirage might feel like a letdown for the UAE audience who admire the earlier works of Jeethu Joseph. Moreover, the overuse of twists, flat characterizations, and excessive dilution of the thrill. However, makers try to recreate the suspense-driven magic of Drishyam. In short, the movie is a reminder that sometimes less is more in storytelling.
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An Ok ok movie, predictable storyline and suspense sequences. No hype n PR stunt this time due to the absence of ‘that star’ 😁
One-time watchable, not as deep as his previous plots. Good try