Immortal Movie Review: A promising mystery thriller with an unusual premise

Immortal, starring GV Prakash Kumar and Kayadu Lohar, has hit the big screens today. Directed by Mariyappan Chinna, the film promised an unusual mystery ride with a mysterious creature at its centre. The story begins thousands of years ago, when a tribal couple is expecting a baby. However, a mysterious creature is born to them instead, creating curiosity about its connection with the present. The story then shifts to the present, where GV Prakash plays an youngster searching for an affordable place to stay. His search leads him to Kayadu Lohar’s luxurious apartment, and he eventually becomes her housemate. What starts as a romantic track soon develops a strange feeling, as it becomes clear that something is not right. The interval twist then changes the direction of the story and sets up the second half.

The second half moves into the mystery and survival thriller space, as GV Prakash tries to escape from the strange world surrounding Kayadu. The story slowly reveals the mystery behind her character and the creature. As the layers unfold, the film becomes more engaging and keeps the audience curious.

GV Prakash is one of the film’s biggest strengths, as he fits naturally into the boy-next-door image. His character feels relatable throughout the initial portions. His confusion over the strange events is also handled well. Later, his fear towards Kayadu adds another dimension to the performance. Kayadu starts off as a soft and charming character, but the film gradually reveals another side of her. The ‘beauty in the beast’ concept works well and gives her a distinctive role.

The supporting cast includes TM Karthik, Kumar Natarajan, Lollu Sabha Maaran, Aaditya Kathir and others. They perform their respective roles well and support the main narrative. TM Karthik makes a notable impression as one of the victims connected to Kayadu. His character also adds more weight to the mystery surrounding her. Arun Radhakrishnan’s cinematography is clean and suits the mood of the film. The visuals effectively maintain the mysterious and eerie atmosphere. Sam CS’ music and background score create the required tension during the important sequences. The VFX team, TOW VFX (The Ordinary Works), deserves special credit for its work on the creature portions. The sound design and mix by Ghatam Siva further enhance the creature sequences and other eerie moments.

Rajesh M’s editing is crisp and helps maintain a sharp 131-minute runtime. This works well for the film because the narrative does not feel unnecessarily stretched. Director Mariyappan Chinna deserves credit for attempting a new plot line in Tamil cinema. The film combines mystery, creature elements and survival thriller portions in an unusual manner. It also creates adequate moments for audiences who enjoy these genres. However, the screenplay could have explored the central idea with more depth. A stronger screenplay could have given the film greater impact. The film also marks the maiden venture of AK Film Factory. The banner deserves appreciation for choosing an unusual thriller as its debut project. Creature-based mystery and survival thrillers remain a relatively rare genre in Tamil cinema.

Overall, Immortal is a neat and slick mystery-survival thriller that is worth watching on the big screen. GV Prakash and Kayadu Lohar form the film’s biggest strength. Their performances help the unusual characters connect with the audience. The creature element gives the story a distinct identity, while the mystery keeps the narrative engaging. The second half becomes more interesting as the layers gradually unfold and the survival angle takes over. With several turns arriving until the end credits, Immortal remains a watchable theatrical ride for fans of mystery and survival thrillers.

Immortal Movie Rating: 3.25/5