There is always a demand for psychological thrillers and when one comes with a mind bending Science Fiction twist its all the more welcome. So lets take a look now at how much the new film ‘Black’ starring Jiiva and Priya Bhavani Shankar warms up to the genre lovers.
Story of Black
A couple young Vasanth (Jiiva) and Aranya (Priya Bhavani Shankar) decide to spend a quick vacation in their newly bought beach house in Chennai’s Uppalappakkam area. When they get inside the gated compound they are the first ones to move in and the rest of the villas are totally uninhabited. After going out for supplies the couple arrive in the evening expecting to have a good time. However mysterious events unfold one after the other such as curtains catching fire inexplicably and things getting broken. They try to leave the place in their car but they arrive back at their house front every time. Then the couple realize that the lights are on in the villa opposite them and they try to get help from them. To their utmost shock they find that a couple exactly like them are having the same conversations that they both had a few minutes earlier. When they rush back scared to their apartment Vasanth is attacked by the other Vasanth and injured. Is this a supernatural occurrence or are the couple caught in a multiverse in a multiple timeline is the question that is answered in the rest of the screenplay. The film is the official remake of 2013 Hollywood movie ‘Coherence’ but some major changes have been made to suit the Tamil audiences.
Acting Performances in Black
Jiiva impresses in a challenging role after a long time. He has effortlessly conveyed the confusion of what is happening around him. The instance where he breaks down not knowing what to do next, and his hot headed but determined effort to get to the bottom of the mystery are pretty convincing. Priya Bhavani Shankar gets equal weightage as Jiiva in the screenplay and is pleasant on screen. She could have worked more on her expressions as she gives the same template performance of tension, confusion, anger and disappointment. Vivek Prasanna, who has given a villainous performance as a youth in the period portion, is only okayish as an old man due to poor makeup. Shara gets a chance to act in only one scene as the hero’s friend. Yogi JP and Sinthuri also appear in small but crucial roles.
Positives in Black
The film has an intriguing opening set in 1964 where Vivek Prasanna is shown experiencing an unexplainable occurrence which is connected in the present story. The film with only two actors in the frame for the majority of the run time moves at a steady pace till the climax. The science fiction angle is pretty interesting and the seemingly fragmented scenes make sense every time there is a reveal later. They have added strength to the story by exploring various theories like parallel reality, quantum physics, worm hole etc. Thankfully, the audience is not underestimated and spoon feeding has been avoided to a great extent. The reverse engineering technique in the writing is what makes ‘Black’ stand out above such films in recent times.
Negatives in Black
The film’s short run time seems longer because the makers decide to scratch only the surface of the theory they have put forth. The original film scores above this because of multiple characters who split into multiple characters while there are only two in this one. The measures that the couple take to break out of the stronghold of the dark matter could have been more ingenious. The cleverness that the story has used throughout could have been used more in the climax scene.
Technical Aspects of Black
Gokul Benoy the cinematographer has done well within the narrow space given to him as most of the action takes place in one room of the villa. His choice of angles and lighting in the predominantly night effect has helped in raising the quality of the film as well as averting fatigue in the audiences considering the repetition of scenes. Philomin Raj’s crisp cuts aid in ensuring that the audience aren’t leaving with too many questions and at the same time not to confuse them too much. Kudos to him for managing the different timeliness efficiently spread across the screen the vernacular of believing that the same character is in multiple places at the same time.
Even though Sam CS is intimidating in the background music, it has the effect of many Hollywood films. The songs are not very impressive. Fight director Metro Mahesh has made the double action fight scenes believable. Art director Satish Kumar’s work is evident in the old bungalow set-up, the terrifying statue and the retro car. However, a kind of artificiality peeks through when terraced houses are magnified at a top angle. Potential Studios known for attempting different genres is the producer. Debutante director KG Balasubramani has shown competence in handling the complicated story and making it interesting and engrossing to a large extent. He deserves praise for achieving this in a restrained setting with just two actors, a window, a painting, a sitting room and a candle.
Final Word
A clever well adapted screenplay, executed appreciably makes ‘Black’ a must watch for those hungry for off beat content
Rating : 3.5/5