PremiumNalla Nilavulla Rathri review: A missed opportunity at becoming a benchmark slasher movie in Malayalam
Starring Rony David, Nithin George, Jinu Joseph, Baburaj, and Chemban Vinod Jose in lead roles, Nalla Nilavulla Rathri had potential but falls short
Last Updated: 12.26 PM, Sep 02, 2023
Story
Peter, Rajeev, Dominic, and Joshi are four friends and former college mates who practise organic farming in Mysuru. One of their other college friends, Kurien, faces financial difficulties after venturing into the real estate business. When he coincidentally reunites with his old college friends, who are now successful farmers, he devises a plan to trick them and make some quick cash. All the old college friends decide to spend a night on Kurien's estate, enjoying a reunion of sorts. But this results in some unexpected events.
Review
There aren't many slasher movies in Malayalam, but debutant Murphy Devassy managed to create a decent one through Nalla Nilavulla Rathri. The movie's first half does a good job of introducing the characters, particularly the partners who engage in organic farming. The nature of the relationships between them is well depicted, with the friendship between Peter (Rony David) and Rajeev (Nithin George) being the only one free of lies. They are also the real hard workers behind the success of their farming venture. Dominic (Jinu Joseph) is the bossy, dominating person in the group who values friendship only for gains, while Joshi (Binu Pappu) acts as a problem solver in the group and is often seen with Dominic since the latter is more assertive and powerful in the group. The relationship dynamics between these people were well established in the first half, but unfortunately, they weren't used much later in the movie. The movie's main focus is on false friendships that is clearly communicated in a scene where Rajeev tells Kurien (Baburaj) that partnerships often break true friendships.
The scenes following the friends' visit to Kurien's estate in Shimoga are quite gripping. Kurien and Irumpan's (Chemban Vinod Jose) characters are also well established with the kind of scenes that they are a part of. The reunion between Kurien and his college rival, Irumpan, and their scenes together are enjoyable. The game of rummy played by the friends at night clearly indicates Irumpan's dominant position within the group.
As the night progressed into a violent and gory one, the background music and colour tone add to the intensity of the scenes. However, there are moments where the background music feels jarring and forced. The action sequences in the climax are decent, with slow-motion shots adding to the thrilling effect. There were also some parts that seem hard to believe, such as that of dogs, with their strong sense of smell, being unable to find hidden people in the dark.
The writing is lax in the second half of the film, with the focus being mainly on showing bloodshed and action sequences, which is not always entertaining.
In terms of performances, Jinu Joseph and Binu Pappu have stuck to their usual style of dialogue delivery but overall have done a decent job. Baburaj and Chemban Vinod Jose are the macho characters in the gang, and they have played their parts well. Rony David and Ganapathy are also good, but unfortunately, their characters are not written well. Sajin Cherukayil's character was added to the script to provide comic relief, but it fails to evoke any laughter.
Verdict
Nalla Nilavulla Rathri has a promising start, but the script lacks the necessary depth in the second half to maintain the character development from the first half. While there are some gripping moments in the second half, it fails to entertain most of the time.