PremiumThe Village review — A clueless Arya, poor screenplay mar the potential of this series
Arya's unconvincing acting is only the beginning of the unravelling of a series that lacks the scope, vision and expertise to compellingly execute such a storyline.
Last Updated: 12.20 AM, Nov 24, 2023
The Village Story: This web series is based on an Indian graphic book novel of the same name. It revolves around the sinister secret of a ghost village.
The Village review: Gautham (Arya) is living the quintessential Indian dream with a high-paying job, a lavish lifestyle including a spacious house and fancy cars, and a picture-perfect family—his beautiful wife, Neha (Divya Pillai), and their daughter, Maya (Baby Aazhiya), even accompanied by an adorable puppy.
In a bid to add an adventurous chapter to their lives, Gautham and his family embark on a road trip from Chennai to Thoothukudi. However, their journey takes an unexpected turn when they encounter a traffic jam on the highway. Opting for a detour suggested by their GPS, the family unwittingly navigates through a desolate village, once ravaged by the 2004 tsunami.
Hold on for a moment. Let's rewind a bit. Before our introduction to Gautham, the series offers a quick sneak peek of the monsters that creep through the shadows of the village at night. So we worry for Gautham's family as we are aware of what awaits them in that village. And we grow more anxious when their tires blow out, right where the monsters lurk.
Your blood pressure may slightly go up when Gautham makes a questionable decision— to leave his wife, daughter and puppy in the monster-infested area to find the nearest human habitat. Really, what was he thinking? How can he leave his family defenceless in a ghost town?
As events unfold, it becomes apparent that Gautham, in essence, lacks the wisdom and efficacy required to protect his family. His solo trek through the haunted village lasts one hour and 30 minutes, and upon reaching the neighbouring village's waterhole, he uncovers terrifying truths about Kattiyal, where he abandoned his vulnerable family.
Gautham is a man of science, so he rubbishes the stories of the locals, who claim Kattiyal is haunted. And what happens next, undercuts a sense of urgency that was created by the events before.
Gautham takes his sweet time to reach the spot where he left his family. He is now accompanied by Shakthivel, Karu and Peter —locals he encountered at the bar. When he arrives he sees that his SUV is missing and his family is gone.
This is the point when the narration loses its grip. Arya fails to sell us the terror of the protagonist, whose family has gone missing in a haunted village without a trace. He comes across too relaxed for a man, who might never see his family again. Gautham's seemingly lax attitude dilutes the tension, a very precious currency for a series of this nature.
Arya's unconvincing acting is only the beginning of the unravelling of a series that lacks the scope, vision and expertise to compellingly execute such a storyline. The Village screenplay is marred by logical loopholes, leaving viewers with more questions than answers.
The disappearance of a village near the Chennai highway, with no governmental or institutional response, raises eyebrows. Travellers vanishing through the village, guided by GPS maps, fail to prompt an official investigation. Gautham, the supposed hero, assumes a passive role in the narrative—a cardinal sin in storytelling. The supporting characters drive the plot forward, while Gautham merely observes, contributing to the story with vowel sounds at shocking discoveries.
The introduction of a team of mercenaries armed with rifles and bombs turns out to be another misstep. The rescue team, led by Farhan (John Kokken), lacks any discernable traits that instil confidence in their ability to confront the unholy monsters. It raises concerns when untrained locals Shakthivel, Karu, and Peter seem more adept at handling challenges compared to Farhan's supposedly expert team, who appear perplexed in the face of the undead ninjas. Moreover, Farhan's firearms look toy-like, and the bullets resemble pellets, indicating serious lapses in judgment, direction, acting, and narration.
The verdict: The Village had the potential to be significantly better with a tight screenplay, committed acting, and better action sequences.
The Village is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.