Devil: Poorna steals the show in this tedious melodrama of sin and love.
Director Mysskin's assistant and younger brother, Athityaa, made an impressive debut with 'Savarakathi' a few years ago. Now, he is back with his second venture, 'Devil', which marks Mysskin's maiden venture as a music composer. Vidharth, Poorna, Thrigun, Subashree and others played main roles in this film. Let's see whether it is worth watching.
We are welcomed into the world of the Devil with the quote, "Hell is empty and all the devils are here." Initially, the story follows the budding love story of Hema (Poorna) and Roshan (Thrigun) who meet in an accident. Then, it delves into the wedding story of Alex (Vidharth) and Hema set in past. Their marriage meets a tragic fate due to Alex's affair with his colleague Sophie (Subashree). This twisted tale of love and sin subsequently results in unexpected twists and turns of events.
Poorna's portrayal as Hema stands tall in this otherwise tiring film. Her performance is what keeps you invested in the film while Vidharth shines in a few moments. Thrigun and Subashree delivered neat performances. Additionally, director Mysskin has done a small yet mysterious cameo role. The rest of the characters don't have much to do.
'Devil' chronicles an age-old, straightforward and thin story in a non-linear way. Aathityaa has tried a Mysskin-esque style of direction: expressing emotions through actions and visuals rather than dialogues. This style of making worked really well in most parts. However, the characters aren't compelling enough to convince us when the film goes through several genre shifts in the final act. The story becomes generic despite the setup of Mysskin's character.
The screenplay is flat and predictable despite the non-linear narration. Leaving aside the flaws in the final act, it is fairly engaging and offers decent thrills. A few sequences of the movie felt very outdated as well. Even the short runtime couldn't save the movie as the film lacks an emotional connection with the characters.
On the technical front, Mysskin's musical score contributes a lot to this film but the songs are strictly mid. He has balanced the narration with music and silence skillfully. The music is reminiscent of Ilaiyaraaja's work in many places. Karthik Muthukumar's cinematography serves as the befitting storytelling tool for Aathityaa's vision. It depicts the characters and emotions deeply.
Verdict: Devil is an eerie melodrama that bores you except for a few engaging moments.
