Cold Case Malayalam Movie Review by Teambuilder
The police and a journalist are investigating a murder to identify the culprit and to quell a disturbed spirit
Review: Cold Case has an out of the ordinary storyline, with the investigative thriller running on two very different lines, but in a parallel narrative. ACP Sathyajith, played by Prithviraj, is faced with a crime that is almost clueless. When a skull is found in a discarded package, the police must start from identifying the victim, to find out the why and the who. It makes for an interesting and unique Idea of a movie.
On the other hand, Aditi Balan playing the role of Medha, a single mother and journalist specializing in paranormal stories, is faced with out of this world disturbances in a new home she has moved into. What is the connection here, with the case that the police are investigating? The audience sees a bit of the victim’s lonely life and broken home through the pieces that mostly the police and Medha, who is seeking a resolution, put together. It is only at the very end that the policeman and the journalist meet and discuss the case, and share their thoughts on the culprit.
Until then, we are almost on the edge, thanks not just to the distractions that pop up with the mention of a new character by either of the leads, but also because of the gripping and quite frightening horror sequences in the early parts of the film.
Thrillers, and para normal ones at that, seem to be the genre of choice for Malayalam filmmakers at this time, and while cinematographer turned director Tanu Balak moves the story along at a steady pace and you are curious to see what happens next, the two narratives in this story, scripted by Sreenath V Nath, don’t really gel. To paraphrase what Sathyajith says at the end, you are either inclined to go with logic or with a belief in an outside power, and it’s difficult to mix the two, at least in this case. And there is a hint of a sequence.
Prithviraj plays his role in his usual pitch perfect style, and it would almost seem amiss not to mention his trim – but stylish physique. Aditi Balan does her role well. With two topline cinematographers, Gireesh Gangadharan and Jomon T John, the scenes are framed very well, with even the creepy moments not being over-the-top. Music by Prakash Alex also feels just right.
While Cold Case was meant as a theater release for maximum impact, it manages to convey the effect it intended as a streaming content. If you are in the mood for some investigative-horror thrills, this will be a good film to cosy up with someone to watch and guess what happens next, but it doesn’t offer the satisfaction of a clever whodunit.