Bali review: Swwapnil Joshi's film isn't horror but more of a thriller

3/5

A single father's son suddenly falls ill. The son gets admitted to a hospital where he gets to know about a ghost called Elizabeth. The son believes Elizabeth is the only person who can treat him. How is that even possible? Is she luring him in or is there a bigger mystery?

Vishal Furia's Bali has been marketed as a horror film. However, the movie is far from that. Even though it has the packaging of a horror film, Bali is a thriller at its core.

The movie, as most horror movies, relies on sound effects alone rather than genuine jump scares. You get to experience that from the first scene itself.

The film has a fun side as it shows the life of a single father rather beautifully. Swwapnil as Srikant Sathe plays his role well.

During the dramatic scenes, you end up wondering, "He kaay aahe? (What is happening here)." On the other hand, the innocence of Mandar's childhood is kept intact. That leaves you with a smile on your face.

There is a huge surprise in the film when you realise what exactly is happening with Mandar's friend, Bhaskar. The scene was just the tip of the iceberg of the many surprises ready to be unfolded in the story.

The camera angles in fast-paced scenes are too disturbing and shaky. It must have been created for more dramatic effects but rather looks confusing. While the cameraperson has done a shabby job, the editors have made up for it. The scenes are edited well to keep the mystery alive. The thrill continues post-half an hour of the film.

When you first meet Elizabeth, the ghost, that is when you realise the film probably has a solid backstory. Even though the film explores different theories, you know one thing for sure: there is a huge conspiracy behind Elizabeth.

Some moments in the film, like Swwapnil finding out the truth about Elizabeth, truly leave you baffled. It is this moment, after the first half of the film, that truly piques your interest in the movie.

From that scene on, you get more goosebumps than what the first half of the film offered. However, that doesn't last long.

Swwapnil's blackmail scene, as expected, is one of the highlights of the film. That makes the last half an hour of the film pretty interesting.

Unfortunately though, instead of horror, the film uses more drama. A big and surprising twist comes up towards the end, making you realise that the film is not a horror flick like it claims. It is rather a thriller that will unfold various events.

If you are looking at watching Bali for its horror elements, then, unfortunately, the film isn't for you. Even though the movie has a supernatural element, it ends up being more of a thriller than a horror film. The jump scares in this movie are too few, but of course, Chhorii director Vishal Furia keeps some moments that will blow your mind. However, those scenes aren't enough reason for you to watch Bali. But if you're a fan of Swwapnil and enjoy thriller movies, then go for it. However, don't keep your hopes too high or you won't enjoy the film.