John Luther review: Abhijith Joseph’s riveting story and direction outshine Jayasurya’s potent performance

3.5/5

Story:

Circle inspector John Luther is tasked with investigating the case of a person who goes missing in a hit and run. Over the course of another ongoing investigation, he is involved in a scuffle that severely impairs his hearing. But the duty bound policeman makes sure that nothing impedes his quest for justice.

Review:

Whenever a seasoned star receives top billing in a film, there's always the chance that their overpowering screen presence might take away from the narrative. This becomes all the more risky when it comes to investigative stories. With Jayasurya starring as John Luther, it seemed ridiculously easy that the investigative thriller would be reduced to a film that eventually becomes nothing more than the lead actor’s vehicle. But through his finessed writing and direction, debutant Abhijith Joseph made sure not to lose sight of giving due importance to the heart of the story, which is indeed its investigative elements.

John Luther revolves around the story of the titular protagonist, a circle inspector in Munnar. John’s dedication to his profession, almost to a fault, is made crystal clear right from the first act of the film. He values his duty above everything else, and Joseph drives the point home and then some when John is barely there at his sister’s engagement. Although his behavior earns him the ire of his family, especially his father, the policeman barely pays any heed and rushes to his circle whenever duty calls.

Joseph seemed to have not taken any risks with his title character, who seems to follow the dime-a-dozen duty bound, stoic cop trope. There’s hardly anything else viewers get to see that makes up John’s personality other than his dedication and faultless efficiency in his profession, and Jayasurya is rarely given a chance to go beyond the characterisation in the first half of the film. Things take a turn in the film’s second half, when John finds himself grappling with a newly acquired hearing impairment which affects his ability to do his duty.

Jayasurya is given much more room to really work the character after he acquires his hearing impairment. The actor certainly seems to have done justice to the role, as we see him try to really capture the authenticity of the character’s predicament, never going overboard and really working the nuances of the role. The way the character is written also gives room to work in the cop efficiency part of John’s character, as he makes use of creative aids that help him do his work by going over the hurdles his disability presents. Joseph’s direction too aids in increasing the authenticity of the character, as the filmmaker makes sure to include quite a few sequences where the viewers can experience the happenings from John’s perspective, through the use of sound.

But what really stands out in the film is the narrative focused on the investigation, and soon John’s predicament takes a backseat in the story in a way that is as organic as ever. Joseph weaves the story at a gradual, steady pace, and viewers get to follow the investigative team that tries to uncover the mystery. Viewers get to be a part of the clues they follow, the leads and connections they make, some of which do not pan out and some which do. Realism is given paramount importance as well, and the final act too unfolds in a way that keeps one at the edge of one’s seat.

In the final few sequences, Joseph seemed to have driven at a compromise, forgoing a part of the authenticity to let the title character have his moment in the limelight. And what would be a title character without an ‘epic’ showdown, wherein audiences are forced to question whether or not the former possess superhuman abilities.

The film’s impeccable cinematography and its use of sound so that viewers get a better sense of the character’s ordeal beautifully complements the rest of the story as well. The supporting characters who figure in the film, including those played by Siddique and Deepak Parambol, also play their part well.

Verdict:

Abhijith Joseph makes a compelling debut with John Luther, with a gripping investigative thriller that gives its thrilling story it's due. The ace direction takes the viewers along the journey, and Joseph uses his tools well to spin an engaging story.