Panthrand movie review: Dev Mohan’s retelling of the Biblical story has the right intent but loses its way often

3/5

Story: Two brothers continue to carry out crimes for a power-hungry politician till a mysterious stranger appears in their coastal village. How he influences the group of 12 goons to correct their ways and the price he has to pay for that form the plot of the movie.

Review: Director Leo Thaddeus in his previous movies – be it Oru Cinemakkaran or Lonappante Mammodeesa – have tried to make content that appealed to the larger family audience. His latest film Panthrand stands out as it’s a marked departure both in terms of its story as well as its making. Through grand visuals, the filmmaker, who has also scripted the movie, aims at a modern retelling of several chapters from the Bible concerning Jesus and his 12 Apostles.

The start of the film doesn't give us any clue where it’s headed – as it centres on two brothers – Anthro (Vinayakan) and Pathro (Shine Tom Chacko) from a coastal village who serve as goons for a crooked politician (Lal). After a quotation, they find themselves in their van in the company of a stranger named Emmanuel (Dev Mohan). The latter soon becomes part of their lives and opens their eyes to their wayward ways. This is shown through two instances, by cleverly shifting from a rooted story set against a coastal backdrop and using those same elements to bring in fantasy that elevates the story to the modern-day retelling.

Once the second miracle is performed, it also firmly establishes where the story is headed. This, for most parts, becomes a handicap for a film as it fails to engage the audience. Even though some of the visuals are stunning – especially the shots at sea and the fight between Anthro and Emmanuel, they fail to sustain that energy that a movie of this genre requires. Halfway through it seems that the filmmaker too abandons the reality setting of the film, which comes in only through the character of Lal, and becomes keen on showing how the episodes from the Bible would span out in the company of Emmanuel and his faithful disciples. Even Pathro’s doubts, which could have been used to build more tension to the story and kept the story from being too predictable, are washed away quickly in a rather bland second half. The filmmaker should have taken cinematic liberty rather than opt for a ‘faithful’ retelling.

Dev Mohan has been aptly cast as Emmanuel and the filmmaker has used the actor’s grace, which was evident from his debut venture Sufiyum Sujatayum, for the character. Though the actor has played his part well, it would be good to see him break away from such roles in his upcoming ventures. Both Vinayakan and Shine Tom Chacko had greater scope for performance in the film and the duo delivers as always. Shine personifies the rudderless Pathro – mouthing vague dialogues with the conviction that only he has. Prashanth Murali as Jude gets a role that allows him more screen time and he makes the most of it.

Alphons Joseph’s music seems a bit unattached to the movie’s visuals as you get rock as well as instruments such as oud. If it was to show the transition of its characters, it doesn’t achieve that purpose and end up jarring. The visuals by Swaroop Shobha Shankar, however, makes it beautiful to watch. Every frame has been carefully composed and this also lends a certain aura to the characters of the film, especially after their transformation.

Verdict: Leo Thaddeus' retelling of the story of Jesus and his 12 Apostles has its heart in the right place, but the movie becomes too predictable once after its big reveal. The visuals and performances are the only saving grace for the audience after it becomes clear where the plot is headed.