Except for Mohanlal performance as the investigating cop, 12th Man by way of content is nothing but a rehash of two movies and that too a bad one as it keeps on dragging and such investigation thriller can keep you rooted only if there is enough surprises in the narration. There are only two ` twists' in the tale of 3 hours duration.
The Perfect Strangers ( Italian ) released in 2016 was actually a comic look at the society. The couples who meet on a therapist challenge start to play a game where they keep their mobile phones on the table and hear the calls on speaker and share SMS they get . As the game unfolds, a tale of lies and secrets tumble out and in the end no one is spared. Film ends with every body going home as if such a game never took place. Put this sequence into a bachelor party of a friend and his classmates with their wives and GF. Instead of a comic look make it a source to unravel a death of one party mate. Jeethu Joseph needs credit for this superb adaptation and that too the guts to do it from a film that was remade in 20 languages worldwide.
Next film is An Inspector Calls - a TV thriller film telecast on BBC One. The TV film was highly watched as it was an adaptation of a popular stage play written by J B Priestley. Film was telecast in 2015. A wealthy British family is celebrating an engagement of the daughter , when an Inspector comes unexpectedly and asks questions about a suicide of a local town girl. The questioning exposes that many of the family members had in one way or other contributed to the death. In the end, it turns out that it was a fake Inspector. Here in 12th Man, the Inspector is introduced as a drunkard and pal of the hotel owner to the celebrating guests. After the death of a member of the partying crowd, he dons a role of a investigating cop.
Editing and cinematography is what to a great extent removes the `claustrophobic feeling of seeing an entire film happening inside a board room. The switch from the Mr Cool to the angry cop scenes by Mohanlal is a treat to watch. Among the long list of actors, Priyanka and Anusree do give a good account. Music ?? Did I hear a Bond theme music in a slow mode or was I imagining ?
Coming after Drishyam and it's sequel, expectations from Mohanlal - Jeethu combo was high and even if this is kept aside, 12th Man stiil does not satisfy you of having watched a investigative thriller that as Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie novel says gave some work to your `grey cells'.
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