For a movie like Drishyam – a well plotted crime thriller, the idea of making a sequel comes with a baggage, mainly whether the said sequel was necessary or whether it actually reaches the heights of the original.
Drishyam 2 is one of those rare sequels – it almost surpasses the original.
Still from Drishyam 2Director Jeethu Joseph and his team craft a sequel which feels like a logical succession of the original events.
Taking place six years after the original film’s events, Georgekutty [played by Mohanlal Viswanathan] by has now become a theatre owner with dreams of making it as a filmmaker in the Malayalam film industry.
And while it has been six years since that fateful night, Georgekutty family still suffers through that mental trauma, coupled with the fact that the residents of that town know that Georgekutty is responsible, but are unable to prove it, thus have varied opinions about him.
Still from Drishyam 2Some find him as the ultimate rebel, the man successful in circumventing authority. Others find him as a machiavellian trickster, a villain who should face punishment.
Into this volatile cocktail of a situation comes trouble knocking in the form of a serious investigation in the case which could threaten everything Georgekutty has ensured to continue the peaceful life he has been living for the past six years.
Unlike the first movie, Drishyam 2 uses the long buildup to explore the lingering effects of trauma as well as introduce new plot threads which later come into play.
And unlike its predecessor, Drishyam 2 feels more polished and less clunky.
Still from Drishyam 2There are moments where the movie feels like it stopped dead in its tracks but those are few and far between, and in this situation the longer runtime wasn’t too much of a hindrance.
There are moments where exposition feels clunky, but context clues help the it to feel as part of a smoother narrative.
It also helps that Joseph and his team does try their best to experiment with filmmaking techniques. Though they sometimes couldn’t help themselves from devolving Drishyam 2 into a complete soap opera.
Mohanlal’s performance as usual is the anchor on which the movie rests and this time the supporting cast too feels inclusive instead of ancillary.
Still from Drishyam 2The convoluted plot threads could be taken as the meta-commentary for audiences inclination for enjoying such twists and turns. But Drishyam 2 takes itself too seriously to do that effectively.
As a sequel, Drishyam 2 had every reason to feel unnecessary and a cash grab, but Jeethu Joseph and his team craft a true sequel.
It’s a logical progression of the original story with conflicts while hearkening back to its predecessor and still manages to feel fresh.
And in an environment of IP stuffed movies, such a sequel is a rarity and should be applauded.
Drishyam 2 is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
NOTE: THE VIEWS AND OPINION EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR.
