Kooman review: An engaging puzzle from Jeethu Joseph

Jeethu Joseph’s much-anticipated movie, Kooman (Owl), is out in the theatres on Friday, 4 November.

Starring Asif Ali in the lead, the film is a suspense thriller, like the director’s previous releases, including the Drishyam series and 12^th Man. Let’s check if he succeeded to deliver yet another hit.

The story is set in a hilly village straddling the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border. People from both states and different cultural backgrounds co-exist in the village.

The plot centres on Constable Giri, played by Asif Ali and certain events related to the police station he works. This upends the lives of many people, including Giri.

Movies belonging to the thriller genre were less when Jeethu’s Memories and Drishyam were released. Half a decade later, the situation is now different.

Jeethu Joseph pulls it out again

Mollywood is seeing over a dozen thrillers every month, but still, Jeethu strikes the right note again.

Being a great fan of the chase scene in Memories, I expected something in that league from him in Kooman.  And yes, Jeethu pulled out something similar, this time too.

Jeethu is perhaps the best in the industry for presenting such suspense dramas. His dramatic style of narration has helped in building up the suspense. The pace of narration is well-timed.

The movie has drama, tense moments and great action.

The added attractions

Another star of Kooman is the script by KR Krishna Kumar.

There are many reasons to appreciate the film, but the characters are the most important ones. It is not the twists that work here, but the dramatic tension and the characters.

As with any great movie, the screenplay is where it all begins. Here the protagonist is no hero but just another character, thanks to Jeethu.

Aesthetically, Kooman is beautiful. The photography is striking and natural, and it is ideally suited to the plot and genre. The editing is seamless, and the music is perfect.

The film is tightly packed with nail-biting tense moments, and a huge star cast. The performances are superb. Asif Ali in particular is brilliant. He is one of those actors who can portray emotions naturally. He is perfect as Giri.

His pivotal scenes at the midpoint of the film are unforgettable. The supporting cast, Jaffer Idukki, Baburaj, Renji Panicker, Hannah Reji Koshy and George Maryan, too, have added to the movie.

Not the best of Jeethu Joseph

It is, however, not the best of Jeethu. The movie’s central mystery occasionally lacks coherence. Kooman stumbles a bit here and there, but overall, it is impressive.

Asif Ali’s previous police movie Kuttavum Sikshayum was quite impressive but failed to tick the boxes with the audience, thanks to a poor marketing plan.

Kooman ticks all on the checklist and has all the ingredients to strike the right notes with the audience. Jeethu and Asif Ali deserve appreciation for their work.

Jeethu has created a movie that is tense, cautious, and deftly put together, relishing in the remarkable development of atmosphere and setting. Up to the closing credits, this movie never stops catching your attention.

Kooman is an engaging puzzle, a must-watch movie!