Black Movie Review

Debutant director Balasubramani brings in a Hollywood-like thriller with Black, a film that spins up an interesting sci-fi angle and makes a minimalistic thriller out of just two central characters. The film is far from perfect, but it makes a fine watch for those who like the genre and would like to bend their minds.

The film is based on the story of two individuals Vasanth (Jiiva) and Aranya (Priya Bhavani Shankar), who own a house in the outskirts, amidst a row house compound where they would be the first ones to get into their house. What starts off as a peaceful night for the couple turns horrific as the duo encounter strange proceedings nearby. The film is based on how they find their way out of such a situation, and what has caused the problem. Black has a very good plot but it takes a lot of time to get to the point, and there are some unnecessary elements on the way, which feel like they have been infused for the sake of it. The film picks up pace only closer to the interval point, and the second half is a complex yet somewhat compelling watch.

The film will interest those who are used to watching mind-benders from Hollywood such as Coherence, Time crimes and so on, as it discusses many scientific and technical terms to put across its point. Director Balasubramani has tried out few new things, but he could have made the film more accessible and understandable to general audiences.

Jiiva and Priya Bhavani Shankar are good in their parts, and carry out the tense moments of the film well. The film also benefits from Sam CS’s good score.

On the whole, Black is a fine watch for those looking for films that will lead to discussions about it after watching it.

Black Movie Rating: 3.25/5