Patriot

In the end, Patriot is often messy, overlong and not nearly as nuanced as it wants to be. But it is also timely, watchable, and admirably fearless in what it chooses to address, with the much hyped reunion of Mammootty and Mohanlal adding weight without turning into a nostalgia cash grab. Even with its flaws, the film is worth engaging with, as a reminder that privacy, once lost, is not easy to get back...

The educational part of the script that talks about how the government tracks us despite claiming privacy is protected is actually happening in a very subtle way. The visuals by Manush Nandan are not trying to be eye candy, and despite things being shot on extravagant locations, the visual language is more focused on the characters and their emotions. The detailing in the script is pretty impressive. Sushin Shyam’s background score is really top-notch in many areas, which feels like a buildup. The sound design of the movie also elevates the overall rawness. As I already mentioned, the only area I would have wanted the movie to improve was in the way it conceived action. The curiosity it generated through banter between the big Ms in that floating single shot inside the car demanded a better car chase sequence.

While this is a commendable approach, Mahesh’s script ultimately falls flat, with mediocre writing throughout that fails to elevate Patriot to its true potential. As much as he has tried to stick to the genre, he has inadvertently focused too much on the specifics and details, rendering the script lifeless. He should really have entrusted the writing to someone else and focused solely on filmmaking. At the very least, he should have collaborated with a co-writer who has a knack for creating drama and writing sharp dialogues. Patriot’s biggest drawback, even with its impressive visuals, is the sheer lack of soul and depth in the narrative.