The movie is somewhat elevated by the actors’ performances and the excellent technical aspects, but its main flaw is the sense of deja vu that prevents us from fully entering the universe the director has built.
Story: After her daughter becomes possessed by an evil spirit during the lockdown, a teenage girl’s mother experiences difficulties. She hires an experienced exorcist to return her daughter to regular life at her father’s advice. Due to the COVID-19 travel restrictions, the trio engages in a number of rituals to save the girl via video conference. But they had no idea that the spirit was more potent than they had anticipated. Will they be able to endure the attack the spirit unleashes?
Review: It goes without saying that Ashwin Saravanan enjoys reading scary books. After the popular film Maya, the director and Nayanthara have paired together again for Connect. The fact that they were reuniting was more than enough to excite movie buffs, and the advertising videos just added to the excitement.
As if this weren’t enough, he said that the film, which has a runtime of about 100 minutes, won’t have an intermission, keeping in mind the genre of the picture and the experience they believed viewers should have. It contains the kinds of moments one would anticipate from the director. But is that sufficient to maintain viewers’ interest?
The lovely family of Susan (Nayanthara), Joseph Benoy (Vinay Rai), Anna (Haniya Nafisa), and father Arthur Samuel is shown in the opening scene of Connect (Sathyaraj). Anna’s cheerfulness and music are what maintain the family’s harmony and happiness. The adolescent girl wants to pursue her dream of studying music overseas, but her mother advises her to hold off for a few more years.
After Joseph dies from COVID-19, Susan’s life abruptly takes a turn for the worse. Despite the assistance of her father, she struggles to deal with her depressive daughter. But she had no idea that things would get worse. They turn to Father Augustine (Anupam Kher), an exorcist, for assistance after Anna becomes possessed by an evil spirit. Father Augustine devises a strategy to carry out rituals through video conference because of lockdown constraints.
Those who are exposed to horror films from throughout the world will likely recognise the plot. The movie is somewhat elevated by the performers’ sincere performances and the excellent technical aspects. The way an exorcist conducts rituals via virtual meetings is one aspect of the movie that seems unique.
The depth that Manikandan Krishnamachari’s images provide in pivotal scenes makes them stand out. The setting as a whole, as well as the colour scheme and lighting design, deserve credit for the eerie atmosphere they create. As a worried mother, devoted daughter, and discouraged wife, Nayanthara is sincere. Anupam Kher makes an impact in a brief but important role. Additionally noteworthy actors include Sathyaraj, Vinay, and Haniya in their respective roles.
Despite having a shorter running length, the film suffers from a formulaic narrative that doesn’t provide anything fresh. The happy family that experiences tension following spirit possession, the expert brought in to expel the demon, and the third act that induces stress all appear to be done to death components, and as a result, the audience who expects anything out of the ordinary is let down.
We experience tension when the main character tries to connect with the exorcist and her father via virtual encounters, which is why the movie may have been better named “Connect.” Although this has been defended, the film’s important character’s passing and the spirit’s past remain unexplored.
The main problem with the screenplay is the sense of déjà vu that prevents us from becoming lost in the universe the director has skillfully crafted.
Conclusion: This generic horror movie, which has nothing fresh to offer in terms of plot, is saved by the performances of the key actors.
