What Is the Story About?
Two cops head towards the village of Churuli, hoping to catch a man on the run, Mayiladuparambil Joy. The duo of lawmen take on the aliases, Anthony and Shajivan, and they attempt to enter this village as labourers. However, they quickly realize that the inhabitants of Churuli are not what they seem. Will they find Joy? Will they even be able to leave the village once they find him?
Performances?
Churuli is told from the point of view of our two aforementioned cops, Anthony and Shajivan, who are played by Chemban Vinod Jose and Vinay Forrt respectively. Both actors have also been cast perfectly in their roles, with Vinay Forrt delivering the better onscreen performance among the two. While Vinod plays a cop who wants to take his time and enjoy his new assignment, Vinay plays the diligent cop, who is slowly losing his mind due to some weird nightmares. Jaffar Idukki also deserves a special mention for his brilliant acting and some hard hitting dialogue.
Analysis
From the get go, we know that Churuli is an ambitious film from Lijo Jose Pellissery. The first twenty minutes of the film is very gripping and it instantly keeps our attention locked on the screen. The director drops clues and hints all over the film – giving us a lot of set up material. However, the film ends with a very confusing ending that will leave any viewer unsatisfied.
Vinoy Thomas and S. Hareesh try to give us some background meaning to film with multiple churuli (spiral) symbols – but we do not get any real understanding of the film. Like what is at the epicenter of the spiral? Why were they floating? How did Joy and Shajivan switch places in the van? A lot of these questions remain unanswered while many new questions start to pile up.
Now, of course, this film will likely need to be viewed a second time for us to understand the real meaning behind the feature, but the lack of a proper payoff can put people off from watching it again. Still, besides the churuli symbols, we also notice the weird alien-like creatures, the foreshadowing of the “shaman-woman’s” tent, the subtle time-loop references, etc. The film remains interesting throughout, with the director managing to pace the film well despite the near 2-hour runtime.
The actors who portray side characters as well are cast well and do a good job. While they don’t have much to do onscreen; when they do have something, they are very intimidating. While the editing needs a little work, the CGI and final product is quite impressive. The background score is very intimidating while the cinematography is top notch.
Overall, Churuli is a one-time watch which had the potential to be something more. Since the movie is made by Lijo Jose Pellissery, we expect this film to have a proper cult following and we will get an “explanation” about what really happened – but for now, it is a confusing mess.
Other Artists?
Shoubin Shahir and Joju George are the surprisingly supporting cast in this film – actually, more like guest roles. Both actors get less than 10 minutes of screentime, but they are extremely eerie throughout the film. While it is difficult to understand what their roles are in the film, they are quite memorable during the brief moments they are onscreen.
Music and Other Departments?
The music and final story needs work. For a two-hour-plus movie, Lijo Jose manages to move the movie well, without it feeling like it was dragging. However, a lot of the clues remain unanswered – a huge point against the writer. The casting director deserves a special mention for their casting choice in this film. Cinematography and CGI is good, but the film’s editing needs some more work.
Highlights?
First Half
Drawbacks?
The Final Story Remains Unexplained
A Lot Of Set Ups & Clues Remain Unanswered
Did I Enjoy It?
Meh, it was okay
Will You Recommend It?
If you are a fan of mind-benders, this film is perfect for you. Otherwise you can skip it.
Churuli Movie Review by Binged Bureau
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