There are those rare cinematic moments when a film’s ending suddenly casts its title in a brilliant new light, making you truly marvel at its cleverness. Director Jeethu Joseph’s “Mirage” attempts something similar, yet one is left pondering how the film itself seemingly missed its own titular warning. The movie’s final act is a relentless parade of “mirages,” each scene misleading us into believing it’s the grand revelation, only for the screenwriters to quickly introduce yet another twist.
After enduring several such narrative deceptions, audiences may find themselves exhausted by the time they reach the actual climax, perhaps vowing never to trust a single character in a film again. In essence, screenwriters Jeethu and Srinivasan Abrol appear to be pursuing their own “mirage”—the elusive perfect thriller climax that absolutely no one could predict. This ambition, however, manifests as an overload of red herrings, overly convoluted plotlines, and obscure incidents tenuously linked to the main story, ultimately becoming the film’s downfall.
“Mirage” (Malayalam) — Film Details:
- Direction: Jeethu Joseph
- Cast: Asif Ali, Aparna Balamurali, Hakkim Shajahan, Hannah Reji Koshy, Sampath, Deepak Parambol
- Runtime: 152 minutes
- Storyline: Abhirami suspects a darker truth behind her fiancé Kiran’s death in a train accident, especially when powerful figures appear at her door demanding a hard disk containing potentially explosive material. With the help of Ashwin, an online journalist seeking a major scoop, she embarks on a quest to uncover what truly happened.
The film quickly thrusts viewers into its central mystery, bypassing much in the way of scene-setting or gradual immersion. Yet, the overly dramatic presentation and the often stilted dialogue, particularly from the supposed antagonists, unfortunately telegraph many of the plot points. One character, initially presented as a close ally of the protagonist, is written and portrayed with such obvious suspicion that their significant reveal at the halfway mark feels almost comical. Perhaps this was a deliberate misdirection, meant to prepare us for even more earth-shattering twists to come.
Genuine intrigue is fleeting, largely confined to a few standout moments, notably during Abhirami’s tense encounter with Kiran’s mother. Beyond these instances, the film largely recycles the same sequence of events: protagonists chasing a lead, being pursued from multiple directions, followed by a predictable reveal. The pedestrian staging of many scenes further detracts from the experience, preventing any intended shock or suspense from truly resonating with the audience.
Ultimately, “Mirage” is hampered by the absence of a coherent, believable screenplay and its relentless insistence on delivering one shocking twist after another, which ironically drains the film of any real impact.
A trailer for ‘Mirage’ is available, offering a preview of the film’s premise.
“Mirage” is currently showing in cinemas.