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Eee Pattanathil Bhootam Review

2 stars

Cast: Mammootty, Kavya Madhavan, Innocent, Janardhanan, ...  Director: Johny Antony  




Other Critic Reviews
For those who have seen good fantasy films, 'Ee Pattanathil Bhootham' won't come up to scratch. The film is not likely to impress Mammootty fans either.
By Thomas T  2 Stars
Read Review

2 stars
By VN  Sat, 11 Jul 2009
Johny Antony's Ee Pattanathil Bhootham tries tremendously hard to be an adorable comic-adventure fantasy. However, it makes do with the easiest kind of humor, suffers from serious narrative sloppiness and is never as enchanting as it badly wants to be.

I have no issues with the story as such. There is this anticipatory bail that the filmmakers have splashed all over, that this is a fantasy that would get as fantastic as it can. And when you walk into a theatre to see a film that has a genie as its central character, you arm yourself up to be transformed into a baboon anyway. This is a wacky world for sure, and I would gladly trade anything to get my hand on that magic wand with the spooky skull head.

But, the plot that is spattered with mystical elements all over, gravely lacks some depth. It's mostly thin, and I immensely doubt, if it would create much of an impression on the new-age kiddos who brag of their Pixar collection. There is no sparkle, no wonder, and certainly no excitement on offer.

There are plenty of laughs all the way though. Nothing surprising about it, when you think of the supporting cast that has the best of the comedian lot, piloted by none other than the unsurpassable Suraj. But random giggles can't make up for the dullness that the movie descends to, bit by bit.

Mammootty's dual avatar works up none of the magic as promised. But after the initial hiccups with the genie, somehow I felt relieved once Jimmy walked in. It was almost reassuring to see Mammootty back in shape, sans the beads and the braids. There is nothing brilliant about Jimmy either, but at least he doesn't look like a pink flamingo that has flown away from its flock.

So where is it, that the goblin gets wedged? For one, it isn't everyday that you see the superstar fly out of a bottle. And if he does, it better be real good. Here, a machismo that has worked its charm on an audience for more than a few decades simply refuses to be corked in a bottle.

There are the horns for sure, and the stoop of servitude, but never really the mischief or the delightful impishness that so much surrounds the elves that we have always known. And the voice doesn't help either. It sounds like being caught somewhere between the throat and the tongue and then hastily making an exit through the nose.

Oh, and there has been so much talk about the graphics and all that stuff, that would make this comic caper an out of this world experience. But frankly, nothing of the sort ever happens. Yeah, the graphics are good, and perhaps better than any other film in Malayalam till now. But that doesn't really suggest that there is anything to look forward to here. It's neat, but it's way too commonplace.

Johnny's genie could have created a splutter, had it got away a good ten years back. As of now, the poor thing looks incompetent to strike up a rapport with either adults who grew up reading great kid's fiction or a fresh, young, bright-eyed generation that has already seen it all.

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