Cadaver Tamil Movie

Feature Film | 2022 | Thriller
Critics:
Cadaver could have been a much better thriller with a pacier screenplay and better supporting cast!
Aug 14, 2022 By Baranidharan Sivasankaran

Where To Watch:
Streaming:
   Disney+hotstar

Strangely enough, women-centric films in recent times find their space in OTT. It started with Keerthi Suresh's 'Penguin' in 2020, then, more recently it was Nayanthara's 'O2' and now it is Amala Paul's 'Cadaver'. The coincidence is that all three are thrillers. Beyond these facts, if one were to judge their merit on the content, it will spark a debate as to whether their theatrical releases would have made any sense.


'Cadaver', as the name suggests is a story that revolves around the mysterious murders of a few powerful men. The suspect is a prisoner who predicts who is going to be his next target. Cops are baffled about how these executions are made when the prisoner does not get out of the prison. The plot sounds really interesting. It certainly makes for a juicy crime thriller. However, we need a cast who can carry their roles convincingly and a director who can execute what was written on paper.


For Amala Paul, this is a great makeover. Her introduction was the most nauseating for any heroine in the history of cinema. Imagine, having your leading woman get introduced among a pile of corpses in a mortuary, unflinchingly taking a spoon of food, while most people around her hold their bellies from puking their guts out. Her tom-boy makeover with traditional ash on her forehead was refreshing.


We are reminded of Mysskin's 'Yudham Sei' at times when the investigation part kicks in. The killer is revealed midway into the film. That makes us suspect that whoever is revealed may not be the actual brain behind the killings and there is more to it. However, the twist in the climax was not so convincing.


The backstory that is supposed to make our route for the victim makes us think that the victim deserves it, as there is a serious case of careless driving. Also, some loose ends were not convincing. The plot points were haphazardly connected without any coherence of logic. We realize this at the end when we are given a glimpse of how the entire thing panned out.


Overall, the movie is watchable for the initial thrills that might hook us. However, debutant director Anoop Panicker has faltered with the execution and the casting of the supporting characters. Technically too the film did not score much. It goes down as an average thriller that could have scaled greater heights.


'Cadaver' is a direct-to-OTT release that streams on Disney Plus Hotstar.

Baranidharan Sivasankaran

   

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