Barrows movie review: Mohanlal’s passion project ends up as a lost opportunity

A scene from ‘Barrows’ photo Credit: ‘

Dream projects often come with a dose of self-indulgence and obsession. Yet, somewhere one feels things expressed from the heart of the creator, who has immersed his soul in this idea for so long. What does one forget amidst all the plasticity? barrowsMohanlal’s dream project and his first directorial debut, is an expression that impresses us where it counts. It’s no surprise that one remains largely untouched by a fantasy drama that runs more than 150 minutes.

.How a part of the reason barrows Finally revealed that Jijo Punnooz, the brilliant mind behind India’s first 3D film, may have a sudden departure. My dear Kuttichathan, In the initial phase of the project. One of his major complaints was the heavy tampering with his original script. Their stance seems justified given that they are one of the weakest elements barrows Its unimaginative script is filled with overly dramatic dialogues that spoil every other scene.

The film is based on the age-old children’s story of a ghost guarding the treasure and connects it to Portuguese rule in India. Burroughs (Mohanlal), the loyal ghost, has been waiting for the return of the rightful heir of Portuguese ruler da Gama for almost four centuries, who had to flee the country. Currently, amid public opposition, a plan to convert the palace into a casino is being bid in Goa.

There are some hints here and there in the script of the betrayal of the colonial masters that led to Barrows’ plight, but this interesting aspect of the story, like many other things in the film, is handled in a delicate manner. In contrast to the almost comical story of Casino, this could have given the Barrows character a little more depth, but it did not. Voodoo, a live action character who serves as Barrows’ assistant, is one of the best performers, as he brings some deadpan scenes to life. Barring Mohanlal, the rest of the cast has ruined it, making the scenes look amateurish.

Presented as a children’s film, barrows There is a serious lack in the storytelling department, which is too dull to engage any child. What they might be interested in are some decently drawn 3D sequences and visual effects that serve as small patches on an otherwise broken piece. Still, some of the flashy VFX also stick out like a sore thumb. All this might have surprised us a few decades ago, when we were still unaware of the flood of slickly made 3D movies from around the world. The comparatively low budget may be an excuse in this case, but none of that would apply to the writing or casting.

As a passion project of one of the biggest stars of Malayalam cinema, barrows A lot had to be done for this. But, it appears that his passion has outweighed the practical difficulties of undertaking such an ambitious project. barrows ends up as a lost opportunity.

Barrows is currently playing in theaters