Forest Movie Review: Forest review: Horror triumphs over comedy in this treasure-hunt drama
Forest Movie Review: Critics Rating: 3.5 stars, click to give your rating/review,Archana Kottige stands out with her brilliant performance as she looks powerful in her character. Th
Critic's Rating: 3.5/5
Plot: Five villagers venture into a forest in search of hidden treasure, which is being guarded by a ghost. Can they outsmart the ghost and make away with the fortune?
Review: Three genres - horror, comedy and treasure hunt - come together to entertain the audience in this multi-starrer film, which banks heavily on the performances of actors and a unique storyline. Treasure hunt and middling comedy aside, the horror part (especially because of a ‘familiar ghost’), is what sets this film apart from the others of the same genre.
Cousins Suresha (Anish Tejeshwar), Satisha (Gurunandan) and Meenakshi (Archana Kottige) are fighting over their ancestral property. Moneylender Kumar (Chikkanna), who suffers from hearing problem, is eyeing to marry Sandhya (Sharanya Shetty), who is in love with Suresha. Gopalappa (Rangayana Raghu), who comes from a family of esteemed black magicians, is earning only peanuts despite misusing the innocence of villagers. The one common thread that holds all these characters together is their desire to earn some quick bucks. During a scuffle between Suresha and Satisha, Meenakshi’s grandfather (Avinash), a former member of a notorious smuggling gang, who has been in a coma for 20 years, wakes up, reveals about the treasure in the forest, and dies instantly. Thus begins the treasure hunt. Suresha, Satisha, Meenakshi, Gopala and Kumar venture into the forest, unaware of the presence of the ghost of a forest brigand, Beera(Suraj Pops), who is secretly guarding the treasure. Not just Beera’s ghost, the forest also holds in it the spirits of local people and police officers Beera would have killed during his reign. Can these mere villagers, with the help of other ghosts, win over Beera’s supernatural power?
The tale of the treasure hunt is as old as time, but Beera’s character (inspired by forest brigand Veerappan) is what brings novelty to this film. As soon as the setting shifts from the village to the depths of the forest, we as the audience are also transported and sucked into an adventure that is reckless, dangerous and at most times funny and childish. While the first half is riddled with mediocre comedy involving all five actors, it is the horror element in the second half, blended with a brilliant pre-climax, that works well for this film. And that’s pretty much the high point of this quirky escapade that benefits immensely from many talented actors.
Archana Kottige stands out with her brilliant performance as she looks powerful in her character. The film also brings Gurunandan out of his ‘Raju’ zone and shows him in a fresh light. Anish understands his appeal and puts his strength on display. Chikkanna and Rangayana Raghu are in their element and provide comfort and delight. Malayalam actor Suraj Pops does an excellent job as Beera, the character drawn from the life of forest brigand Veerappan. His presence oozes spooky vibes, which has worked very well for the film.
Director Chandra Mohan, who has also written the screenplay, touches upon a story that the audience is familiar with, adding a fresh perspective to it. He has successfully blended three genres, with the comedy, aimed at the hyper-local audience, being only middling. Forest may get dinged by some for being silly in the first half, but it does many things well in the second half that are notable. It’s bright, both visually and atmospherically, and is also an original story, told by a filmmaker, who understands how catharsis works. Cinematographer V Ravi’s camera captures the contrasting nature of the forest in sunlight and at night. Dharma Vish’s music spooks in all the right places. The film ends on a hopeful note, hinting at a sequel.
If you can sit through an underwhelming first half, Forest takes you on an enjoyable ride in the second half.
Review: Three genres - horror, comedy and treasure hunt - come together to entertain the audience in this multi-starrer film, which banks heavily on the performances of actors and a unique storyline. Treasure hunt and middling comedy aside, the horror part (especially because of a ‘familiar ghost’), is what sets this film apart from the others of the same genre.
Cousins Suresha (Anish Tejeshwar), Satisha (Gurunandan) and Meenakshi (Archana Kottige) are fighting over their ancestral property. Moneylender Kumar (Chikkanna), who suffers from hearing problem, is eyeing to marry Sandhya (Sharanya Shetty), who is in love with Suresha. Gopalappa (Rangayana Raghu), who comes from a family of esteemed black magicians, is earning only peanuts despite misusing the innocence of villagers. The one common thread that holds all these characters together is their desire to earn some quick bucks. During a scuffle between Suresha and Satisha, Meenakshi’s grandfather (Avinash), a former member of a notorious smuggling gang, who has been in a coma for 20 years, wakes up, reveals about the treasure in the forest, and dies instantly. Thus begins the treasure hunt. Suresha, Satisha, Meenakshi, Gopala and Kumar venture into the forest, unaware of the presence of the ghost of a forest brigand, Beera(Suraj Pops), who is secretly guarding the treasure. Not just Beera’s ghost, the forest also holds in it the spirits of local people and police officers Beera would have killed during his reign. Can these mere villagers, with the help of other ghosts, win over Beera’s supernatural power?
The tale of the treasure hunt is as old as time, but Beera’s character (inspired by forest brigand Veerappan) is what brings novelty to this film. As soon as the setting shifts from the village to the depths of the forest, we as the audience are also transported and sucked into an adventure that is reckless, dangerous and at most times funny and childish. While the first half is riddled with mediocre comedy involving all five actors, it is the horror element in the second half, blended with a brilliant pre-climax, that works well for this film. And that’s pretty much the high point of this quirky escapade that benefits immensely from many talented actors.
Archana Kottige stands out with her brilliant performance as she looks powerful in her character. The film also brings Gurunandan out of his ‘Raju’ zone and shows him in a fresh light. Anish understands his appeal and puts his strength on display. Chikkanna and Rangayana Raghu are in their element and provide comfort and delight. Malayalam actor Suraj Pops does an excellent job as Beera, the character drawn from the life of forest brigand Veerappan. His presence oozes spooky vibes, which has worked very well for the film.
Director Chandra Mohan, who has also written the screenplay, touches upon a story that the audience is familiar with, adding a fresh perspective to it. He has successfully blended three genres, with the comedy, aimed at the hyper-local audience, being only middling. Forest may get dinged by some for being silly in the first half, but it does many things well in the second half that are notable. It’s bright, both visually and atmospherically, and is also an original story, told by a filmmaker, who understands how catharsis works. Cinematographer V Ravi’s camera captures the contrasting nature of the forest in sunlight and at night. Dharma Vish’s music spooks in all the right places. The film ends on a hopeful note, hinting at a sequel.
If you can sit through an underwhelming first half, Forest takes you on an enjoyable ride in the second half.
