Karakkam Story: Dhanesh and Khaja, two irresponsible youngsters, unexpectedly become friends on New Year's Eve during a commotion. They remove five brass crosses from a church graveyard in an inebriated state in order to sell them for cash. Five vindictive spirits persistently haunt the two and a group of companions, sending them on a frantic quest to atone for their faults. They will also need to go deeply into these spirits' pasts and deaths in order to accomplish this.
Karakkam Review: Subhash Lalitha Subrahmanian’s latest film is a blend of humour, horror, and music with a lot of missing pieces. Does this movie have the capacity to hold viewers' attention till the very end? To a certain degree, however, this is somewhat undermined by the plot's predictability. Along with some good movie references, the film's short running length is a positive. Bringing in a bit of laughter and jump scares are the other enjoyable parts.
By the second half, the plot shifts from a conventional beginning—such as a careless incident that calls forth the spirits and the bewilderment around their abrupt appearances—to a thriller with irrational characters. In the meantime, the first half takes place in a seedy but lively lodge in Kochi with hallways reminiscent of horror comedies like Adi Kapyare Kootamani. Additionally, the filmmakers have not deviated from the recent trend of giving viewers cliffhangers that allude to the possibility for a prequel or sequel.
Sreenath Bhasi in Karakkam
Abhiram Radhakrishnan and Praveen T. J. provide ample humorous moments, and Sreenath Bhasi and Femina George both seem ideal for their roles. To some extent, Sam CS's music complements the film's progression. Again, the five ghosts with Shaun Romy in the forefront are quite frightening.
It is necessary to watch the movie with lower expectations in order to possibly enjoy it more. This is mostly because of the loose ends. For example, the ghosts wearing Michael Jackson costumes turned out to be nothing more than church choir singers and, subsequently, cabaret performers in a pub. The only conclusion is that the creators intended to pay homage to the legendary pop star.
Karakkam verdict: Karakkam, as its title implies, is a state of chaos from which even the filmmakers are unable to escape, as laid out by a mediocre screenplay. However, the film can be a one-time watch for anybody who loves watching this genre.
