3
/5
TCP Score
😐 Average
Patriot movie story: Daniel James (Mammootty), a high-ranking scientific advisor with the National Defence Ministry is forced to go on the run, when a surveillance project he headlined earlier for national security is handed to a private contractor, Shakti Sundaram (Fahadh Faasil), the son of a corrupt minister, JP Sundaram (Rajeev Menon). Branded a terrorist, Daniel turns to digital media to speak his truth, uncover Shakti’s evil machinations that have led to multiple deaths and unspeakable terror on private citizens and clear his name. But can one man wage such a war against a mighty corporation with deep pockets and political connections?
Patriot movie review: How many times have you had this eerie feeling that your smart gadgets are silently listening to you? Ever wondered how many apps on your phone will function if denied access to location service, camera, microphone, contacts and storage? What really happens to all the data that’s mined? What if money-hungry corporates have access to more than just information to tailor ads on your social media feed and have you under intrusive surveillance? That is the premise of director Mahesh Narayan’s ambitious multi-starrer Patriot.
The filmmaker lined up a stellar star cast; there’s Mammootty in the lead, who is joined by Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Zarin Shihab, Darshana Rajendran, Revathy and Rajeev Menon, among others. The claim was that the cast was carefully hand-picked as perfect choices for their respective roles, but do these actors really bring in any value add? As the leading man, Mammootty, of course, is at his A-game, but is then pitted against Fahadh, who is hammy at best and not the most formidable opponent. Mohanlal Nayanthara and Darshana get the raw end of the stick, especially the former; there’s just nothing for her to sink her teeth into in the role she gets.
Mammootty and Mohanlal in Patriot
For what it is worth, Patriot had a solid start; the first half was engaging and set the stage for an intense thriller. But then, it all comes apart in the second, and the problem then is that one gets the feeling that the star cast is meant to distract audiences from the curse of the second half. Despite a strong subject, the film never really soars. There is an emotional disconnect – you don’t connect, relate to or root for any character in particular because of the limited writing. And if that isn’t bad enough, the construction of the entire second half and climax is underwhelming. Technically, the film is brilliant, but for a rather silly car chase, and Sushin Shyam’s score complements it well. But the feeling one is left with at the end is that the negatives outweigh the positives.
Patriot movie verdict: Director Mahesh Narayan’s film has a solid and immensely relevant plot, but it is undone in its execution. At 3 hours long, the film overstays its welcome by at least 20-30 minutes.
