Mahesh Narayanan’s Mammootty–Mohanlal reunion film Patriot has a strong plot, engaging ideas, stunning visuals and perfect background music. It leaves the feeling of watching a core project, even if it’s not largely fan service. Here’s the thing: it deals with a rather serious and technical subject, and it remains to be seen whether it will resonate with viewers, especially since it lacks a strong emotional anchor beyond the central friendship.Patriot tells the story of Periscope, a spyware app that spies on the lives of ordinary people. How will a defense app equipped to spy on the people of the country affect their lives, and who will be involved in this larger game? Daniel James is a senior executive, and Mohanlal plays a retired soldier in this film that explores a dystopian situation. There are clear Animal Farm references and very George Orwellian elements in the treatment of the concept. It’s a difficult story to tell, and Mahesh has done his best with it.Mammootty, like Daniel James, carries the first half of the film on his shoulders, along with the hope that the audience will meet him. For a die-hard moviegoer, this movie works in ways that only unfold when you’re willing to be a part of the world-building and character development. Daniel becoming a vlogger after the first quarter adds an interesting layer, and the slow pace and setting builds more intrigue. Casting Mohanlal in a significant role that has not yet made a physical screen appearance deepens that intrigue and rewards patience. Mammootty delivers an exemplary performance as Daniel. Mohanlal, as Rahim Naik—first in name and then in presence—looms over the film very effectively. The character and background pack a lot of punch, and Mahesh makes it clear that he can present Mohanlal as a ‘mass’ in any genre. The action sequences are loaded, and the confrontations, Sushin Shyam’s background music and soft dialogues lift the film at key moments. It certainly has several high points. Manush Nandan’s cinematography is to be commended, effectively complementing the film’s visuals.Fahadh Faasil Shakthi is in her element as Sundaram. Kunchacko Boban he is great as Michael Devassy. All these characters are interconnected; there are mutual feelings, and at the same time many calculations above everything. When Fahadh’s character says that what they built is not followers but faith, it is true for both the characters and the actors. Indeed, their interactions carry an undercurrent of real-life conversations. Was it absolutely necessary? Did it work? very well What might be called a morbid debate is layered with a lot of philosophy, before a thrilling car chase. Towards the end, the script gets a bit muddled before it settles down, just like in the beginning. The dynamics between couples, friends and even father-sons—all this finds its place in Mahesh’s stellar writing. The female characters—each treated with respect and agency—are central to the story’s telling. Should the lawyer or the minister be women? no But having women matters, especially considering the settings of their characters.When legends come together, expectations go through the roof. While the film falters in places, it might satisfy a cinephile, but whether it will completely work for fans remains a question.
