Review: Murmur
Murmur might not be an outstanding film and it might not appeal to everyone who watches it. However, it certainly is a good attempt and a very welcome one at that. It is bound to impress those who genuinely love horror films.
Film: Murmur
Director: Hemnath Narayanan
Produced by : Prabakaran
Cast: Richie Kapoor, Devraj Arumugam, Suganya Shanmugam, Yuvika Rajendran, Aria Selvaraj
Cinematographer: Jason Williams
Editor: Rohith
Sound Designer: Kewyn Frederick
Rating: 3.5 stars
Director Hemnath Narayanan’s Murmur is a unique and refreshing attempt at story telling. It is Tamil cinema’s First Found Footage film. Many might not understand what that means. So, allow me to explain it to you.
Instead of narrating a story, the director presents to you visuals recorded on a camera that tells you what actually transpired.
It is a fantastic way to narrate a story as the authenticity of the developments make you get that much more involved in the plot. It is like you being a part of the plot, silently observing all that happens before you.
Full marks to Hemnath Narayanan for even having attempted this format which has already been explored in Hollywood.
To get on with the review, here is the synopsis…
Four youngsters — Rishi, Melvin, Ankitha and Jenifer – who have been running a YouTube channel decide that they will do an investigative video on the belief of some villagers that there is a sorceress called Mangai who has now turned into an evil spirit and that she, along with other spirits, still lurks inside the forests.
She has struck terror in the hearts of those in the villages around the forests so much so that they don’t even dare to utter her name. The young team, armed with their cameras, decide to do an investigative story and set out to the forests along with the daughter of a guide.
This team goes missing and the police are called in to investigate their disappearance. The cops recover the broken cameras of the team and what they find in the cameras is what is presented to us as a film.
The film is a slow burn thriller but it is gripping nevertheless. Despite no background score or music, the developments on screen keep you interested in the film. One other aspect about a First Found Footage film is that some portions of the film are shot on the body cams of the actors. This means that the visuals are not steady and appear shaken.
The film appears too slow on occasions and one feels the run time could have been reduced even more. This could have made the film a lot more gripping.
The film has neat performances coming in from all five of its main cast members.
Richie Kapoor as Rishi and Yuvikha Rajendran as Kaantha in particular impress. Devraj Arumugam as Melvin, Suganya Shanmugam as Ankitha and Aria Selvaraj as Jenifer also play their parts quite convincingly.
On the whole, Murmur might not be an outstanding film and it might not appeal to everyone who watches it. However, it certainly is a good attempt and a very welcome one at that. It is bound to impress those who genuinely love horror films.
