Review: Immortal

Film: Immortal
Cast: GV Prakash Kumar, Kayadu Lohar, TM Karthik, Kumar Natarajan, Lollu Sabha Maaran, Aaditya Kathir, Arshu Maharjan, Pema Tsamchoe, Sunita Shrestha & Others.
Banner : AK Film Factory
Writer and Director : Mariyappan Chinna
Director of Photography : Arun Radhakrishnan
Music Director : Sam CS
Editor : Rajesh M
Art Director : Siva Sankar
Stunt: R.Sakthi Saravanan, G.N.Murugan
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis: Mahi (G V Prakash Kumar) is a youngster who is desperate to fall in love so much so he that keeps trying to impress and woo every girl he comes across.

The youngster, who works in a printing press owned by his uncle, has no other relative.

It is under these circumstances that his house owner sets a deadline for him to vacate the room he resides in.

Mahi, who can only afford a modest sum as rent, finds it difficult to find another place to stay. Just when he turns desperate, he receives a call from a woman called Sindhu (Kayadu Lohar) offering to share her flat with him for a modest sum as rent.

An unsuspecting Mahi readily moves into the new place, delighted at not just finding a classy, well furnished flat to reside in but also finding a stunning brunette to share it with. But then, little does he know that the woman isn’t who he thinks her to be…

Analysis:
Immortal, starring G. V. Prakash Kumar and Kayadu Lohar in the lead, attempts something relatively uncommon in Tamil cinema — a survival thriller built around a straightforward yet intriguing premise. While the film has its share of limitations, it manages to stay engaging for most of its runtime and works reasonably well as a genre outing.

Strengths:
The film’s biggest strength is G. V. Prakash, who delivers a fine performance and carries much of the film on his shoulders. His portrayal suits the physical and emotional demands of a survival story, and he brings enough intensity to keep the proceedings interesting. Kayadu Lohar also fits well into the film, complementing the lead without feeling out of place.

The CG work is another notable strength. Considering the nature of the story, the visual effects play an important role in creating the film’s world, and the execution is largely effective. There are moments where the visuals add considerably to the scale and atmosphere of the survival setting.

Another advantage is the crisp narration. The film doesn’t spend too much time unnecessarily expanding its premise or getting bogged down in lengthy subplots. The brief and relatively direct storytelling helps maintain the pace, which is particularly important for a survival thriller.

What makes Immortal interesting, though, is its fresh premise. Tamil cinema has seen relatively few survival thrillers, especially ones that commit to the genre in this manner. That novelty gives the film an edge and makes it worth checking out even when some of its narrative choices don’t completely land.

The film isn’t without flaws, and certain portions could have benefited from stronger writing and more consistently engaging tension. Still, these shortcomings don’t completely overshadow what works.

Verdict:
Overall, Immortal is a reasonably good survival thriller with a fresh concept, effective CG work, crisp narration and a solid performance from G. V. Prakash Kumar. It may not be a genre-defining film, but its attempt to explore a relatively underused space in Tamil cinema makes it a decent watch for audiences looking for something different.