Ela Veezha Poonchira

It's essentially a ⭐⭐⭐ movie but an extra ½ to the makers (especially, director Shahi Kabir) for creating a fascinatingly little but intense atmosphere. The wireless station where the story takes place is said to be at an altitude of over 3,200 feet. Writers (Shaji Marad, Nidhish G) place the two leads (Soubin Shahir & Sudhi Koppa) at the top of a hill that's notorious for its deaths by lightning strikes. The first half is leisurely paced, giving us some incredible views of the surroundings, a few visitors, and the two cops' daily routines (that include eating, drinking, playing cards, and updating statuses through a wireless system).

I'm a big fan of minimalist setups and fewer characters in stories, especially because they often prove to be intricate character studies from a psychological perspective. At 100 minutes, the writing is also tasked with the responsibility of including a murder investigation which begins as a sub-plot but slowly turns into an integral component. Therefore, the latter half is focused around making the twists, turns, and mind games work. They largely do, and credit for that should go to the performances from both Soubin and Sudhi. Once the uneasiness sets in, the film tightly holds onto it all the way to the finish. The weather elements (sudden winds, fogging, rains, lightning) also add an essential layer.

The sound design (Ajayan Adat), cinematography (Manesh Madhavan), and background score (Anil Johnson) truly make the experience unmissable. The only issue I felt is that some of the dialogues in the climactic portion get drowned out by the score/noise. Nonetheless, the film is a triumph in the storytelling, performances, and atmosphere-building departments.