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Monday, October 14, 2024
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KANNADA 12 A.M.
EDITOR'S PICK
`12
A.M.` scares, entertains audiences (Kannada Movie Review)
Rating: ***
Well-known actor-director Kashinath`s production house is known for introducing
new faces in filmdom. Actor-director Upendra, composer Manohar, artists Umashri
and Bank Janardhan are among Kashinath`s proteges who later made name for
themselves.
As a filmmaker, Kashinath specialises in making horror movies and suspense
thrillers like box office hit Aparichitha.
After a long hiatus, he returns with 12 A.M. and once again launches
two new faces - Karthik, who has directed the film, and debutante Divya Sridhar
in the female lead.
Kashinath`s son Abhimanyu, who made a debut with a nondescript film, works as a
protagonist in the horror thriller.
12 A.M. has good technical element, but story wise it has the same
ghost seeking revenge theme and same techniques are used to scare audiences that
were seen in the 1960s and 1970s movies.
Initially these scary elements shock, but after some time they fail to make an
impact. 12 A.M. does not fall in the category of well-made horror
thrillers like Bhoot or Phoonk.
But despite that the film works and what saves the film is twists in story that
come at right time and take the story forward. The twist in the interval scene
is admirable.
Another high point of 12 A.M. is that it breaks the monotony of the
stereotyped love story or so-called action films by delivering a new kind of
story.
It may not be a perfect horror movie, but makes viewers laugh and keeps them on
the edge of their seats in some scenes.
The story has an old flavour and reminds one of an era when Kashinath tried to
make his own brand of films that combined humour, horror with a dose of double
meaning dialogues. Thankfully, the dialogues are crispy in this one.
Shalini and her friend Trishul are students in a medical college. Shalini is an
assertive, straightforward girl and does not take nonsense from anyone.
When a politician`s son tries to bother her, she hits him with her sandals. But
the guy doesn`t forget the insult and kills Shalini while she was going
somewhere with her four friends.
Shalini`s ghost now lives with Trishul and the director manages to conceal this
fact till interval. She wants to take revenge from her friends who ditched her
when politician`s son attacked her.
Trishul comes to know about it and approaches a `tantrik` from Kerala to help
the soul of his friend.
Abhimanyu has worked hard to look convincing, while Divya Sridhar scores well in
her debut role.
Kashinath as a professor also does a good job, while other newcomers too look
convincing in their respective roles.
But it is the film`s technical side that scores well. Umapathy, younger brother
of Kashinath, has done a fantastic job behind the camera.
Rajesh Ramanath`s background score is scary and very pleasing in humorous
sequences.
If you like horror movies, then do not miss 12 A.M.
