A film directed by Mahesh Narayanan is reason enough to watch it on the big screen. Mahesh’s directorial ventures – Take Off, C U Soon, Ariyuppu, and Malik – have been interesting films that showcase his directorial acumen. And if a film boasts a cast that includes Mammootty in the lead alongside Mohanlal, Fahadh Faasil, Kunchacko Boban, Nayanthara, Revathy, Rajiv Menon, and Darshana Rajendran, it becomes even more compelling to watch on the big screen. The enormous expectations the film whips up are unavoidable. This heavily loaded Patriot of Mahesh fires and at the same time misses too.
The film’s central plot is interesting and contemporary. It is one we all try to deal with in vain these days – the use of technology in our lives. No, the film is not about the ills of using a mobile phone, like Shankar’s 2.0. Mahesh picks up the thread from an issue that rocked the Indian parliament a few years ago – the Pegasus spyware, which was alleged to have been used by the government to spy on many individuals, including opposition leaders.
Revathy’s ministry had ordered the use of spyware called Periscope exclusively for national security and surveillance. But her ministerial colleague, played by Rajiv Menon, and his nepo kid, played by Fahadh Faasil, conspired to use this application for nefarious purposes to create social turmoil in the country. Mammootty plays Dr Danny, the government’s scientific advisor, who is alerted by Revathy about this and tasked with foiling the evil plans of Rajiv and Fahadh. In this task, Mammootty hops from continent to continent, roping in a host of people to help him, which explains the film’s large scale.
The film’s first half is quite breezy, with Mahesh not wasting a single frame to set the context and jump into the plot. Characters are introduced matter-of-factly, with no backstories or emotional threads. I also wondered whether the film was getting too “techy”. It is in the second half that the film loses its pace, taking us through long-winded action set pieces and emotional scenes, leaving us wondering whether we were watching a “Shankar” film. There is also an escape scene inspired by Carlos Ghosn’s escape from Japan!
We all know Fahadh is a regular feature in all of Mahesh’s films. But frankly, what is he doing here? He ends up pacing up and down, steadycams in tow, shouting his lungs out, and turns out to be a big disappointment for me after Aavesham! Rajiv Menon has a fantastic screen presence, and for a non-regular actor, he holds his own against the seasoned cast. Of course, Mammootty, as the main protagonist, plays his role with measured elegance. But a tinge of exhaustion is unmissable. We cannot forget that he is 75!
Mohanlal makes a great entry, and the chemistry between the two leading contemporary stars of Malayalam cinema is quite evident. But beyond this, there is little to explain why Lal had to be cast in this role. The same question applies to Nayanthara, too, who appears in unusually heavy make-up for such a light role.
Mahesh’s films are usually high on craft. Being a proficient editor himself, he is technically brilliant. This film is no exception. It is technically well-made, with the camera work, editing, and background score completely aligned with the film’s overall theme. The screenplay and writing are the weak links here, which let the film down. I suspect the film’s ambition and scale have played a role in that, too. Because of the big stars in the cast, the writing and action sequences have been conceived to match that scale. In the bargain, the central plot, which centres on saving the nation from a nefarious spyware, takes a back seat in the final stretch.
That said, the intent of Mahesh and team to come up with something different cannot be ignored. Patriot is a well-intentioned effort with a clear focus on the big-screen experience. The result is 50/50.
My Flash Verdict: An Okay Watch!
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