Forensic Movie Review: A decent crime thriller

Cast: Tovino Thomas, Mamta Mohandas

Directed By: Akhil Paul

Samuel John Kattukaran is a police forensic personnel, who is assigned to the case of a serial killer targeting little girls. Mamta Mohandas plays Chief investigating officer Rithika Xavier. To steer clear of spoiler alerts, let's just say, both parties are slightly uncomfortable to be working on the case together, though thankfully, there is no long-drawn-out drama. Is the case related to a similar one that took place a decade back? 

Tovino is professional-looking – be it the way he dresses or his focus on his work, not distracted for a moment by anything else, including the indifference shown by Rithika, whom he addresses as Madam. There is none of the tit-for-tat or show of old grudges that you fear would come like it did in movies of the past. This film has a single focus, and that is on the crimes at hand.

The only moments that it goes off the track are the short sequences involving family and relationships, but those have a bearing on the main story and are not a side-track for entertainment. It is a huge relief when Sam’s intern, Shika, played by Reba Monica John, is not introduced to include a romantic side to Tovino’s character. The interaction between the two characters is like any between professionals, neither’s gender coming into the picture at all. In a scene where they find some old skeletons buried in a barren piece of land, it is Shika who gets down on her knees and examines them.

Mamta is eminently watchable, balancing the role of a tough policewoman with an emotional side. Saiju Kurup and Renji Panicker are solid as always, lending support and adding to the guessing game. In this, the film is quite different to earlier thriller Anjaam Paathira, which was more a story of an investigation, rather than a whodunnit. 

Jakes Bejoy's music adds tension to the creepy moments, while Akhil George's camera work is sleek and gritty in turns. 

Forensic calls for a bit of strength of the imagination, but if you get a kick out of putting on an investigator's hat to play a guessing game, this could be just the thing for you.