Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Soubin Shahir, Darshana Rajendran

Directed By: Naseef Yusuf Izuddin

*spoilers alert*

Irul means dark this defines the tone of the film. The story starts with the introduction of Alex Parayil(Soubin Shahir) who is a novelist who has released his first novel title Irul which is a murder mystery focused on a serial killer who targets women. 

He goes on a weekend trip with his lawyer girlfriend Archana (Darshana Rajendran). The trips go on awry when they stuck in the middle of their journey in rain and stranded in a house with a stranger they cannot trust.

For those who love thrillers, minimalism is always a delicious prospect because there are no distractions and you become a part of the mind games on the screen.

The first 40 minutes of the film is engaging and it's literally in the true sense edge of the seat. The brief discussion that the three characters have about the serial killer is engaging. The film travels to a confusing segment when the real mystery unfolds, there are many unresolved questions that occur in the mind of the audience. It goes a bit predictable also to guess who is the culprit. 

The cinematography of Jomon T John (who is also the co-producer of the film) is par excellence. The lighting technique of the film sets the mood right and gives a spine chilling experience for a brief time. 

Fahadh Faasil is the star performer of the film. he is a mysterious guy who is unpredictable is shown in such conviction that you forget the flaw in the character. Though his act in the film reminds you of his character from the film Thondimudhalum Driksakshiyum.

Soubin Shahir is a fine actor and does his work sincerely but he is miscast. The character traits don't match with the body language of Soubin. Even his character is half-baked being a writer of a thriller based on psycho killer doesn't know the psychology of killers though he himself has past traumatic experiences.

Darshana Rajendran has given a decent performance though sometimes she hams and emotional scenes remind you of her similar performance in C U Soon.

In the end, Irul is a decent thriller but with this stellar cast Naseef Yusuf Izuddin could have given a stellar film but it ends in mediocrity.

The movie is available on Netflix.