Drishyam 2: The Resumption - the road to purgatory

 

Drishyam 2: The Resumption

Malayalam, 2021

Director - Jeethu Joseph

Stars - Mohanlal, Meenu, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil, Murali Gopy, Saikumar, Asha Sarath, Siddique

Mohan's Measure ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Let me begin at the outset by saying that among the 1000+ movie reviews I reviewed in the now lost edition of my blog, Drishyam stands out among my top Malayalam films.  Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and any other versions that came along could not make the cut.

Those who have never seen the original in Malayalam should; because, it sets the tone and the pace for the sequel, which picks up six years after the first has left off.

As for all of us, a lot has happened to Georgekutti and his family since we last saw them.  The playful and romantic couple are now middle-aged; their village has now become a town; Georgekutti has now entered the movie business; and the adorable little sister has now become a troublesome teen. And, all along a cloud hangs over their head. The townsfolk are talking, the police are still searching, and a dead teen's parents are seeking to come to closure.

While the first part remains a shocking thriller, Drishyam 2 presents us with a noir drama. At times it is less impressive than the first; the plot is not as tight and holes are filled in with added characters.  But, the essence remains, as feelings of guilt, denial, anger and grief work their way up to what everyone seeks - closure.

But, healing is not what it seems.  For the lady IG, played again by Asha Sarath, there is a more primal drive - one of revenge; so much so she is cold to the suffering of a young woman having an epileptic attack.  There is a primal nature to her, a darkness driven by not by a mother's love, but by a rich woman's ego.  How dare, she asks more than once, can a man with a 4th-grade education dare to stand up to one of her intelligence and refinement?

Much like Hitchcock in Vertigo, Director Joseph presents us with the contrast in Rani.  Her name is intentional. She finds strength in going to Mass, praying the Rosary, and tearfully crying as she desperately clings to her children. Her daughters are damaged for life, and like the Blessed Mother Herself, she suffers at witnessing their pain.

Then there is George, with an intelligence he gained simply from watching movies, focused, clear, but also hiding things which even the audience is not completely aware.  As with the previous film, he brings closure, but it only furthers a self-created purgatory.