Story: Sindhu (Vedhika), a young woman, finds herself spiralling into a world of fear and paranoia after her boyfriend, Sampath (Arvind Krishna), travels for work. Strange occurrences plague her life, leaving her questioning the boundary between reality and her imagination. The story weaves through Sindhu’s past, uncovering childhood traumas and their psychological ramifications, as she battles her inner demons, the narrative attempts to unearth the root of her fears, spanning multiple timelines to present a complex psychological puzzle.

Review: Director Dr. Haritha Gogineni takes a brave step into the realm of psychological thrillers, a genre rarely explored in Telugu cinema. However, Fear struggles to hold the audience’s attention due to its disjointed screenplay and uneven pacing. While the premise holds promise, the film falters in execution, with abrupt timeline shifts that confuse rather than intrigue.

Vedhika delivers a compelling performance, carrying the film’s weight on her shoulders, particularly in the pre-climactic and climactic scenes where her portrayal of Sindhu’s psychological unraveling feels authentic. Unfortunately, the supporting cast, including Arvind Krishna and Pavitra Lokesh, is underutilised, with their characters lacking the depth needed to make a significant impact. Anish Kuruvilla takes on the role of a doctor who provides insights into the condition. The ensemble cast also features Sayaji Shinde, Jayaprakash, Satya Krishnan, and Sahithi Dasari.

The technical aspects are a mixed bag. The cinematography and background score, though serviceable, fail to create the eerie atmosphere essential for a psychological thriller. The editing, too, leaves much to be desired.

Fear raises important issues surrounding mental health but fails to present them with the sensitivity or depth they deserve. What could have been a gripping exploration of the human psyche instead ends up as a muddled narrative.

Despite Vedhika’s earnest performance, Fear is let down by its underwhelming execution. A more polished output could have transformed this film into a memorable psychological thriller. For now, it remains an ambitious effort that misses the mark.

Story: Sai (Dharma), a wealthy orphan whose life spirals into alcoholism following the demise of his parents. His days are consumed by drinking and unruly behaviour, often leading to altercations and run-ins with the law, from which his uncle (Srikanth Iyengar) frequently rescues him. An accidental encounter with Bhagi (Aishwarya Sharma), a disciplined medical student and firm believer in naturopathy, ignites a one-sided love affair. Despite Bhagi’s initial disinterest and feigned affection out of fear, Sai’s relentless pursuit challenges both their lives, culminating in a narrative that explores themes of love, addiction, and personal transformation.

Review: Drinker Sai attempts to blend a youthful love story with a cautionary tale about the perils of alcoholism. Dharma delivers a commendable performance as Sai, embodying the character’s descent into addiction with a natural ease and handling emotional scenes adeptly. Aishwarya Sharma, in her debut role as Bhagi, brings a refreshing presence to the screen, portraying her character’s conflict with conviction. The film’s music, composed by Sri Vasanth, offers pleasant melodies, though their placement within the narrative occasionally disrupts the pacing. Prashanth Ankireddy’s cinematography captures the essence of the story well, contributing to the film’s overall visual appeal.

However, the film is hindered by a predictable storyline and a screenplay that lacks the necessary depth to fully engage the audience. The narrative’s pacing suffers from filler scenes that add little value, and the second half, in particular, feels protracted with unnecessary subplots. The depiction of certain characters and situations, especially involving junior artistes, raises questions about the film’s sensitivity and awareness. While the movie aims to deliver a social message, the execution is marred by clichéd dialogues and a lack of subtlety.

In conclusion, Drinker Sai presents a familiar tale with earnest performances but falters in its storytelling and execution. The film may resonate with audiences seeking a message-oriented drama, but it falls short of offering a fresh cinematic experience.

Julia Garner, from left, Christopher Abbott, and Matilda Firth in a scene from ‘Wolf Man’
| Photo Credit: AP

After the astounding success ofThe Invisible Man, director Leigh Whannell is back to reboot another of Universal Pictures’ most iconic horror titles. While The Invisible Man turned out to be the outing that could have revived the Dark Universe which was shot down after the failure of The Mummy, the filmmaker’s latest film Wolf Man shows why the chances of getting that universe are darker than the films it could have.

In the latest iteration of Wolf Man, after getting a “closure” on his father’s sudden disappearance along with the keys to his childhood home, Blake (Christopher Abbott) decides to make a trip out of it to save his strained marriage with Charlotte (Julia Garner). Along with their child Ginger (Matilda Firth), the couple drives to the middle of nowhere when they get attacked by a mysterious creature similar to what Blake had seen 30 years ago. When one of them gets infected while escaping from the monster, the barricaded safehouse turns into a trap.

The problem with tried-and-tested stories and the tropes they come with is the sense of redundancy and predictability, and that’s what Wolf Man suffers from. Like the 1941 original film, Wolf Man is the story of a damned person whose transformation into a nefarious creature comes with the emotional pain of turning into a nightmare for their own kin. Despite the wafer-thin plot, it’s the performances of Abbott and Garner that keep the film afloat. This is what makes drastic turns like one character taking over the wheel when they were operating from the back for most of the film’s run time, look not too ridiculous.

After a neat prologue that sets the stage for an intriguing story, the film takes a slump. The fact that the story banks on body horror rather than scares does not work in its favour either. But opting for prosthetics and practical effects instead of CG makes for some fascinating, old school gore-show and they come as a welcome respite in this horror film that dearly needs more horror.

Of course, there are specs of intelligent writing that lift its head like a werewolf on a full moon day — like the cool POV shots of the infected as they descend into madness. But what overpowers them are the predictable aspects of the film complete with its clichés such as one character being a writer and the child saying “I wanna go home” after escaping from the clutches of death. Not to mention the banality of being a ‘cabin in the woods’ film along with its usual tropes such as the inability to communicate with the outside world.

Wolf Man, in a way, tries to honour the legacy of the original film by sticking to practical effects. But with a simple and formulaic plot, there’s little good that performances can do.Wolf Man comes short of giving us anything worth sinking our teeth into.

Wolf Man is currently running in theatres