Thriller is a genre that it needs to have an element of suspense at regular intervals in the narrative which can keep the viewer hooked. Penguin is one such movie which has plenty of those kinds of moments. This Keerthy Suresh-starrer is a dark thriller which keeps you hooked on until the end for the screenplay is such. Penguin has released directly on OTT giant Amazon Prime and is already garnering great attention from all around. Directed by debutante Eeshvar Karthic, Penguin is the story of a pregnant mother whose first child goes missing. Who did this and how she finds him is the skeleton of Penguin. The film has many unique elements to offer and is a treat to the eyes at many points. But the star of the show is Keerthy Suresh who shoulders the film and carries it with finesse. Here’s our review of Penguin which has now been released on Amazon Prime.
The Gist:
Rhythm’s 2-yr old son Ajay is kidnapped by a stranger who is seen sporting a Charlie Chaplin mask always. The unknown man is seen kidnapping kids in the town and killing them for reasons unknown. Rhythm is shaken because of the incident and cannot get over the fact that she has lost her son even after many years. Her marriage hits troubled waters and she gets separated from her husband, Raghu. After putting in magnanimous efforts to find her son, Rhythm moves on in life and marries Goutham again. However, Rhythm still has flashes of her son in her memories and often gets emotional about it. However, one fine day, Rhythm finds her son at the same place where he went missing but he seems to be in a state of shock. Ajay is now a 6-yr old kid who would not speak a word since he is shocked and shaken because of the incident. All seems fine until the Charlie Chaplin mask-claden man decides to stalk Rhythm’s family and her current husband. What happens after that forms the crux of the story in Penguin.
The High:
Without an iota of doubt, Keerthy Suresh is the show stealer in Penguin. With a balanced and controlled performance, the Mahanati actress pulls off the role of a mother with ease and delivers a thumping performance. Watch out for the emotional scenes in Penguin and she will amaze you each time. Supporting her, the rest of the cast, which includes actors Linga and Adhidev, too chip in with a decent performance but the attention keeps shifting towards the lead actress. A thriller, besides a gripping story, needs herculean support in the form of background score and visual appeal. Santosh Narayanan proves yet again why he is the most sought-after technician in South cinema. The sounds are scary, intense and at the same time send chills down the spine. It cannot get better than this. Cinematographer Kharthik Palani’s work behind the camera is soothing and is a treat to the eyes. The story of Penguin is set in the backdrop of the picturesque town Ooty and Kharthik captures the soul of the hill station town in his work. The color tones are in sync with the genre and don’t go overboard. The visuals in forest scenes are quite impactful and will definitely make you Google his work.
CLICK ON IMAGE TO WATCH PENGUIN:
Speaking about the story, debutante Eeshvar Karthic pens a gripping story which is intense and scary too. In these kinds of genres, the screenplay plays a prime role and Eeshvar does a brilliant job with Penguin. While watching, as you feel that this may be the end of a certain sequence, Eeshvar throws another puzzle with a tinge of thrill towards you. That makes watching Penguin a brilliant and gripping experience.
The Low:
There is Keerthy with a brilliant performance and then there is a gripping story in Penguin. But you still feel there is something missing. It is the pace at which the story unfolds. There are few moments when you do feel that it is getting a bit long. Penguin, in Telugu, is a dubbed version from Tamil and the lip sync seems a bit off at places. However, the performances and the thrills do make you overlook these points.
Verdict:
Penguin is a must watch for 2 reasons, Keerthy’s brilliant portrayal and the gripping story. There is quite a heavy twist at the end, and we are NOT giving out spoilers. We loved watching Penguin and we urge you all to watch it as well since it is out now on the OTT giant Amazon Prime.
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