A serious film with great performances, but it lacks an edge

Mahesh Narayanan’s Mammootty–Mohanlal reunion film Patriot has a strong plot, compelling ideas, stunning visuals, and impeccable background music. It leaves you with the feeling of watching a legacy project, even though it is not fan service to a large extent. Here is the thing: it deals with a serious and somewhat technical subject, and whether it will resonate with the audience remains to be seen especially as it lacks a strong emotional anchor, beyond the central friendship.Patriot tells the story of a spyware application, Periscope, that spies on the lives of ordinary people. How will a defence application, when equipped to spy on the country’s own people, affect their lives—and who all will be implicated in this larger game? Daniel James is a senior official, while Mohanlal plays a retired soldier in this film that explores a dystopian situation. There are clear Animal Farm references and very George Orwell-ish elements in the treatment of the concept. It is a difficult story to tell, and Mahesh has done his best with it.Mammootty, as Daniel James, carries the film’s first half on his shoulders, along with the audience’s hope for a reunion. For a patient moviegoer, this film works in ways that unfold only when you are willing to be part of the world-building and character development. Daniel turning into a vlogger after the first quarter adds an interesting layer, and the slow pace and setting only build the intrigue further. Casting Mohanlal in a significant role that has yet to make a physical screen appearance until then also deepens that intrigue and rewards patience. Mammootty delivers an exemplary performance as Daniel. Mohanlal, as Rahim Naik—first in name and later in presence—looms large over the film in a very effective way. The character and the background further pack a punch, and Mahesh makes it clear that he can present Mohanlal as “mass” in any genre. The action sequences are charged, and the confrontations, background music by Sushin Shyam, and smooth dialogues lift the film at key moments. It definitely has several high points. Manush Nandan’s cinematography deserves to be lauded, complementing the film’s visuals effectively.Fahadh Faasil is in his element as Shakthi Sundaram. Kunchacko Boban is great as Michael Devassy. These characters are all intertwined; there are mutual sentiments, and at the same time, many calculations that stand above everything. When Fahadh’s character says that what they had built is not followers but faith, it rings true for both the characters and the actors. In fact, their interactions carry an undercurrent of real-life conversations. Was it absolutely necessary? Did it work? Very well. What could be called morbid talk is layered with a good deal of philosophy, just before a thrilling car chase. Towards the end, the screenplay get a little messy before it settles, just like in the beginning. The dynamics between couples, friends, and even father and son—all of it finds a place in this stellar writing by Mahesh. The female characters—each treated with respect and agency—are key to the storytelling. Did the advocate or the minister have to be women? No. But the fact that they are women matters, especially given the character settings they have.When legends unite, expectations go through the roof. While the film does falter in places, it might satisfy a cinephile, but whether it will fully work for a fan remains a question.