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Pani

24 October 2024Malayalam2h 21m
ActionCrime
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 4 scored reviews · 3 not rated

Joju George's debut shows assurance, but the revenge tale runs on familiar rails.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: confident, effective directorial debut
  • Criticised: formulaic, derivative revenge narrative

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Critic consensus

What 7 critics are saying

Critical reception for Pani is mixed-to-moderate, with most reviewers acknowledging Joju George's directorial debut as a confident and competent first outing. Critics most commonly praised the film's intense second half and its effective execution of revenge thriller set-pieces. The most consistent criticism is that the film relies on a formulaic, derivative revenge narrative — described variously as 'run-of-the-mill', 'old wine in new bottle', and weighed down by 'stale moments, incidents and dialogues'. At least one critic found the script falters after a promising first act, leaving the overall impact diminished.

How the 4 scores spread

3 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 7 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (7)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. Ottplay

    Film review

    Joju George's directorial debut is especially buoyed by a second half that is intense and thrilling, with the duo outwitting their adversaries in a relentless revenge drama.

  3. Times Of India

    Film review

    Joju George has managed to create an emotional core and cat-and-mouse action that keeps audiences invested in this revenge thriller.

  4. Indian Express

    Film review

    While the world-building and character introductions in the first act are solid, suggesting that Joju and team are on track to deliver an outstanding actioner, Pani's script falters very soon and begins bombarding viewers with stale moments, incidents and dialogues, ultimately diminishing the impact, leaving the film unimpressive.

  6. OnManorama

    Film review

    Joju George's debut as a director comes across as confident, as he boldly pushes the limits of the film's violent themes. For those who enjoy intense viewing experiences and want to have a fun time, this one is worth heading to the theatres for.

  7. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    In his directorial debut, Joju delivers a gory, well-executed drama which works despite the run-of-the-mill revenge story at its core.

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