Black movie story

Vasanth (Jiiva) and Aranya (Priya Bhavani Shankar) are the first ones to move into a row-house settlement along the coastal Chennai. But something does not seem right, as Vasanth begins to experience several déjà vu moments, before they get trapped into bizarre realities where multiple versions of the couple are encountered. Is it a play of the paranormal or a scientific explanation exists?

Black movie review

In Black, several Vasanths and Aranyas exist. At one point, the explanation given to decipher is that time works like a wormhole, where the channel of reality is like a tunnel with two end points representing different points in spacetime. Black operates on the theory that multiple realities are present, and when each version meet the other, what happens. With a tricky concept like this, and more so less explored, Black had the responsibility to delve deeper and make the consequences more impactful to understand the confusions the lead pair is put through. But the film fails to do so, and there begins Black disconnection with audience.

What works to the great benefit of Black is that, for most parts it tries to stick to the concept of time loop and alternate realities. After the staple duet song, and some cheesy interactions, the characters are quick to decipher what is happening around them, and practical solutions are thought. Aranya and Vasanth understand that this is not a paranormal but a scientific explanation exists. This takes the onus from the audience to leave ruing about what the characters would have done for not having to go through the drama. But at the same time, we are also not given enough to bite and chew on, since Black does not churn enough drama with multiple Aranyas and Vasanths. In one moment, when the concept of multiple realities and wormhole theories are discussed and drawn parallel to the events in the film, it feels more of this had to be shown than rather stated for Black to create more impact. We are shown enough and more big moments of revelations during the cyclic time hole the couple are catapulted into, say Aranya getting to know a crucial piece of information on Vasanth, and the latter getting to know that they are expecting a child. Had the film dwelled on these moments more to establish the characters’ emotional journey and how scientific intervention is adding fuel, Black would have created more impact.

Even as it is Vasanth who is experiencing several déjà vu moments, Black makes sure that they are not repetitive to the audience. We are given the logic behind this, but that nevertheless doesn’t help in building a coherence to invest in the film. With a limited cast, and majorly shouldered by Jiiva and Priya Bhavani Shankar, the lead actors effortlessly play their parts. This really acts as an advantage for the film, which cleverly pulls off a clean and undistracted production to concentrate on what is happening onscreen. Had the film delved deeper into the concept and backed with solid writing, Black would have become a film that earns a hand of applause.

Black movie verdict

Black is a cleanly executed sci-fi thriller. It attempts to be slick in its language of telling, but begins to make you more questions than get answers. With the film dealing with high-concept of alternate realities, had the film explored the scientific aspect in greater depth coupled with abled writing, Black would have become a appreciable new attempt in Tamil cinema.

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