Gatham Movie Review: A Twisty Psychological Thriller That’s Ruined by Loopholes and Sub-Par Performances

Gatham Movie Review: There is something very exciting and incredulous about the basic premise of Gatham, a thriller made by Kiran Reddy, based on his own short film. Shot entirely in the US (which, for a Telugu film, should sound warning bells for us after Nishabdam and Miss India), Gatham has elements of mystery and plenty of thrill elements that should have made it riveting. It throws enough twists at us than a bike rally along Himalayas. And yet, the incredulity of its plot is severely let down by its haphazard writing. Nishabdham Movie Review: Anushka Shetty-R Madhavan’s Amazon Prime Film Is Lazy Thriller With a Lazier Michael Madsen.

In the beginning, we see a man and a woman being shot down, while they are running through a snow-filled landscape. The movie takes us back in time, where we meet Rishi (Rakesh Galebhe), who is in a hospital and has recovered from an accident. The doctor informs him that he is having amnesia, after Rishi reveals he doesn't recognise his girlfriend Aditi (Poojitha Kuraparthi).

After revealing his wish to meet his absent father, Aditi takes Rishi for a long drive to make that meeting happen. On the way, their car breaks down. A stranger (Bhargava Poludasu) offers to help them out, and asks them to stay at his cottage nearby till a mechanic arrives. There, Rishi realises that something is not right with his host, while doubts also begin to creep in his mind about the woman who claims to be his girlfriend.

Watch the Trailer of Gatham:

Before reviewing the film, I hadn't gotten to watch the trailer of Gatham to avoid the surprises. As an advice to my readers, I would also advise you to do the same. For some very bizarre reason, whoever cut the trailer of the film has revealed away quite a few surprises in the film that would have at least made it a compelling watch.

Ah, anyway, the premise of Gatham is enough to keep you engaged enough, even if you are spurned away by the rawness of the performers. Placing an amnesiac character right in the middle of a dangerous situation, that may involve a psychopath, is quite a saucy plotline. The first act of the film keeps you hooked when it keeps the action within the confines of the stranger's cabin, and also bringing his perverse son into the chaos. Sadly then, the first major twist arrive and we are pushed into revenge territory - a favourite, but utterly overused trope in Telugu Cinema.

Of course, having an amnesiac lead should ring red herrings for us, and while I do not want to harp much on what happens next, the flashback into Rishi's past and his connection with the stranger suffer from ordinary writing. Even more annoying is how conveniently the writing lets the film out of sticky situations, that spells laziness. The third act, especially, is a big letdown.

What works for Gatham are the few moments of mystery and the absolutely immersive locales, beautifully shot by Manojh Reddy. Also for a change, compared to Nishabdam and Miss India (sorry for dragging them here, but can't help it), those cast in foreign parts feel like better actors. The main Indian cast, considering most of them are newbies, are at best decent and at worst, very raw. Miss India Movie Review: Keerthy Suresh’s Netflix Film Brews an Uninspiring Tale From a Bland Recipe!

Yay!

- Intriguing Premise With A Few Good Thrill Moments

- The Cinematography

Nay!

- The Writing

Final Thoughts

As a psychological thriller, Gatham works only in bits and parts, mostly around its first act. Still, it is a very decent attempt for a team that is quite rookie and has potential to develop better with a tighter script. Gatham is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 06, 2020 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).