Rorschach is the kind of experience that will divide viewers into two: ones who believe this revenge story doesn't need such a detailed storytelling and ones who revel in studying the finer, more minute details à la slow-burn Korean revenge dramas. It reimagines a film like The Chaser or I Saw The Devil, psychologically turns it on its head, and weaves an engaging yarn around it. The level of grey shades differ in each character, and you wouldn't believe how the script accommodates this texturing. A collaboration of the finest order between director Nissam Basheer and writer Sameer Abdul, you'll be left wholly intrigued at how each character, the protagonist included, evolves with every passing scene. The closest attempt in Indian cinema would be Sriram Raghavan's Badlapur, but it's still vastly different.
Rorschach is a genre-bender indeed and it seamlessly blends elements from various genres. There's thrills, slasher aspects, psychological warfare, dark humor, and even a tinge of the supernatural. I love how the makers use colors such as white, black, grey, and green in the film. It just has to be seen to be believed - the greyness of the unpainted house melding with that of the Mustang GT driven by Luke, the jackets worn by Luke meshing into the green, forested backgrounds, and more along those lines. Nimish Ravi's (Kurup, Luca) frames are magnificent, taking us through different doors of the protagonist's mind, and shifting perspective often. Kiran Das' edit work also needs praise, as he allows the scenes to breathe and have a natural progression. The astounding winner in the technical department, however, is composer Midhun Mukundan ( Garuda Gamana Vrishabha Vahana), who comes up with a spectacular soundtrack that elevates the film (especially in those character transformation and procedural scenes) to another level altogether.
There's no way I can hold myself back from praising the entire cast who literally compete with each other to provide incredible performances. Leading from the front is Mammootty who continues to surprise us (at 71) and ensures his character Luke Antony is deeply studied by critics and audiences alike. Right alongside him would be Bindu Panicker who is mind-blowing in the role of a subtly fierce Seetha, and Grace Antony who plays the bold-yet-vulnerable Sujatha. It is wonderful to see Jagadeesh, Sharafudheen, and Kottayam Naseer lend gravitas to their respective roles. They're dependable performers if the script has something substantial for them.. new-gen writers, take note.
