Synopsis

Miral scares us in parts but doesn't threaten or keep us on the edge of our seats. A family with a past and trauma encounters a series of strange incidents on their way home. Can they survive? What is really behind all of this?

Cast & Crew

 Review

Though slasher genres are quite popular in Hollywood, filmmakers here are yet to explore it to the fullest as drama is prime importance here. Also, this horror sub-genres biggest strength is its technicalities and some logical jumps care. Director M Sakthivel's Miral tries too hard to emulate on these lines but lacks the magic of pulling us into its world effectively. Despite some intense scenes and jumpscares, Miral misses something that could make it stand apart.

The film starts off with Rama (Vani Bhojan) having a nightmare, that of a stranger trying to assassinate her family. As we get to know that there is something that disrupts the peace in their lives, Rama and her husband Hari (Bharath) decide to travel all the way to the former's hometown temple. After the rituals, Bharath and his family decides to travel back home that very night due to work commitment.

What follows is a cat and mouse game as they encounter a masked stranger who damages their car and threatens to kill the family.

What actually is happening and why is Hari's family is being subjected to this horrendous act?

Miral started off decently with engaging moments here and there. But as the plot progressed and certain revelations made in the second half changes what we had initially perceived of this film. If the director had been honest to the slasher genre without bringing in forced elements and emotional aspect towards the climax, the film could have been much better.

The director's mistake is incorporating a clichéd formula believing the idea could satisfy a wider section of audience. But cinema doesn't work that way. This film is nothing short of a bad hit and miss. The jump scares in the first half was decent but looking back why it was brought in minimises the effect it initially created.

This would have lived up to its expectations if the reveal was convincing or laudable enough. Also, it seemed like the idea was stretched in various places only to leverage the runtime. Dialogue deliver of few characters looked a bit unconvincing and these aspects prevent us from connecting with the film completely. Bharath and Vani Bhojan's performances are good and in fact, it's the only saviour of the film. KS Ravikumar, who plays Vani Bhojan's father, keeps us engaging then and there.

Miral is not very sound technically but provides what's needed to a meagre extent. Overall, Miral scares us in parts but doesn't threaten or keeps on the edge of our seats.