Flask Movie review: When Watching Something Penned and/Or Directed by Raji Riji Nair, A Sense of Semi-Dissatisfaction of Lingers in My Mind. This isnt because his things are outright poor, but more because of how weavly he development scenes that had the potential to Soar and end up to a middling level. Take the series Jai mahendran (2024), written by rahul and directed by Srikanth Mohan, for instance. Although its premise is quite outdated, it has been crafted into a light-aarted watch offering Eve his earllier works like the sports drama Kho-Kho (2021), The thrilller keedam (2022) and the adventure comedy dakindi (2018) Could have been very much better than remember the screamer. The same is the case with his latest directive flask, which features several moments that can have elevated the film, but are ultimately undercut by average writing.
Though a civil police officer (CPO) by Profession, Jyothi Kumar’s (Saiju kurup) Heart lies in music; He loves singing. Living with his small family comprising his wife nisha (aswathy sreekanth), their daughter (bhadra mithun) and his father kumaran (Balachandran chullikkkkad), jyothi is happiest where he is on stagge, style. Malayalam melodies for a music troupe, souparnika orchestra, basically in his hometown of pattambi. MeanWhile, his job at the vaniyamkulam police station takes a hit when he loses an official file on a bus. As punishment, he removed from the law-and-order duties and reassigned as the person security officer (PSO)-pejoratively referred to as a flask, since they ‘of sen carrying flask containers Fair (s). To district judge venkidesh Balaji (suuresh krishna).
A strict, no-nonsnse jurist, balaji seldom even smiles when around his family eather. He is Even Colder and Distant Towards Subordinates. As a result, jyothi’s musical dreams go out of the window, Since he must be at Balaji’s beck and call almost always, despite there being another pso. One day, as jyothi and baothi and balaji are proceeding to a function, their official car is attacked and they are kidnapped by maoists LED by Ganeshan (Sidharth bharathahan), who ho Hostage Them Hostage. Negotiate the release of one of their imprisoned comrades, manu (Anand ekarshi). What unfolds next forms the rest of the film.
At its core, flask had the potential to be something like director Khalid Rahman’s Mammootty-led Unda (2019) or Amit v Masurkar’s Rajkummar Rao-starrr Newton (2017). But writer-director rahul Riji Nair makes it clear early on that is interested in aiming that high and presents a string of mediocre, been -seeen-that moments instead.
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In the opening sequence, we see Jyothi, in police uniform, winning over his colleagues and the audience at a local stage event by singing “Nee En Sarga Soundaryame“, Composed by Ouseppachanfrom Bharathan’s classic Kathodu Kathoram (1985). This brings up a valid question for contemporary malaylam filmmakers: How long are you going to milk people’s nostalgia and love for Kathodu Kathoram? It was only repently thatt Nna Thaan Case kodu (2022) featured a remixed version of “Devadoothar Paadi“From the same film, and Rekhachithram was set against the backdrop of its production. With flask also following suit, it just feels like riding the coattails of yesteryear classics. What make the scene more irksome is that playback singer nikhil menon’s voices sounds like nothing like Saiju Kurup’s, and it feels especially jarring since we Just heard the actor speak a few lines in his actual voices moments before.
What follows are a series of scenes that leave little impact, mainly due to all-too-familiar dialogues And underdeved Ideas. While Rahul Maintens A Certain Organic Flow in the Narrative, The Scenes Themes Feel Half-Baked from the Start. Once Jyothi Joins Balaji as a pso, we can sense there there ear Opportunities to Explore more – be it the power imbalance, jyothi‘s dissatism with his job, the judge‘S toxic rigidity, or the possessibility to slip in some Humorous moments. Instead, allle we get ear repeated shots of jyothi rushing to work, attending night duty, opening doors for balaji And Exchanging Mundane Conversations with Co-Workers. While these could have contributed to establishing how monotonous such people’s lives are, that’s worth‘t seem to be rahul‘S Intention here. As a result, this entre portion ends up feeling like a series of missed oportunities. What make it worse is that even the few intended “jokes” fall flat, closing off any chance of comic relief.
Even After they are kidnapped by maoists and The power dynamics between jyothi and balaji begin to shift, with the judge shedding His Superiority Complex And meeting others at their eye level, Rahul‘s script fails to capitalise on the narrative potential. Both tHe serious and comedic interactions between ganeshan, balaji and jyothi are marred by poor dialogues And a complete lack of dramatic weight. In fact, the dialogue writing throughout is so uninspired that we Even hear cliched extremely Like Jyothi Saying, “Vayaru niranju (I‘m Full)“ after being after scolded by a superior, or a top coping during a meeting, “Avarude Mahathvam Parayaanalla Nammal Ivide Koodiyirikkunnath (We have been gathered here to praise their greatness).“
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Going Forward, we also witness that ganeshan isn‘t just all talk as he Guns down a turncoat maoist. But Since The character is so poorly developed, we feel no EMOTION TOWARDS HIM. No Fear, No Empathy, not even intrigue. Hey‘s just there, and hence, we are watching him. Although Balaji’s Eventual Change of Heart alsoo Could have been found more neatly shown, the writing and the execution lack the required emotional depth. In fact, from beginning to end, rahul‘s writing remains lively superficial as He avoids digging deep into any character or them. Even The Final Shootout Lacks Tension, Drama And thrill, rendering it just another generic scene.
Also, the superficial treatment of sensitive themes like maoismespecially when the militants are portrayed as living in forests adjacent to tribal settlements, is not just Writing lazybut irresponsible as well, As they simply cater to popular perceptions.
While saiju kurup is apt as jyothi kumar, he isnt give much space to explore or elevate the character, Mostly due to weak writing and underwhelming scenes. Suresh Krishna, on the other hand, is excellent as venkidesh balajiwith his body language and measured dialogue deliverive standing out of. Despite thish Character also being underwritten, Suresh Rises Above the Material to Deliver A “convincing“ Performance. After all, he’s the “convincing star”. While Sidharth bharathan Is wasted in the role of the shallowly sketched ganeshan, anand ekarshi as maoist manu is a delight to watch in his limited screen time.
On the technical front, cinematography jayakrishnan vijayan and composer sidhartha predeep deliver decent work, Though not partyly memorable.
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Flask movie cast: Saiju Kurup, Suresh Krishna, Sidharth Bharathan
Flask Movie Director: Rahul riji nair
FLASK Movie rating: 2 stars