Director Shaji Kailas has taken the character of the likeable cop Perumal from the 1988 film August 1 (directed by Siby Malayil) and has made the thriller, August 15.
While the earlier film (inspired from the 1973 movie The Day of the Jackal) was full of lively and powerful characters, including a tough looking professional killer played by Captain Raju, the new version is a letdown, without a credible storyline or a worthy script.
A feel of the earlier movie is intentionally maintained all along, but it turns out to be a meek looking misadventure.
Chief Minister Vasudevan (Nedumudi Venu) is in a critical condition in the hospital following a stroke and the top brass of the police is shocked to learn that actually he had been poisoned by someone.
The search for the culprit begins soon and the investigation is entrusted with Perumal (Mammootty). The killer and the main persons who plot against the chief minister are revealed pretty early and then, it is the investigation process that should be a gripping one. Sadly, it doesn’t happen so and the unraveling of the mystery is a boring affair here.
With an old narrative style, the film appears to be a never ending affair for the viewers, though the length is about two and a half hours. S N Swami’s script is too old fashioned and is based on a rather flimsy plot. The visuals by Pradeep Nair are okay.
In a role where his heroism is celebrated in virtually every frame, Mammootty looks handsome and has done the role in a devoted way. But all the efforts are not enough to salvage a poorly written film. Of course, there is enough for the gallery, as he takes on even the fiery criminals all alone, in style with his sunglasses intact and often without a gun!
Meghna Raj and Swetha Menon, the female leads as per the posters, have nothing much to do. Lalu Alex, as a silly ADGP, does manage to tickle the funny bone at times. Now, it is certainly not fair to compare a character in a film with one in the earlier version, but the professional killer played by Siddique is nowhere near the one made famous by Captain Raju.
You’ve to admit it,August 15 which is meant to be a thriller, fails to do so. Even if you are a hardcore fan of Mammootty, it won’t entertain you much. Watch it at your own risk!