Phobia [2016] (Hindi) - An extremely well-executed psychological thriller

A woman suffering from a severe case of agoraphobia - fear of the outside world, suspects that a killer is stalking her. She is scared to get out of her house. And, stuck in her lonely flat that has become both her sanctuary and her prison, she is afraid the killer may strike her any time. Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place...

Is she imagining things? Is her agoraphobic mind playing tricks with her? Or is there someone watching her? Entering her fortress when she is asleep? Is her neighbour a psychotic killer? Or is she just being paranoid? Is there some supernatural presence lurking in her lonely abode - that makes things go bump in the night, or even in broad daylight, for that matter? Or is she going stark raving mad?

This is an intricately crafted, multi-layered mystery that explores exactly what its name suggests - phobia, extreme fear... The story is tightly woven and well-crafted. Supported by extremely good acting and perfect direction, this is one of the best movies to appear in this as-yet-unexplored genre in Hindi films.

Both, the script and the editing, ensures that there is not a boring moment in the whole movie. Augmented with well-sketched and sometimes quirky characters, almost every moment in the movie offers some form of entertainment. Some quirky characters like Vikki, a teenage neighbour, that lighten the otherwise dark and tense atmosphere. They add funny moments in the movie, which makes one laugh and relieves the builtup tension. But thankfully these moments are not overdone - which would have ruined the movie.

The character of the main protagonist has been very successfully enacted by Radhika Apte, an extremely good actress. Aided by a strong script, she successfully makes us empathize with the character of Mehek, depicting her fragile psychological condition, her fears, her struggle to understand whether what's happening to her is real or just her mind playing games, and her formidable spirit and will in trying to over come these psychological barriers.

It is a difficult task to include supernatural elements into the plot and then manage to tie everything up without landing up with illogical and unbelievable nonsense. The writer has made a great effort to achieve this feat. And the director has depicted it well enough for the common layman to understand the reasoning behind the story. Everything ties up well in the end and appears to make perfect sense. I did not stumble upon any loose ends -which are common in these type of movies.

The film depicts the struggle of people suffering from Agoraphobia like none other has in the history of Hindi films. Though it manages to just scrape the tip of the Agoraphobia iceberg, it does manage to give us a glimpse into a psychological disorder that most people don't even know exists.

There is a 2013 English movie with the same name, and pretty similar plot. Which makes one suspect whether the plot for this movie was maybe copied from or inspired by this one. I have not seen the 2013 English movie (IMDB link). But I have a hunch that even if this was inspired by that movie, it is still a better executed artwork.

For the longest time, Hindi films have managed to churn up utter tripe that gets sold solely by the power of the Superstars and Kids, Inc (read, the Khans, the Kapoors, the Kumars and the rest of the stardom gang). Forget about poor acting, amateurish direction or physics-defying action, even the script and the story are shallow and childish. It is only recently that they have started exploring new ideas, with good actors, writers and directors breaking new ground. Psychological thrillers in Hindi films have mostly been mundane and same-old-stuff. But in the past few years movies like Karthik Calling Karthik are expanding the horizons of this oft misrepresented genre. And Phobia takes it to a whole new level with its brilliant script, extraordinary actors and superb direction.

This movie is certainly not for everyone. While it makes for a good scary / suspense movie, one cannot approach it for simple mindless entertainment. There is possibly a mild dose of the supernatural involve. And the final resolution, while unique and unexpected, may not be digestable to a few. But if you like movies with supernatural overtones, that make sense even as they make you hold on to your seat and avoid crying out loud, then you will certainly enjoy it as much as I did.

My Rating: 4

Before I Wake [2016] (English) - A great idea, poorly executed

A couple, Jessie and Mark Hobson trying to cope with the death of their infant son, adopt a child - a little boy named Cody. The kid is a bit reserved at first. But they try their best to make him as comfortable and welcome as possible. And slowly but surely the kid starts to open up. All is going well... But not quite...

Why is the kid trying his best to stay awake at night, alone in his room? And on nights, when he does fall asleep, strange things start happening. Does the boy possess a supernatural gift? And, they discover that this gift turns into a horrific nightmare...

At the beginning, the movie subtly but successfully depicts the pain that parents can go through, when they lose a child. The father is trying to cope by immersing himself in the daily chores that need to be done. The heartbroken mother is still to come to grips with the loss of her child. Attending alcoholics-anonymous-like meetings with other parents who have lost their kids; battling insomnia; unable to forget the memory of their lost child. What appears to most critics as no chemistry between the couple, is actually the two trying to cope with the tragedy in their own different Martian and Venusian ways, trying hard to not let it rip their marriage apart.

The kid with a beautiful but eventually nightmarish supernatural gift is also portrayed pretty nicely. Jacob Tremblay has acted the part pretty nicely, depicting a kid with a weight on his shoulders - who knows his gift can cause harm and tries so hard to control it.

The movie explores the theme of loss of a loved one. The anguish and the inability to cope with it has been depicted nicely. The movie could have delved deeper into it, but that would have made it lose its momentum.

There are a few loose ends in the story though. And a few scenes are left to ones own interpretations. Some parts of the movie are amateurish and some are just plain ridiculous. For instance, when Jessie loses her husband, she displays no emotion whatsoever. Its like he was never a relevant part of her life. The climax appears rushed and strangely devoid of juice, after a good buildup. Yet, the final revelation and wrap up, though hasty and apparently half baked, left me with a warm glow the same way Green Mile, another unusual movie that has a supernatural gift as its core idea, did (though, no comparison should be made between the two, because Green Mile is a much better movie)

This movie is based on an interesting premise. And the makers could have made it into a much better movie, had they explored the idea even deeper. But instead, they tried to make it into a commercial supernatural thriller. And that's where the movie lets us down. Which is unexpected from writer/director Mike Flanagan who gave us such superb psychological / supernatural thriller like Oculus. Though, the final revelation and wrap-up is complex, unexpected and totally worthy of appreciation.

If you are looking for a horror / supernatural thriller movie, then this isn't it. Like the audience in the theater where I was watching this movie, you will be sadly disappointed. Instead, if you like some new ideas that drive the movie, with a healthy dose of the supernatural, then you will certainly like this movie, the way I did.

This is not an easy movie to watch. Not your regular keep-your-brains-aside kind of entertainment. But for the connoisseur of the unusual and the different, this is an interesting watch. Unfortunately the commercial thriller angle adopted by the makers of the movie will grate on your senses...

Yet, for someone who likes movies with interesting and unusual concepts, this is certainly worth watching once.

My Ratings:2.5