In the landscape of Tamil cinema, a film often surfaces with aspirations to blend genres and test the boundaries of storytelling. “Devil” is one such film that, despite its ambitions, serves as an exemplification of how not all such attempts hit their mark. The movie opens with a rather symbolic scene, yet it is not reflective of the depths the film promises but doesn’t deliver. As we observe Hema (played by Poorna) tie the knot with Alex (Vidharth), there is a juxtaposition with an outside beggar receiving charity. It poses a philosophical question of who truly benefits in the union – the giver or the receiver. However, “Devil” struggles to maintain such a contemplative tone as it progresses, instead veering off into a narrative that is both simplistic and painfully drawn out.
Hema’s plight as the devoted wife facing unrequited love from her philandering husband Alex, who harbors a secret affair with Sophia (Subhashree), is the centerpiece of the movie. Her world is further complicated by Roshan (Thrigun), a younger man who at first sees her as a maternal figure before his feelings evolve. What unravels is a curious examination of whether Alex’s secrets, Hema’s dignity, or the audience’s patience will collapse first under the weight of the story’s erratic pace and tonal inconsistencies.
At its core, the premise of “Devil” might have made for an intriguing short film: a woman’s ordeal caught in the middle of a cheating spouse and another, smitten with her grace. However, this is inflated into something that crawls beyond the bare necessities, elongating a sub-two-hour runtime into what feels like a far more taxing viewing experience. The ending of the film offers a stark contrast, incorporating thriller and horror elements that attempt to clench onto originality, yet by this juncture, the audience’s engagement could well have waned beyond retrieval.
Delving into the thematic content of “Devil,” the film takes a dualistic stance on Hema’s character. She is cast overtly in a motherly light towards both Alex and Roshan – an indulgence that nods to the elements of the Oedipus complex yet teeters towards regressive and misogynistic undertones. This bizarre approach is not alone, as Sophia is reduced to a mere archetypal antagonist, and Hema is expected to pardon her husband’s transgressions, leading to a climactic confrontation.
“Devil” flirts with religious motifs and seems to draw inspiration from Hollywood classics, but the resulting effect falls short of the authentic. The screenplay drags the viewer not only through a cumbersome plot but also through pedestrian dialogues. Amid these is a cameo by Mysskin, representing a deity figure and signaling the filmmakers’ attempt to inject a sense of higher meaning into the narrative but to no avail.
Mysskin also makes his musical debut with “Devil,” attempting to pay homage to the cherished Ilaiyaraaja, yet only managing to slightly eclipse the mediocrity of the film’s songs. Intriguingly enough, there is a detour into a song sequence that echoes Mysskin’s earlier work, yet this glimpse of nostalgia cannot redeem the totality of the film’s misfires.
Contrasting with director Aathityaa’s earlier project “Savarakkathi,” which relished in wackiness and was bolstered by Poorna’s standout performance, “Devil” unfortunately treads the waters of amateur filmmaking. Poorna herself shines in this film, yet the script fails to offer her the sturdy platform her talents warrant. The film could have followed in the vein of Mysskin’s “Pisasu,” which served as a breath of fresh air in Tamil horror cinema, but sadly “Devil” grapples with its identity, leaving it to teeter between genres without ever getting a firm grasp on either.
The film concludes with a telltale ‘let there be light’ moment, an ironic endnote for a movie that has left viewers yearning for the illumination of a well-told story. As the lights in the theater flicker back to life, one could sense a collective relief – a reprieve from the befuddling journey presented by “Devil,” which is currently screening in theaters. This film is a stark reminder that in the dance of genre-blending and thematic exploration, without precise footwork and clear vision, the performance can too easily stumble into obscurity.
