Manoj Mohan

The Priest is a ludicrous script with plenty of gaping holes. The debutant director, who also happens to be the writer, has borrowed generously from whatever thrillers and programmes he may have seen until now. The hallmark of a classy thriller is the presence of the right amount of twists and turns as it progresses. This one has one too many - by the end, you'd be forgiven for thinking that there could be a further twist after the closing credits have rolled. Director Jofin T Chacko has tried just about every trick in the book, and it just smacks of desperation. He's clearly not someone in control of their craft. The background music gets so loud at times that you feel annoyed towards the end. Mammootty must've felt like a male model towards the end - he is reduced to someone walking around the sets in a particular get-up with a dog for company. Baby Monica lacks the talent to manage the transition from a normal kid to someone possessed. As for Manju Warrier, it seems like she did the film as a favour to someone, because she hardly has anything new or challenging to do. One look at the posters, and you realise how the makers have desperately tried to highlight her presence, perhaps in an attempt to woo audiences who have been wanting to see her act alongside Mammotty. Manju's casting turns out to be a marketing gimmick - there's nothing in that role that'd warrant the casting of a brilliant performer such as her. Overall, a die-hard Mammokka fan might find this flick enjoyable, but I felt I'd wasted my time watching this nonsense.