'Connect' hit the cinemas today (December 22). Let's find out what the horror drama is all about.
Story
It's early 2020. Susan (Nayanthara) is widowed after her husband Dr. Joseph Benoy (Vinay Rai) succumbs to Covid-19. Their daughter Anna (Haniya Nafisa) tries to connect with her father's soul by approaching a supernatural specialist. It turns out to be the worst decision of Anna's life, for she gets possessed by a phantom. Susan and her father Arthur Samuel (Sathyaraj) are shaken. They take the help of Father Augstine (Anupam Kher) as the final resort.
Analysis
How would you feel if a sci-fi thriller were to introduce an arcane concept without delving any further? You would feel cheated. Likely, you will also develop a phobia for science itself. With 'Connect', that's what happens when the film brandishes terms like 'Ouija board' and 'seance' without further exploration.
In old Telugu melodramas, the climax would feature a fervent, dramatized prayer to God. The female lead would question the divinity's indifference and apathy through an angry song, after which the God/Goddess would manifest in the poor protagonist's life and dissolve her crisis in a snap. The last 30 minutes of 'Connect' are an unwitting tribute to those films.
At less than 95 minutes, the film lacks the bandwidth to explore a lot of things. But it has the rare inclination to stage an elaborate prayer to threaten Satan. This element is bereft of dramatic heft and surprises. In the last 30 minutes, there is just one high and that high is because of a special effect.
Nayanthara's character is reduced to a one-note cardboard-ish entity. Sathyaraj is good, but Anupam Kher's character's dubbing in the Telugu version is off. If his entry lifts our hopes, it's because of the memorable episode in 'Kartikeya 2'. There, he was in service of Lord Krishna. Here, he is in service of Jesus Christ. (Give him the Most Secular Indian Of the Year Award already).
For a film that looks and is humble, the production values are a cut above the rest. In the recent 'Masooda', the cinematographer and sound designer had a large canvas to tinker with. The settings in 'Connect' are small-scale. The Zoom calls further constrain the cinematographer's options. Despite the skew, the entire technical department puts up a really good job. It's their work that merits this film whatever rating it deserves.
Closing Remarks
'Connect' lacks the merits you would expect from a new-age horror film. Its technical output is its sole advantage.
