Por Thozhil movie review: A serial killer film that shines as it refuses to take the easy way out

Cast: Sarath Kumar, Ashok Selvan

Director: Vignesh Raja

Language: Tamil

The most common motivation that we have heard in cases of serial killing is childhood trauma, especially caused by parent figures. In the recent film Por Thozhil starring Sarath Kumar and Ashok Selvan in the lead roles, this very psychological motivation aspect is explored. The film sees a no-nonsense, brusque and complicated senior cop working with a rookie to nab a killer. The plot line is straight-forward, and yet, effective writing builds anticipation surrounding the case and killer.

The psychological understanding and profiling of the killer builds layer by layer, beginning with hypotheses of the investigators based on the crime scene. Then comes the construct of understanding the psychology of humans who are flawed and triggered by trauma. What is it that pushes them to seek acceptance and liberation in violence? In an inspired scene, one of the suspects tries to seek understanding and sympathy for his situation. There is no ulterior motive here, but to show the working of a serial killers inner mind.

The absence of melodrama and unnecessary portrayal of violence, especially against woman being used to manipulate the emotions of the audience shows the strength of the film in what it tries to achieve — a good crime thriller. There is no slacking whatsoever in this 2 hour 26 minute film, as revealing information about the killer is presented one after the other. Even the twist has no false note. The authenticity of the characters, be it the killer or the cops, and the relatability helps in connecting with their thoughts and actions.

There is Prakash (Ashok Selvan) whose introduction shot establishes him as a scaredy-cat, and then there is Loganathan (Sarath Kumar) who is an imposing presence at the very beginning. Between the two of them, they cover a spectrum of people, and because they are each from the opposite side of the spectrum, they are at loggerheads often. Prakash’s lack of experience, his fear, and his bookish smarts annoy Loganathan. The senior cop has no time to train a junior amid investigating a serial murder case and he makes no secret of his dislike.

Ironically enough, it is through the investigation that the two of them understand each other better, and see the benefits of having the other around as well. Even as the jigsaw puzzle of information regarding the killer begins to take a coherent shape, what is surprising about the film personally is that it gets the most important thing for a buddy cop movie right. It works on the motivation of not only the killer, but the cops as well. Prakash is not just a jittery young man, and neither is Loganathan just a curt officer. The former is an empathetic guy who is working on facing his fears, making his family proud while the latter is a product of trauma, very similar to that of the serial killer.

Crime thrillers, especially novels take the route of showcasing the same trauma but different reactions with its protagonist and villain. Similarly, Por Thozhil also works on this parallel. The one thing that is disappointing though is the fact that such interesting details are not embellished enough. A stray comment here, a peak there is not enough and maybe further digging here could have been better. The killer’s motivation is crystal clear, but the same problem recurs as the film rushes through to explain his actions.

The glitches in the film, are however minor and that makes Por Thozhil one of the better crime thrillers to have released in recent times. The confidence of debutant director Vignesh Raja, who wrote the film along with Alfred Prakash shines through in the film that refuses to pander to the expectations of what a cop-film has now come to be in the face of Sooryavanshis and Singams. A welcome change that must be applauded!

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