The Priest is one of the most anticipated movies of the year, for it’s the first Superstar starrer to release in theatres after a long break. The film featuring two superstars – Mammootty and Manju Warrier – has been keeping people quite excited for a while now. Finally, when the film hit the theatres, what we got to experience was a spectacular show that kept us at the edge of our seats.

While solving a murder mystery, Father Carmen Benedict (Mammootty) comes across an 11-year-old orphan, Ameya (Baby Monica) who is not only different but strange too. Being a mystery solver with unusual abilities, Benedict decides to follow Ameya and unleash the mystery behind her birth.

Convincing performances
The Priest features a stellar cast including Mammootty, Manju Warrier, Nikhila Vimal, Saniya Iyappan and Venkatesh VP and each one of them has delivered a convincing performance. Mammootty gets a seasoned role which he handles with ease. There is no unnecessary hype around the character, which is quite refreshing to watch. Nikhila Vimal is extremely good with the fear and helplessness reflecting on her face and body language quite often. Manju Warrier handles a role that is different from her usual and she nails it too. A huge round of applause to Baby Monica who quite effortlessly carries her character.

Stellar Technical Side
Be it editing, cinematography, or music, everything about the Priest is just perfect. Rahul Raj deserves a special mention – his stunning background score is the star of the film. It just makes the film spookier and makes you eagerly wait for the mystery to unravel.

A different story, unique treatment
Malayalam has seen many horror mysteries in the past, but The Priest has a solid story to talk about. Shyam Menon and Deepu Pradeep have done a fabulous job with the screenplay. Being a debutant, Jofin T Chacko might have had many hurdles to cross, especially to make a film that is equally thrilling and horrifying, and he has done a good job in making The Priest what it is. There are definitely flaws, like, for instance, it gets predictable at times, but you get to ignore them for the unique treatment the film gets. For a first-timer, Jofin T Chacko deserves a pat on the back.

Watch or Not
The Priest definitely deserves a watch. Be it for its making, storytelling or performances, the film is worth your time and is definitely going to keep you by the edge of your seats.
Director: Jofin T. Chacko
Writers: Shyam Menon, Deepu Pradeep, Jofin T. Chacko
Cast: Mammootty, Manju Warrier, Nikhila Vimal, Saniya Iyappan, Baby Monica
Music: Rahul Raj
Cinematography: Akhil George
Shameer Muhammed
Language: Malayalam

Playing in the cinemas.