As expected from the trailer and tagline, Malayalam film Christopher is the biography of a vigilante cop. Like most other formulaic films about justice, Christopher features a protagonist who takes matters into his own hands after being duped by the system.
The B.Unnikrishnan-directorial starts by introducing the antagonist, Sitaram Trimurthi Aiyer, played by Vinay Rai. The plot then jumps back a few months to introduce Christopher (Mammootty), handling a case. Following a series of events, Christopher is suspended and an investigation is launched against him. The investigation is overseen by Amala Paul’s Sulekha. What follows are incidents that leave the viewer perplexed and disturbed.
The first half of the movie delves into Christopher's past, depicting who he is and how he works on the cases that come to him. Right before the intermission, Christopher is seen delivering a message to the audience: "Justice delayed is justice denied," dropping a hint about what's to come in the second half.
Characters essayed by Aishwarya Lekshmi and Shine Tom Chacko come in only in the second half. The movie goes back and forth between Christopher's past and present, weaving in the many encounters he has had in life. Although these add depth to the character, it confuses the viewer who struggles to keep track of the plot. Amala Paul, Sneha, Aishwarya Lekshmi, Dileesh Pothan, Siddique, Shine Tom Chacko and Aditi Ravi have done justice to their parts. But too many characters being introduced through the runtime add to the confusion. Mammootty's performance as a vigilante cop stands out in the film. However, even when his character goes through some serious life-altering events, the scenes fail to elicit the expected emotions from the audience.
Graphic scenes of sexual assault can be really disturbing.
Faiz Siddik has done a great job with the cinematography. Slow-motion shots, particularly in the action scenes, will appeal to Mammootty fans. Though the film's beautiful background score, especially in scenes that focus on Christopher, could generate fans of its own, the continuous use of the music at regular intervals is irritating.
The movie might work fine as an entertainer for fans, but the storyline could have been developed better.
Movie: Christopher
Language: Malayalam
Director: B. Unnikrishnan
Cast: Mammootty, Sneha, Aiswarya Lekshmi, Amala Paul, Siddique, Dileesh Pothan, Shine Tom Chacko
Rating: 3/5