The element carbon has several allotropes. It can exist in several forms—from ashes to diamonds. In director Venu's third film, Carbon, Siby (Fahadh Faasil) is an ambitious man with big dreams. He does not want to merely survive and coast through life, ultimately ending up as ashes. But his middle-man business games do not end up fruitful; they render him debtor to a local 'Shylock'. It forces Siby to take up a job as a manager of an old palace. There, he is regaled with stories of a treasure buried somewhere in the dense forests nearby. He is ready to risk his life for the hunt. He organises a crew for the expedition, which includes Sameera (Mamta Mohandas), a nature enthusiast, Stalin (Manikandan), an unscrupulous village man, and a tribal boy (Chethan Jaylal). However, he does not inform them that he intends to go in search of a treasure. Once in the forest, nobody's fate is in their own hands.
Director Venu's third film, Carbon, is a visual treat, taking you through the wild beauty of the forest. The frames by cinematographer K.U. Mohanan are splendid. The background score by Bijibal and editing by Bina Paul contribute immensely to the overall mood. Sound design by Jayadevan C. and Anil Radhakrishnan is outstanding. Fahadh Faasil, as always, put his soul into the character, often expressing emotions non-verbally through subtle expressions and smiles. Mamtha Mohandas, Manikandan, Chethan Jaylal, Soubin Shahir and Kochu Preman play their roles very well. Sphatikam George, who is marking his re-entry after five years, made his role memorable.
The effort put in by the whole crew during the shoot is laudable. Director Venu thanked his crew for standing strong by him while shooting in adverse weather conditions. But, it is doubtful if director's efforts were a complete success. The movie struggles in the second half, after a pacy first. It often takes on the mood of a Nat-Geo documentary. Also, the movie resorts to repetition of the oft-cliched inspirational lines from the book Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.
Don't go with the expectation of another Munnariyippu (Venu's mystery thriller in 2014). Carbon was given an entirely different treatment. Not everyone will find this movie exciting. Venu leaves the climax open to the different interpretations.
Rating: 3/5
Directed by: Venu
Starring: Fahadh Faasil, Mamta Mohandas
