Oppam

Priyadarshan's 2016 Malayalam film follows Jayaraman, a blind caretaker who must protect the daughter of a murdered man after a killing in the building where he works. He remembers the killer's smell and voice; he is the only witness and therefore the only target. The film draws its tension from a sensory constraint, and that works well for the genre: whether darkness is an advantage or a disadvantage keeps changing across the story. Mohanlal's performance is built without falling into imitation. Priyadarshan's direction is fast. Its weakness is an excess of coincidence and an explanation in the final section that lowers the tension. The violence is harsh. Who it's for: viewers who like Malayalam thrillers and Mohanlal's work. Who it's not for: anyone wanting realism, or uncomfortable with scenes involving threat to a child.