Pechi Movie Review: A flimsy horror film with few surprises
Mumbai: The mere existence of a sequel-bait climax is scarier than the gobbledygook its characters spout and what the goggle-eyed old woman does with her oculus toys
In writer-director Ramachandran B’s horror film Pechi, a group of youngsters embark on a hiking trip to a forest area. Their seemingly idyllic getaway turns into a nightmare when they decide to step beyond a point of no return, awakening the evil spirit of an old witch. Initially, Pechi does a good job of capturing and holding our interest as it convincingly sets up the forest as a hotbed of superstition with minimal background music. However, whatever little sign of novelty the film exhibits initially starts to wear thin soon.
Usually, in such a film, there is one character who warns the rest of the consequences of crossing a restricted area in the woods. In Pechi, Bala Saravanan plays that character, a man who blindly follows customs and conventions, although he does not fully believe in the existence of evil spirits. When Bala’s character, who acts as a forest guide to the crew, tells them that it is unsafe to cross the said area, surprisingly, they decide to head back home with him.
And while they eventually go across to the den of Pechi (Seeniammaal), it happens as a result of a dare from one of them to another to pull off a deed of derring-do. The slick treatment of the film in these initial portions and the clever use of the trope of the forest being a mirage that toys with our and the characters’ perception of reality make it rather enjoyable. It does not last long enough, though.
What bogs the film down ultimately is its decision to use flashback sequences to explain who Pechi is and why she does her acts of cruelty. Honestly, there is only so much a filmmaker can do with a premise as familiar as the one in Pechi. Like the haunted house, the evil in the jungle subgenre of horror is in dire need of a fresh makeover.
Why not make a feature with the look and feel of a horror film about a group of friends venturing into a supposedly haunted forest to debunk superstitions, only to discover a profound connection to nature and themselves and have a spiritual awakening? In other words, the antithesis of a conventional horror film.
The most disappointing aspect of Pechi is not the fact it is derivative, but rather the lack of scares in the film. It tries every trick in the book to throw curveballs at the characters and scare the audience in the process, including hands protruding from trees, apparitions that pop up from nowhere, and more. However, it becomes so predictable and monotonous after a point. As a result, even the earnest performances start to feel gimmicky. The film makes a last-ditch effort to pull out the rug from beneath, but the sudden shift barely makes an impact.
The most disappointing aspect of Pechi is not the fact it is derivative, but rather the lack of scares in the film. It tries every trick in the book to throw curveballs at the characters and scare the audience in the process, including hands protruding from trees, apparitions that pop up from nowhere, and more. However, it becomes so predictable and monotonous after a point. As a result, even the earnest performances start to feel gimmicky. The film makes a last-ditch effort to pull out the rug from beneath, but the sudden shift barely makes an impact.
Great horror cinema has a way of working up a sense of dread that lingers on for hours after you leave the cinema halls. In Pechi, the mere existence of a sequel-bait climax is scarier than the gobbledygook that its characters spout sometimes and what the goggle-eyed old woman does with her oculus toys.
Cast: Bala Saravanan, Gayathrie Shankar, Seeniammaal, Dev, Preethi Nedumaran, Jana, Natturaja
Director: Ramachandran B
Rating : 2/5
