Eko

Eko is a breathtaking achievement in Malayalam cinema, pushing the boundaries of how we tell intimate stories. The direction is incredibly confident, and the lead performances are so raw and authentic that you forget you are watching a movie. From the sound design to the color palette, every technical choice feels purposeful. My only minor critique-and the reason it isn't a perfect 10-is a single subplot in the middle of the film that felt slightly rushed compared to the deliberate pacing of the rest of the story. Beyond that, it is a stunning piece of art that deserves every bit of praise it gets.

Enjoyed the movie from start all the way to finish. Every moment felt like a treat to my eyes. Sandeep has done a very amazing job in this and the story was very well written, I can feel that what they have written they have done a wonderful job in executing it perfectly.

Cant help but talk about the ending. Left me in wow completely.

A MUST WATCH.

Eko offers a truly international movie experience, making the audience feel as though they are inside its ecosystem rather than watching it from outside. The immersive storytelling is one of the film's strongest achievements.

The cinematography is brilliant, with every frame thoughtfully composed to enhance the atmosphere. The background score perfectly complements the visuals, elevating the tension and emotional depth without overpowering the narrative. Together, the visuals and BGM create a haunting yet beautiful cinematic flow.

The performances are gripping and natural, adding authenticity to the film's unique world. What stands out most is how fresh the storytelling feels-Eko avoids clichés and dares to take a different path, which is rare and refreshing.

Overall, this film is not just something you watch-it's something you experience. Eko is bold, immersive, and memorable, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits roll.

Rating - 4.75/5

A mystery drama thriller with a finest screenplay exploring betrayal, trust, loyalty, torture, greed, resilience, revenge and survival across time.

The crux of the story revolves around the life of an absconding maverick and the mystery surrounding his deeds and the isolated hilly Kattukunnu.

Bahul Ramesh... You deserve a bow. What is running over your head and where you cook such incredible story plots. Exceptional story by Bahul brilliantly executed by Dinjith Ayyathan. This movie has effortlessly exceeded the writing benchmark set by Kishkindha Kaandam & KCF 2. The visual terrain used for storytelling closely binding the pristine nature and inhuman creatures elevated the movie experience. The layers ,the performance metre and the finetuned dialogues given to the characters evidently shows the preparation and time devoted in bringing this gem of a movie. Hats off to the filmmakers for exceptionally using the untouched terrain and wheather conditions precisely in keeping the eerie atmosphere and tension to highlight the wild and selfish side of man through the final chapter of the animal trilogy. All praise to Bahul Ramesh who surprises the audience with sensational contents that keep you reflect and think each time you revisit his creations.

Incredible performance by Sandeep who behaved so effortlessly in the character. Poignant performances by Biana Momin & Vineeth carrying their characters over time with razor sharp potrayal. Saurabh Sachdeva has just given a kickass performance in his debut Malayalam movie as the mystery man. Sim Zhi Fei, Hung Shen, Ashokan, Narain, Saheer Mohammed, Binu Pappu & Renjith Sekhar gave impressive performances of their roles. A loud applause to the Dog handlers for their impressive performances throughout the movie.

Hats off to Mujeeb Majeed and Vishnu Govind for their immense contribution in elevating the movie experience with the grooving and tension building background scores and exceptional sound design. Kudos to Bahul again for driving the audience emotions through the ecstatic visuals he has created across terrain and time as demanded in the story. Hats off to the art department for their contributions and colorist Srik Varier for evidently showing the colour palette variations across time and terrain. Big hugs to Sooraj E S for finetuning the movie into a hell of a ride emotionally burning suspense thriller. Finally a big thanks to Aaradyaa Studios for backing this unique subject.

Just go by the name of one man...Bahul Ramesh delivering a one of a kind movie that must definitely be experienced in large 4K Dolby Laser Atmos screens promising a paisa vasool deal.

Eko, creatively referred to as part III of writer-DoP Bahul Ramesh's Animal trilogy, is yet another slow-burn mystery that's greatly enlivened by its forested setting, dense character detailing, classy performances, a fantastic score, and most importantly, solid direction (by Dinjith Ayyathan). Now, I'm generally not one to rate a film highly just because of its final twist, but in Eko, it really makes you want to look at all prior proceedings in a completely new light. In the first half, I wondered why a particular flashback sequence got so much time and detail.. only for it to be answered by that brilliant closing sequence.

The setting is unique, allowing the "visual writer" in Bahul to gleefully capture some of the finest green and sun-soaked frames to tell his story, with Dinjith Ayyathan's direction keeping the much-needed subtlety intact when it comes to revelations. If you have watched Kishkindha Kaandam or Kerala Crime Files S2, you'd already be aware that almost every character has multiple shades. This is not the typical hero-villain story, and as the audience, we'll have fun trying to decipher who's who.

After a runaway success like Kishkindha Kaandam, it would've been fairly easy for the Dinjith-Bahul duo to mount a film on a large canvas with a story suited for a big star like Mohanlal or Mammootty, but it's amazing to see how they stuck to their vision without compromises. The cast, especially Sandeep (as Pious), Biana Momin (as Soyi / Mlaathi Chedathi), Sim Zhi Fei (as younger Soyi), and Vineeth, were superb. Narain, Ashokan, and Binu Pappu lend good support.

Saurabh Sachdeva plays Kuriachan, who is shown in the flesh to us in bits and pieces, but his demeanour is explained in greater detail through exposition, pictures, etc. It's an inspired choice among many, and even with the imperfect lip sync for the non-Malayali actors, the screenplay and direction make it work. And the dogs.. their presence makes all the difference to this mysterious terrain. The writer uses them to great effect as an element to enhance the storytelling with deeper meaning as well as subtle allegories.

The film demands the big screen experience for its audiovisual richness. Mujeeb Majeed's score for Eko is a fascinating follow-up to Kishkindha Kaandam but with less sentimental undertones. It's only during the climax that I felt the score was "trying to" prep us for an unexpected twist, and even if that's the case, I'm not complaining. This is yet another winner for Malayalam cinema in 2025, and I hope this trio (Bahul-Dinjith-Mujeeb) keep collaborating for many more projects.