The Telugu adaptation of Pizza 3: The Mummy, the third installment in the Pizza franchise, hit the theaters today. Under the direction of Mohan Govind, the film features Ashwin Kakumanu and Pavithrah Marimuthu in lead roles. Let’s dive into the movie and see what it has to offer.
Plot Overview:
Nalan (Ashwin Kakumanu) owns a restaurant and is smitten with Kayal (Pavithrah Marimuthu), an app developer attempting to create an app that communicates with spirits. However, Kayal’s brother, Prem (Gaurav Narayanan), a police officer, disapproves of Nalan. Strange occurrences unfold in the restaurant, with a mysterious sweet appearing daily, leading the staff to believe Nalan is the creator. As Nalan discovers an evil spirit in the kitchen, the story unfolds, revealing the spirit’s motives.
Highlights:
The first half of the film is engaging, featuring well-crafted thrilling scenes and genuine jump scares. Despite a slow start, the pace picks up with intriguing elements. The portrayal of paranormal activities adds excitement, and the depiction of murders in the first hour is compelling. The background score significantly enhances the impact of key sequences. Ashwin Kakumanu delivers a commendable performance, showcasing a range of emotions. Pavithrah Marimuthu impresses in her limited screen time, while Gaurav as a cop and supporting actors Kaali Venkat and Abhi Nakshatra deliver adequate performances. Notably, the film refrains from unnecessary love songs.
Drawbacks:
While the first hour maintains interest, the second hour struggles to captivate the audience. The film becomes less thrilling with the reveal of the evil spirit’s backstory. Following a common horror film trope, a family is killed, and their spirits seek revenge, making the plot predictable. The flashback scenes are overly extended, diminishing the potential of what could have been a decent horror flick. The routine second half and underwhelming climax contribute to the film’s downfall.
Technical Aspects:
Technically, the film stands out with Arun Raj’s impactful background score complemented by Prabhu Raghav’s cool cinematography. The production values are commendable, though the editing, particularly in the second half, could have been more polished.
In terms of direction, Mohan Govind does a satisfactory job with Pizza 3. While the film initially succeeds in infusing thrills into a template-based story, it ultimately becomes another run-of-the-mill revenge drama.
Verdict:
In conclusion, Pizza 3: The Mummy offers a standard revenge drama with a few thrilling moments. The first half provides engaging scenes, but the predictable second half, laden with routine flashback portions, diminishes the initial excitement. Strong performances by Ashwin Kakumanu, Pavithrah Marimuthu, and the supporting cast, along with a compelling background score, cannot salvage the film from its lack of novelty.