'Stephen' Review: This Serial Killer Thriller is Saved by a Mind-Bending Climax
Just when it seemed that serial killer movies had nothing new to offer, Tamil flick Stephen comes along on Netflix to show us how a clever screenplay can still work wonders!
Mithun's directorial debut in the psychological thriller genre with the lead actor Gomathi Shankar might seem like a clichéd chase at first, but it has a creative twist at the end which changes the whole game.
The story is about Stephen Jebaraj (Gomathi Shankar) who appears to be a normal guy but after he is accused of murdering nine women he voluntarily hands himself over to the police.
At first, Stephen looks like a regular psychopath in a thriller type of story - a man suffering from traumatic memories of his past involving abuse and "mommy and daddy issues."
The script wastes no time to bring forward his dark past which makes the first half somewhat predictable and, to some extent, feels like a production of less quality.
Nevertheless, the twist really starts when the police and the other characters, including cop Michael Thangadurai and criminal psychologist Seema (Smruthi Venkat), getting involved in the case, dig deep into the matter.
They cannot believe that Stephen is fabricating his story and in reality, he has a far more sinister and intricate mind than it is shown in his statement. In fact, the film becomes a hard task as it requires the audience to endure through the slow-paced middle part.
However, you should wait because the reward is huge.
It is in the last act where Stephen illustrates its genius. The very moment the main mystery character turns out to be someone else, the movie does an impressive meta-subversion which shakes up the serial killer pattern structure.
This final scene is so smart that it makes people to reconsider their own understanding - you have to verify again what you see just like the characters do.
The film could have been more lively in parts and technically it is not up to the mark always (for instance, the music and camera work), but on the bright side the actors' (Gomathi Shankar and Vijayashree as Stephen's mother) excellent performances keep the emotional aspect intact.
In the end, it is the clever conclusion in Stephen that gives it the most strength and turns it into a surprisingly genre-redefining psycho-thriller.
The stunning climax makes the trip to bear if you allow yourself to be patient through the buildup.
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