Rating :2.25/5
Jio Cinema surprised everyone with the sudden release date announcement of “Boo,” a Telugu-Tamil bilingual horror film. Starring a talented ensemble cast including Rakul Preet Singh, Vishwaksen, Nivetha Pethuraj, Megha Akash, Manjima Mohan, and Reba Monica John, the movie is now available for streaming. Let’s dive into the story and see how it fares.
The plot revolves around Kiara (Rakul Preet Singh) who plans to celebrate Halloween with her three friends: Kavya, Aruna, and Ritu. She invites them over to her house and introduces them to a rare book called “Halloween Stories.” The book comes with an intriguing instruction that urges readers not to stop until they complete all the chapters. As the friends delve into the book, they find themselves experiencing bizarre occurrences around them. The characters from the ghost stories within the book start trying to communicate with them in the real world. What secrets lie behind this mysterious book? How do the four friends cope with these unusual circumstances? And what unfolds in the end? These questions form the crux of the story.
The film manages to find some semblance of bearability due to its talented ensemble cast. Rakul Preet Singh shines as the lead, delivering a good performance. Vishwaksen portrays a paranormal scientist in a limited but crucial role, leaving a mark. Reba Monica John, who receives a substantial role after Rakul and Vishwaksen, delivers a decent performance. Nivetha, Megha Akash, and Manjima Mohan fare adequately in their respective roles. The first story in the book, titled “Hiccups” and featuring Nivetha, is passable. With a runtime of 90 minutes, the film caters to the audience’s desire for brevity.
However, the director seems to have drawn inspiration from Ram Gopal Varma’s “Darna Marna Hai” and “Darna Zaroori Hai,” resulting in Boo’s basic premise resembling these films. Narrating different horror stories in a short format is not a bad idea, but Boo falters in its execution. At no point does the film manage to create a genuine sense of horror, relying instead on tired tropes that disappoint the audience. Moreover, the horror moments often become unintentionally comical.
The makers attempt to introduce twists towards the end of the film. Unfortunately, given the overall ineffectiveness of the movie, these twists feel forced and lack logic. They also undermine the decent performances by the cast.
From a technical perspective, G.V. Prakash’s music fails to make an impact, with the initial song being particularly unimpressive. The production values are satisfactory, but the cinematography by Sandeep K Vijay could have done more to evoke an eerie and spooky atmosphere. The editing is well executed.
Director Vijay’s handling of Boo is disappointing, despite having a talented cast at his disposal. The film had the potential to be a good horror flick given its promising premise, but poor screenplay and lackluster horror effects hinder its success. The overall execution leaves Boo as a letdown, which explains the lack of promotional efforts for the film.
In conclusion, Boo fails to entertain as a horror film. Rakul, Vishwaksen, and Reba Monica John deliver commendable performances. Although the movie possesses a promising premise and the potential to be an ideal horror flick, weak direction prevents it from reaching those heights. It’s safe to say that you can skip this one.
