Dies Irae movie review: Rahul Sadasivan and Pranav Mohanlal deliver a visual spectacle that pushes Indian horror cinema to new heights. 4 stars review

Following his return from Kani’s place, his life changes as weird things begin happening around him, particularly at his mansion. Eerie at first, with the feeling of someone nearby when he is actually alone, it soon escalates to chilling as he begins hearing the clink of what sounds like Kani’s ghungroos and the hair clip he had taken. Worse still, the mysterious force begins attacking him as well, leaving Rohan fear-stricken. Helpless, he approaches Madhu, seeking assistance to get her family to ensure the emancipation of Kani’s soul. Madhu, however, mentions that any person who died with a heart full of hate for someone/something or with unfulfilled desires never truly leaves the earthly realm. Yet, he assures help. But can they win over whatever is haunting Rohan?

One of the major factors that makes Dies Irae a magnificent horror thriller is that Rahul hasn’t tried to “scare the audience” all the time. Yes, there are a few jump scares and startling moments, but they only help amplify what the director has already set. Instead of shocking viewers, Rahul has made the movie slither under their skin step by step, each move sending a shiver down their spine. Rather than petrifying, he has focused on making the audience writhe, ensuring that the sensation lingers. Much like his Bhoothakaalam (2022), here too, the ghost doesn’t appear all the time; nor has Rahul opted for any similar convenient artistic choices. Even though he has reintroduced the “sound of anklets,” which was a staple in most old Malayalam horror films, it’s not random and pointless in Dies Irae, unlike in its predecessors. Here, it’s of utmost importance, which becomes fully evident only by the end. Instead of opting for convenience under the guise of fantasy, the director has attempted to organically build Dies Irae’s world with only those elements that justify their presence. In a way, it can be said that Rahul Sadasivan seems to be on a mission to elevate both the quality of horror cinema in India and the expectations of its audience.

For instance, there’s no exorcism, nor does a psychiatrist/priest enter at a random point, showcasing full potential to get to the bottom of all this. Although Madhu, hailing from a family of seers, comes to Rohan’s aid, he isn’t the ideal “saviour” of any sort. Despite having some premonition skills, fear is very real for him as well, and he even runs for his life when he is pursued by whatever is haunting Rohan. Dies Irae is, instead, the story of a commoner’s attempt to emancipate himself from a force that’s haunting him, with the help of a man possessing some unexplainable powers. In another sense, it can be seen as the origin story of Madhu and his discovery of the skills and powers he had long neglected. It’s akin to director Matt Reeves’ The Batman (2022); but here, Madhu is the one discovering his strengths and purpose.

Watch Dies Irae trailer here:

The tone the director has attempted and the sensation that he wishes to create in the audience become all the more evident in Christo Xavier’s phenomenal background score. The music jumps out of nowhere only a few times in the film; elsewhere, it glides into the visuals, beginning softly and gradually reaching extraordinary heights. The compositions are nothing short of wondrous, and I definitely don’t have an answer to whether Rahul’s filmmaking or Christo’s music is the best here. I don’t want to find out either, because the magnificent way the two have blended their creative contributions is what has made Dies Irae what it is.

(Spoilers ahead) While offering a hat-tip to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960), widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films of all time, Rahul Sadasivan also adds his spin to the classic tale with an effective use of subversion and role reversal, while anchoring it in emotional grounds, ensuring it resonates with the Indian audience. Even the subtle references to the actual Dies Irae and the Last Judgment towards the end of the movie are so well integrated into the narrative and brilliantly shot that it’s almost impossible not to appreciate Rahul for his skill as both a literal and visual storyteller.

Although the film presents extremely gruesome visuals at times, Rahul never cuts to them frequently and selects his moments wisely, using such shots only when absolutely necessary, evoking the right emotions in the audience at the right time, rather than grossing them out unnecessarily.

Amid all the positives, one area where the writer-director has stumbled is in providing freshness in the initial acts of the film. In both Bhoothakalam and Bramayugam (2024), the narratives progressed quite organically, without many forced plot elements. However, in Dies Irae, this isn’t entirely the case, as there are instances that clearly seem to be forcibly inserted to push the story forward due to the lack of ample elements for organic narrative progression.

Although the film presents extremely gruesome visuals at times, Rahul Sadasivan never cuts to them frequently and selects his moments wisely. (Credit: Facebook/@allnightshifts)

At the same time, it’s doubtful whether the movie truly induces fear — beyond creating the earlier mentioned creeping sensation — at the moments it genuinely tries to. Were it not for the extraordinary technical quality, it’s doubtful whether Dies Irae would have been considered a “good scary movie.” Considering that Rahul has not attempted to justify the horror elements in Dies Irae by linking them to psychology, a bit more work on the scares was indeed necessary.

Pranav Mohanlal has given his career-best performance here, shining magnificently in the physically demanding scenes. Just like what director Abhinav Sunder Nayak did with Vineeth Sreenivasan in Mukundan Unni Associates (2022) and Dominic Arun did with Kalyani Priyadarshan in Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra, Rahul Sadasivan has cleverly played to Pranav’s strengths, ensuring he is made to do only what comes naturally to him, thus giving the impression that he’s an extraordinary actor. The trick has worked big time here, as Pranav delivers a stunning portrayal, nearly compensating for all his shoddy performances thus far. While Jibin Gopinath is brilliant as Madhu, Jaya Kurup as Elsamma, the maid at Kani’s house, knocks it out of the park towards the end, displaying both restraint and impact in some extremely demanding moments, mirroring Bindu Panicker’s stellar performance and character in Rorschach (2022).

Jothish Shankar once again proves that he is a legend in production design, as no frame in the movie appears incomplete or lacking. Although achieving perfection is too difficult, Jothish, however, proves that it isn’t impossible. Shehnad Jalal’s sublime cinematography and Shafique Mohamed Ali’s razor-edged editing only amplify the visual richness further, offering an unparalleled experience. Jayadevan Chakkadath’s sound design and Ronex Xavier’s makeup also deserve high praise for their extraordinary work.

Dies Irae movie cast: Pranav Mohanlal, Jibin Gopinath, Jaya Kurup, Sushmitha Bhat
Dies Irae movie director: Rahul Sadasivan
Dies Irae movie rating: 4 stars

From the homepage

‘Regime change’ conspiracy behind 2020 riots, Delhi Police tell SC; oppose bail to accused

RJD’s challenge in Siwan: Shahabuddin is dead. Long live Shahabuddin

‘I had money, I paid. What will poor do?’: Retired BPCL CFO’s post on bribery ordeal after daughter’s death goes viral; 2 Bengaluru cops suspended