Merry Christmas First Review out: Katrina, Vijay get praises

Unlike most films of today's times where narrative and the build up is often hurried and patchy, Merry Christmas is a slow burn. With its gripping and intriguing storyline, it keeps you hooked for most part. Are there some dull moments? Perhaps. Is it boring? Not at all. Merry Christmas is the kind of cinema that makes you sit back, absorb, soak in and analyse it deeply.

Based on Frédéric Dard’s Le Monte-charge, the film doesn't boast of a complex screenplay, instead it's quite smooth and easygoing. The twists and turns roll out as the story unfolds but they're nothing so over-the-top and lacks the wow factor. While in Andhadhun each reveal made you stand up and take notice, Merry Christmas slightly underplays it in that department.

It has its own high points but they're devoid of the thrill element that Raghavan is known to bring to the table. I wasn't shocked or amused. A revelation happened and that's about it. It doesn't register in a manner that you're left awestruck. The climax sequence lasts for some 30 minutes and is nail-biting, but the ending - indeed an experimental one - could have been better, both in terms of writing and storytelling. Nevertheless, it does leave you thinking, interpreting it in your own way and eager to discuss it with a friend later.