‘Bouma’ movie review: Despite familiar settings, an engaging gothic horror until the final fumble

Rejin S. Babu, the writer and director of Bouma, probably believes in the adage that the journey is more important than the destination. Predictably, the destination in this gothic horror is an old haunted bungalow, where the film ends with a rather underwhelming, open-ended climax.

The mysterious happenings within the bungalow give one a ‘been there, done that’ feeling, for the setting is familiar from numerous films. However, the happenings outside, where the film spends much of its runtime, evoke much curiosity.

The movie maintains this until the last act. The choice to not confine the characters mostly within the bungalow did pay off in a way. Bouma begins unhurriedly from the point of view of Celine (Revathy Sarma), a singer at a resto-bar, and her live-in partner Jacob (Sagar Surya), a food delivery worker.

The struggling couple lands the jackpot when she realises she has been bequeathed ancestral property of immense value. Parallel to the couple’s story run two separate police procedurals. The way the writer and editor structure these disparate timelines propels the film, especially since past events influence the present.

Since the film doesn’t linger on any scene longer than required, it coasts along at a comfortable, even pace. Even when familiar plot points kill the excitement, some genuinely surprising moments and reveals keep the film ticking.

Some ideas are also exciting, like the secretive support group of people suffering from sleeplessness, who meet at unearthly hours. For a film of this nature, jump scares are absent, as are excessively violent visuals, although some extreme violent acts are implied.

However, the occult part of the plot remains interesting only when the mystery gets unravelled. The strange behaviour of the family members and the growing unease of the outsiders build the tension. However, the visualisation of some occult practices somewhat diminishes the eerie effect present until that point.

One memorable bit from that part is a haunting piano tune, which reappears in a highly effective scene later in the narrative. It works best when things are left to our imagination. Dileesh Pothan and Vineeth’s performances stand out among the ensemble cast.

While we have already seen many variations of Pothan’s police officer avatars, he still brings freshness to the role. Vineeth’s voice alone can do wonders, and he uses it to the hilt in several scenes. Despite its familiar settings, Bouma is a somewhat satisfying experience, if one can ignore the weak third act.