'Darling 2' review: This horror-comedy doesn't give you the jitters

Film: Darling 2
Cast: Kalaiyarasan, Rameez Raja, Maya, Kaali Venkat, Hari, Arjunan
Director: Sathish Chandrasekaran

What it's about

The film takes on the same name as the hit horror film from 2015 starring GV Prakash and Nikki Galrani. But the filmmakers have clearly said that this is not a sequel. The film is a horror-comedy and is directed by a debutant. Interestingly, the movie was earlier titled Jinn but Studio Green, who bought the film's distribution rights, rechristened it Darling 2. The film begins with a girl who is possessed and then moves on to the story of a group of friends, played by Kalaiyarasan, Rameez Raja, Kaali Venkat, Hari and Arjunan. But one of them commits suicide. What happens when this gang of friends goes on a trip to Valparai forms the rest of the story.

What's good

The film has a good cast with talented actors like Kalaiarasan and Kaali Venkat. The premise of the story is good too. In fact, director Siddharth had told the media earlier that the film is based on what happened to him and his friends when they had gone to a beach resort. The comical element in the film is a highlight, not just because of the actors but also because of the dialogues.

What's not

Unfortunately, the execution of the story is where the flaw lies. The script is weak and  the first half of the film moves very slowly. The story, in fact, starts to unfold only a few minutes before the intermission. The horror element is quite weak and those moments don't really give you the jitters. In fact, they become predictable and test your patience. There are two songs in the film, which it could have frankly done without. The director should have spent more time on getting a crisp, tight script.

What to do

This horror-comedy doesn't do real justice to the genre. It could have just gone with the title Jinn.

Rating: **