Imagine sitting down to watch a supernatural horror film called E—and no, it’s not a typo, nor is it a cryptic commentary on how this movie leaves you emotionally drained and confused. No, it’s just called E. Simple, right? You’d think it’s mysterious or avant-garde, or maybe they just couldn’t come up with a better title than the letter of the alphabet that’s probably most unmemorable. I mean, it’s not even “E for Effort,” because it would seem that effort was in short supply. So, what’s left to be said? Well, it’s an absolute mess wrapped in a supernatural cloak of self-importance and terribly overused horror tropes. Let’s break it down, shall we?
Plot Overview: Boring, Unexplained Supernatural Chaos
The premise of E (other than its bizarre title) is that Karthik, an aspiring filmmaker, decides to make a documentary about Alzheimer’s—because, of course, that’s a totally relatable and cheerful topic for a horror movie. To make things more convoluted, he drags his friends—Aru, Jenny, Hari, and Alex—into an old teacher’s house (a “tharavadu,” or ancestral house in Kerala), presumably because creepy, old houses filled with mysticism and memories are just begging for a documentary. Enter the first creepy house trope. They meet Karthik’s childhood sweetheart, Athira, whose mother, Malathi, is suffering from Alzheimer’s.
This is where the film kicks off the confusion. Malathi, apparently still connected to her younger, vibrant self despite Alzheimer’s, gets possessed by the vengeful spirit of Bhargavan, because why not have an ancient spirit terrorizing the mentally fragile? It’s not explained well, of course, but the movie just throws it at you as if you’re supposed to accept it, like you’re the one with memory loss here. Also, plot twist—Athira (the sweet, innocent girl) has been marked for sacrifice all along because she’s the “third girl” in a centuries-old scheme by Bhargavan to gain immortality.
But wait, the plot doesn’t stop there. Karthik and his pals find a book with symbols, which might as well be called The Book of Half-Assed Exposition, and they realize they must burn the spirit’s bones before Pournami night (because who doesn’t love a random deadline for a supernatural ritual, right?). As if a horror movie wasn’t messy enough, E piles on more confusion with creepy paintings, hypnotic spells, and a ritual that, surprise, surprise, is completely rushed and never really explained in a way that doesn’t make you scream, “What?!”
Supernatural Chaos, but Mostly Boring
Now, as a horror movie, you’d think E would offer some level of tension, suspense, or maybe a jump scare or two. But alas. Instead, it takes you on a journey through the most mundane supernatural plot since The Haunted House™ was invented. The characters go through the motions as if they’re trying to solve a crossword puzzle in a language no one understands. The movie is one long sequence of, “Oh no, the house is haunted, but we don’t care!” with only one or two mildly eerie moments—none of which manage to make you feel anything beyond a rolling eye.
The horror in E mostly involves the characters being passive, aimlessly wandering through dimly lit rooms and trying to have “serious” conversations about ghosts and curses in the most unconvincing way possible. For example, Karthik, the protagonist, is supposed to be invested in this documentary, but the way he reacts to each bizarre event is more like he’s trying to figure out what to eat for dinner. And the other characters—who are supposed to bring some depth—serve as nothing more than a backdrop for things to go wrong. They’re all clichés: the cute childhood sweetheart, the disinterested friend, the token “smart” guy who never actually does anything smart. It’s like a poorly written high school play where no one knows their lines, but they all pretend to understand the plot.
And as for the ghosts? Yawn. Bhargavan is introduced as this “immortal spirit” hell-bent on sacrificing girls for eternal life. If you’ve seen one evil spirit hell-bent on sacrifice, you’ve seen them all. The pacing feels like the movie is stalling for time while we’re led from one lackluster confrontation to another. The horror is tame and scattered, as if the filmmakers ran out of ideas halfway through and thought, “Hey, let’s just throw in some creepy paintings and call it a day.”
Performances: They Could Have Been Left in the Void
The performances are not necessarily bad, but they aren’t good, either. The actors clearly try to inject some life into the script, but it’s like trying to breathe life into a doll that’s been left in the rain. Gautami as Malathi Menon—who, let’s be honest, is the one supposed to carry the whole haunted house vibe—comes off more as “confused” than “possessed.” It’s as if the role was too much for her to handle, and instead of playing a tortured soul, she just looked like someone trying to find the right spot for a nap. Sue Ramirez’s character, Karthik, has no chemistry with the rest of the crew. When he’s not “discovering” the obvious, he’s just… being there. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew, including the supposedly “possessed” Athira, float through the plot like background props.
The Conclusion: An Unsatisfying Climax… and the Unbeatable “E”
The finale, in typical horror movie fashion, brings us to the climax where all loose ends are supposed to tie up, but it’s more like a random mess thrown together for the sake of finishing the film. The ghost’s bones are burned, but by the time the film tries to wrap it up, you’re too busy rolling your eyes at the cliched scare tactics to care. The “twist” at the end is telegraphed from a mile away, and when it arrives, you’ll wonder why you bothered to sit through two hours of what could have been a single scene of someone yelling at a ghost.
In short, E—or whatever it was meant to represent—is a waste of potential. It’s a film that starts with an interesting enough premise and then drowns in its own confusion. With its bland performances, forgettable supernatural elements, and a storyline that doesn’t know whether it’s coming or going, E is more of a “meh” than a “wow.” So, if you’re into horror films that forget to be scary and confuse the living daylights out of you instead—then by all means, have a seat. For the rest of us, we’ll be keeping our distance from any more “E” titles. E for effort, sure, but “E” for execution? Not so much.
