Anomie – Movie Review - Chennai Time Pass

What the Film Tries to Be

Directed by Riyas Marath, Anomie attempts to blend a serial killer investigation with a high-concept sci-fi idea. Malayalam cinema rarely ventures into such territory, so the film sets out to be a genre experiment that mixes forensic investigation, psychological themes, and philosophical questions about death and conscience.

On paper, the concept promises a gripping thriller with intellectual depth. However, while the film aspires to be ambitious, the execution struggles to match the scale of its ideas.

Narrative Structure – Where It Falters

The story revolves around Zara Philip (Bhavana), a forensic expert searching for her missing brother Ziyan, who is recovering from trauma after their parents’ death. During the search, Zara discovers that several individuals with conditions similar to her brother’s have gone missing and later been murdered.

The investigation gradually introduces Officer Ghibran (Rahman), whose careless handling of the case leads to friction between him and Zara.

The film’s structure initially functions as a race-against-time serial killer thriller, but the narrative takes a drastic turn in the second half when the sci-fi concept behind the killings is revealed. Unfortunately, the path to this reveal is filled with predictable tropes, filler chases, and action sequences that add little to the story.

Instead of building tension, the screenplay begins to feel disjointed and overstretched, especially in its 2-hour-plus runtime.

Character Utilisation

The film begins strongly with Bhavana’s Zara, but gradually sidelines her character as the narrative progresses.

Zara Philip (Bhavana) – A determined forensic expert and protective sister. Bhavana performs the role convincingly, though the character itself is not particularly demanding.
Officer Ghibran (Rahman) – Written as a troubled cop haunted by past failures. While the role has emotional potential, Rahman struggles to convey the character’s trauma convincingly.
Ziyan (Shebin Benson) – The missing brother whose condition becomes central to the mystery.

By the second half, the film unexpectedly shifts focus toward the police officer, weakening the emotional thread that initially drove the narrative.

Visual & Technical Merits

One of the film’s stronger aspects lies in its technical execution.

Cinematography by Sujith Sarang uses moody colour grading to maintain a dark thriller atmosphere.
Harshavardhan Rameshwar’s background score occasionally elevates scenes beyond what the script achieves.
The production design and dreamlike sequences exploring philosophical ideas about death are visually interesting.

However, many of these elements feel heavily inspired by Hollywood sci-fi thrillers, making the film appear derivative rather than innovative.

Theme vs Execution

The central philosophical idea behind the villain’s actions—questioning morality, conscience, and the meaning of death—is arguably the film’s most intriguing element.

But instead of deeply exploring this concept, the film spends most of its runtime following a generic serial killer investigation. By the time the sci-fi idea finally emerges, the narrative momentum has already weakened.

This disconnect between ambition and storytelling ultimately undermines the film’s impact.

Plus Points

A high-concept premise rarely attempted in Malayalam cinema
Stylish cinematography and atmospheric visuals
Decent performance from Bhavana
Some effective background score moments

Minus Points

Generic and derivative serial killer narrative
Disjointed second half with unnecessary action sequences
Weak character development for the police officer
Overlong runtime and pacing issues
High-concept idea introduced too late

Final Verdict

Anomie attempts to deliver an ambitious thriller that blends science fiction with crime investigation. While the film contains flashes of interesting ideas and technical flair, the screenplay relies heavily on familiar tropes and struggles to maintain narrative coherence.

Despite its intriguing climax concept, the film feels like an undercooked thriller that never fully realises its potential.