One of the most engaging moments in 'The Boys' happens in an elaborate well-staged pre-interval sequence where everything goes haywire. We see thermocol balls flying from a beanbag and the fight scenes happen in WWE style, complete with a running commentary. We have to give it to director Santhosh P Jayakumar for showing a trailer cut that hardly hints at the horror elements in the film. Unfortunately, it is not just a standalone horror film, but a straightforward A-certificate film that is laced with enough sexual innuendos and adult humour that leaves a sour aftertaste.
Knowing the director’s body of work including 'Iruttu Araiyil Murattu Kuththu', 'Irandam Kuththu', and 'Hara Hara Mahadevaki', you don’t expect a simple horror comedy but one with adult jokes. If it was a sex-starved ghost that haunts the protagonists of IAMK, the men here are both alcohol and sex-starved, desperately waiting to get out of the pandemic lockdown.
The first half of 'The Boys' plays out in a format reminiscent of Demonte Colony and Romancham, with an addition of five men who drink like fish. These men, played by Santhosh Jayakumar, Siva Sha Ra, Arshad, KPY Vinoth, and, Yuvaraj–are searching for a purpose in life while trying to satiate their unquenchable thirst for alcohol. As their notoriety spreads and gets them evicted, they land in a house that is haunted by dangerous spirits. The first half where they show inventive ways of gulping down alcohol throughout the month, is terribly unfunny.
Sundaram even resorts to begging at a wine shop, calling himself an “educated beggar” who will bless people if they provide him with money. It is only in the second half that the story starts to spice up. To give credit where it is due, some of the scares are hilarious and the inventive use of musical scores at regular intervals stands out. Watch out for a tribute to the Manjummel Boys. Some of the scary moments are also thoughtfully made but the director places uninteresting and done-to-death tropes immediately after that.
For instance, every time the ghost possesses one of the guys, the Bluetooth speaker blares with the ‘Kattipudi Kattipudi da’ song. When one guy gets kicked in his genitals, we hear sounds of glass breaking. If you are someone who likes these jokes, 'The Boys' might be your cup of comedy. Unlike Santhosh’s previous films, 'The Boys' has toned down the sexual innuendos by a notch. But a major portion of problematic comedy does seep in. Rajendran plays the rich NRI chitappa of Sundaram who for some reason, is made to wear a foundation that is glaringly three shades lighter than his original skin tone.
When he spots two men getting inside a bathroom together, he holds up his phone which is multicoloured (not rainbow) and says he supports LGBTQ. A little later, he points to a man who follows him and says, “Ivanum avana?” ridiculing his sexuality. This man wears a ‘nighty’ throughout the runtime. And just when you think that the makers are trying to promote that clothes are gender neutral, that is also made as a subject of insult. Santhosh throws in lines like, “Pathini ku bachelor room la enna vela” that reeks of misogyny.
When the friends run out of words to accuse each other, they drag the women in their family to embarrass them. Witnessing the theatre erupt with laughter at these objectionable jokes was a level above embarrassing.The film relies on the idea that men are wired a certain way and panders to the problematic notion of ‘Boys will be Boys’. Despite the director mentioning that the film would tackle the ill effects of alcoholism, the film never speaks about it except for the final perfunctory monologue.
And just when you thank the makers for keeping the women away from objectification, the credits roll with a special number where the camera gazes seductively over her body. If you are expecting equal amounts of well-written comedy and horror, then the joke is on you.
Director: Santhosh P Jayakumar
Cast: Santhosh P Jayakumar, Siva Sha ra, Redin Kingsley, Rajendran
Rating: 2/5