Kannur Squad OTT Review: Mammootty leads this poignant police procedural with finesse

After a successful atrical run, collecting over ₹100 crore worldwide, Mammootty's Kannur Squ has premiered on OTT. While seasoned Malayalam star, who is standing in a league of his own, can be relied on to shoulder an earnest narrative with finesse, it is storyline and Roby Varghese Raj's keen eye for detailing and instinctive direction that d weight to this somber investigative thriller whose sole purpose is not to indulge in a cat-and-mouse chase but to hit hard with underlying me of how system fails its own.  

Hot Take

Kannur Squ, led by ASI George Martin (Mammootty), is a team of cops who specialise in tracking down culprits. y are on a mission to nab notorious criminals behind cold-blooded murder of a businessman inside his house in Kasargod. We get to witness hardships y face during course of ir journey as y travel through length of India on limited resources.

Initially, story unfolds at a slow pace. However, one of main hooks is established here. Jayan (Rony David Raj) in team of four is accused of bribery. This les to a rift within squ that has stuck by each or's side for years. George presses for his inclusion in team despite allegations, leing to distrust among members over course of narrative.  

Despite a slow start, movie builds up its pace as team travels to parts of country in search of killers. narrative keeps getting tense as deline for nabbing criminals catches on. director makes sure to follow cops through a realistic lens. Mammootty's stardom takes a backseat as storyline and mes of political pressure that cops face and faulty system in place take precedence.

Does Kannur Squ live up to hype?

film works partly on Mammootty's restrained act and mostly on deep dive into investigation and factors surrounding it. It has been me clear since start that resources at hand are limited. Kannur Squ travels from Kerala to Mumbai and to interiors of Uttar Presh in ir car. A scene that sums up crux of story sees George trying to convince his senior to book flight tickets from his squ from Mumbai to Lucknow. However, approval does not come through given y are lo-ranking officials. Red tape and bureaucracy have become biggest enemies for honest officials, while expectations still run high on delivering in a timely manner. Kannur Squ does a good job of bringing this to light in a very fly-on--wall manner.

cinematography by Muhammed Rahil complements vision of director. bleak storyline mingles well with muted colour palette with dimly lit sequences becoming a metaphor for insurmountable obstacles that policemen face. camera captures claustrophobia of small spaces as well as grandeur of scenic landscapes in a meticulous manner. music is grim and suspenseful which works well with tense, high-stakes scenes that play out.

Mammootty has to be credited with leing film by putting up a very measured performance. His presence is felt but in no way does his stardom overpower narrative. Like a chameleon, he hides in backdrop when script requires him to and emerges on top towards climax. While film maintains a somber tone, one action block in pre-climax is a treat for Mammuka's fans. It also reinforces that a man pressured by system is bound to break loose, and when he does, re's no stopping him.

re are genre tropes that Roby Varghese Raj leans into but he also brings more elements to it, making Kannur Squ a cathartic watch despite sliver of bleakness surrounding film throughout.

Stream it or skip it?

Kannur Squ is certainly a standout in police procedurals that eir lean into star power of heroes or are crammed with mass sequences and heavy dialogues. storyline is hero of film and actors are characters well aware of ir purpose. If you missed out on film in atres n don't sit out on it on OTT.

Bottomline

Kannur Squ is layered, intense and thought-provoking throughout. Despite a straightforward storyline, mes it touches on are pressing issues at hand. It is a representation of cops' life as is and steers clear of melodrama and glamour that one would expect from Mammootty's film.    

Rating- 3.5/5 stars