Dies Irae Review: Almost Brings the Fear of Latin Horror Alive

RATING - ⭐ ⭐ ✨ 2.5/5*

Dies Irae Review Movie Talkies:

Malayalam horror thriller Dies Irae has received a rather divided response. Some viewers are hailing it as one of the most gripping horror thrillers in Malayalam cinema, while others are calling it underwhelming. Now that I’ve finally watched it, I unfortunately find myself agreeing with the second group. Yes, it is underwhelming. But before it turns into a mediocre film, there are moments where it genuinely succeeds in evoking that eerie, spine-tingling fear inspired by Latin horror influences. For a few scenes, it really does leave you unsettled. I only wish the film had fully committed to that atmospheric terror and used the strong idea to its fullest potential, because then we would have had something truly recommendable.

Dies Irae Story:

The story revolves around Rohan (Pranav Mohanlal), an architect living a happy and carefree life in Kerala. Everything changes when he learns about the suicide of a young woman named Kani (Sushmita Bhat). For reasons unclear even to him, he picks up her hair clip and brings it home. From that very night, his peaceful existence becomes a nightmare. Strange footsteps are heard, brutal physical attacks occur, and a ghostly presence begins haunting him. The sound of anklets leads him to discover that Kani was a Bharatanatyam dancer. Desperate for help, he reaches out to Madhu (Gibin Gopinath), who explains that Rohan has unknowingly taken Kani’s personal belonging — anchoring her tormented spirit to the mortal world. Together, they begin uncovering her past, digging into secrets she left behind in hopes of finding a way to end her suffering and save Rohan’s life.

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Running for just under two hours, the film takes its time to get going. In fact, the entire first half feels slow and stretched, with only minor teases of horror. The tension finally picks up in the second half, where the narrative becomes more engaging. The pre-climax has the strongest horror sequences — packed with the kind of visuals and chills the film promises early on. However, the final confrontation between good and evil, which should have delivered the most powerful punch, feels surprisingly dull and undercooked. Instead, the revelation about the spirit just before the climax is far more thrilling and fear-inducing. The slow pacing and inconsistent energy definitely hurt the experience. Thankfully, since I watched it on mobile, the fast-forward button proved quite helpful at times.

Dies Irae Cast:

Performance-wise, Pranav Mohanlal delivers a solid act. His panic, fear, and vulnerability look convincingly real, especially in close-up shots where every little nuance shows through. Sushmita Bhat barely appears in a visible form, so it’s hard to comment on her performance, but she certainly plays the haunting presence effectively. Gibin Gopinath feels natural in his supporting role, while Jaya Kurup makes an impact with a strong presence, though some of her action sequences are overly dramatic. The rest of the cast is serviceable.

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Dies Irae Movie Review:

On the technical front, the film is quite strong. The cinematography is good and easily the standout aspect, capturing fear with clever angles and lighting. The background score heightens tension well, though the editing is uneven and the production design could have used more detailing to elevate the horror ambience further. Director Rahul Sadasivan clearly had a fascinating concept capable of delivering real horror rooted in dread and mystery. But his execution falls short of the ambition. Dies Irae comes close to winning the race, only to stumble right before the finish line. It has moments that genuinely scare, but as a whole, the film doesn’t fully work. The potential was immense; the delivery falls just a little short.

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