Ever since 418 was announced, the film created some curiosity among movie lovers. Prashanth Neel presenting the film and Mythri Movie Makers backing it raised expectations. The film marks the directorial debut of Keerthan Nadagowda, with Mythri Ravi Shankar and Naveen Yerneni producing it. Chaithra Achar and Preethi Pagadala play important roles.
The film was expected to release earlier, but it faced some censor issues and went to the revision committee before finally reaching theatres today. Despite having very little promotion, the names behind the film created some expectations. But did 418 deliver a good horror experience? Let’s see
The Story
The story takes place in a medical college in a remote area of Karnataka called Vedagiri. During the COVID period, the college gets an unusually high number of medical students. Since new buildings cannot be constructed, the management turns an old hospital building into a boys’ hostel. However, room number 418 is sealed because of a ghost.
One day, a student staying in room 417 experiences something strange and gets scared. He decides to leave the college, but his family’s financial problems force him to return. He then approaches the college’s psychiatric doctor to understand what happened to him.
What is really inside room 418? Is there actually a ghost, or is something else behind these strange events? What are Devaki’s (Chaithra Achar) and Sayesha’s (Preethi Pagadala) connections to the story? To know the answers, you have to watch the film.
What Works
The film creates some curiosity in the beginning. The rules around the hostel and the mystery of room 418 make us want to know what is happening there. The backstory is somewhat interesting and gives the film a little more to offer.
Chaithra Achar does a good job in her role and makes her character feel real. Preethi Pagadala has limited screen time, but she makes an impact. The other actors also perform well, especially during the horror scenes.
The biggest strength of the film is its sound design. It tries to create fear through sounds and background effects, and this works in some places. The cinematography and colour palette also give the film a dark atmosphere. The technical team does a decent job of creating the right mood for a horror film.
What Doesn’t
The biggest problem with 418 is that it follows the same old horror formula. A sealed room, strange incidents and a hidden past are things we have already seen in many horror films. There is nothing fresh in the way the story is told.
Even though the film went to the revision committee, it does not offer many scary moments. Apart from three or four jump scares, there is hardly anything that truly scares the audience. The film builds some expectations in the beginning, but the slow narration and limited locations make it feel repetitive.
The interval arrives out of nowhere and does not create the impact we expect. Once Devaki’s character enters the story, the main plot becomes quite predictable. The backstory is somewhat interesting, but the film does not use it well enough to make the overall experience engaging.
The climax also fails to leave a strong impact. The director tries to end the story in an unexpected way, but the result does not work as intended. The film could have been much better with stronger writing, better horror moments and a tighter runtime.
Verdict
418 is a disappointing horror film that depends on an old and familiar formula. The backstory is somewhat interesting, and the sound design, cinematography and performances offer a few positives. However, the lack of proper horror moments, slow narration and an underwhelming climax make it an average experience. There is nothing new here for horror lovers.
Rating: 2.25/5
