Demonte Colony 2 review: More twists and turns, but lacks the scares

Cast: Arulnithi, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Antti Jaaskelainen, Arun Pandian, Sarjano Khalid, Muthukumar, Meenakshi Govindarajan

Director: Ajay Gnanamuthu

Music Director: Sam CS

Rating: 3/5

Ajay Gnanamuthu's debut, Demonte Colony, released in 2015, raised the bar for horror films in Tamil cinema with its unique concept and engaging screenplay. Made on a small budget, the film not only succeeded at the box office but several horror films followed suit. Returning with a sequel after nine years, the stakes are even higher. With a larger ensemble cast and grander visuals, does the film break free from the curse of sequels in Tamil cinema?

The sequel seamlessly connects to the original plotline. Debbie (Priya BhavaniShankar) attempts to contact the spirit of her deceased husband, Sam (Sarjano Khalid), on the same night as the events of the first instalment. During her attempt, she inadvertently contacts Srinivasan (Arulnithi), who had just died. This contact saves his life but leaves him in a coma for years. Later, Debbie unravels that every six-year cycle, the Demonte demon sacrifices people and enslaves their spirits. Whether Debbie can break this cycle and help Srinivasan to wake up from his coma, forms the rest of the premise.

Initially, the story takes time to introduce new characters and their emotions. Debbie grapples with the trauma of her husband's death, while Srinivasan's brother, Raghunandhan (also played by Arulnithi), is introduced, seeking a major share of their father's property. The drama keeps floating in thin air until the arrival of the inciting point. Thereon, Ajay diligently serves a watertight screenplay with constant turns of events. The interval ends at a crux point that will excite the fans of part one.

The second half, unfortunately, falls into the familiar trap of predictability, often seen in Tamil sequels. Ajay over-compiles the celebrated elements from the previous part without offering anything fresh. Even the few jump scares fail to deliver genuine fear, and logic goes for a toss at many places. It eventually becomes dramatic and clichéd towards the climax, with an unintriguing lead to the next part.

Priya BhavaniShankar gets a major chunk of screen time and delivers a strong performance. Arulnithi, playing a dual role, puts in a decent performance with subtle variations between the characters. Sarjano Khalid, Arun Pandian, Muthukumar, Meenakshi Govindarajan, and Archana, despite having limited roles, support the film equally.

Demonte Colony 2 is a winner in terms of technicality. Cinematographer Harish Kannan effectively uses handheld movements to heighten tension from the very first scene, and the color palette adds depth to the overall aesthetic. Kumaresh D could have trimmed some repetitive portions to avoid spoon-feeding the audience. Sam CS is the second hero of the film. Though loud in some places, his background score elevates the most crucial moments.

Demonte Colony 2 retains the essence of twists and turns from its predecessor but fails to deliver the nerve-wracking moments . Though it could have been much better, Ajay Gnanamuthu still manages to cross the shore with his sequel, marginally.