Afsal Hussain (afsalthodupuzha) Sometimes keeping very low expectations can result in a satisfactory experience.This was the case with Nadippin Nayagan's latest outing 'Mass' that somehow managed to provide 150 minutes of decent entertainment in contrary to numerous negative comments from Keralites,in particular.After a mediocre diet 'Biriyani',Venkat Prabhu has tried his luck in presenting a light-hearted fantasy thriller without much importance as far as the storyline is concerned.The done-to-death storyline being similar to numerous films in the past such as Hum Tum Aur Ghost,Ayushkalam & The Frighteners to name a few,the saving grace here was the skill that Venkat showed in handling the weak screenplay and making it a decent commercial entertainer that can cater to both the fans of the actor as well as the normal audience including families.The first 30-40 minutes of the movie was dull with the storyline stuck at the starting point itself.After then,the movie gained some momentum and offered a good number of sequences to laugh and enjoy with the combination sequences involving Premji Amaren and Suriya being the major highlight.The sentimental sequences featuring the ghosts and the 'Piravi' song were heart-touching and presented very well.The visuals effects were really pathetic and could have been dealt better considering the budget of the film and the industry standards of today.Poor logic harms a smooth experience many a times which could have been easily avoided by due care while scripting.The idea to use instances reminding various hit films in the recent past came out really well on screen.The Engeyum Epothum sequence,Mankatha dialogs,Varanam Aayiram sequence,Kathi Bgm etc were all well-received and packed impressively by Venkat.Coming to the performances,Suriya did a commendable job portraying the character invested on him really well.Premji Amaren was impressive and as usual excelled with his comic timing and one-liners.Nayan Thara was side-lined without much to perform.Amomng others Parthipan,Riyas Khan,Sriman,Pranitha etc were good.Music and Background score by Yuvan Shankar Raja was good with "Naan Aval Illai" and "Piravi" being the picks from the album.The title song was energetic and picturised well with Suriya's energetic dance steps."Poochandi" song could have been avoided for gaining more pace.Cinematogrpahy by Rajasekhar and Editing by Praveen K.L were okayish.Overall,Masss is a one-time watch with a clichéd storyline that's been seen many a times before.Verdict::Venkat Prabhu's latest presentation "Masss" is a strictly average fantasy thriller that may turn a satisfactory watch if you go with less expectations.Execting much more from Venkat on his next Game/Diet/Sixer!!! Ma Rating::6/10 _Afsal

Jasrick Johal With the summer at its peak, we have Suriya and Venkat Prabhu coming out with their Masss (Massu Engira Maasilamani) in an attempt to cool it down for the masses a bit, with a breezy entertainer. When we have a star like Suriya on board, directors may sometimes go overboard in trying to play to the actor's strengths, diluting their core competencies in the process. But VP has stood his ground and his satirical touches, cheeky & funny elements are all over Masss. Of course there are a few twists in the tale as it plays along and the supernatural element to add more spice. So, to address the genre of the film, it isn't the typical horror comedy along the lines of Yaamirukka Bayamey or Kanchana 2, but a spirits-driven commercial cocktail with some purpose, motive and solid emotions too.Suriya carries the movie on his strong shoulders and the kind of energy and youthful charm that he exudes is incredible. He plays a street smart con-man and even after the entry of the supernatural elements, a consistency is maintained in his character graph and the director deserves a pat on his back. Masss is definitely an addition to his list of engaging films as he performs, emotes, dances, fights and romances with the ease of the pro, that he is. Venkat Prabhu seems to have gelled well with Suriya, and it shows on screen. To experience more on what Suriya has done in the film, just head to a theater nearby. We aren't writing anything more about his role! Since the film has some fantasy and paranormal elements, we have to suspend disbelief and just soak it in. There are a plethora of other actors such as Riyaz Khan, Parthiban, Samuthirakani, Sreeman, Karunaas, Sanjay Bharathi etc, and VP has given each of them well-defined little parts. Premgi is seen in a completely different dimension, but of course with his trademark quirks, lines and 'dry comedy'. Nayanthara and Pranitha look graceful and get a few key, pivotal scenes in the overall picture.Yuvan Shankar Raja is another heavyweight in the film along with Suriya, and his background score does all that is required - elevate, emotionally move and resonate. The Masss theme is used at the apt moments to aid the screen presence of the lead man. Among the songs, Poochandi is an enjoyable little sequence despite being dark and grungy. It is a tribute to Michael Jackson and Suriya's dance moves are exemplary. Piravi comes at a beautiful moment and quite a lot happens during its course. The film's EQ (emotional quotient) is at a peak during Piravi and it is easily the best song. The good thing is, both these songs aren't just 'song sequences' but are integrated with interesting scenes.The film's run time is a fairly crisp 2 hours 30 minutes and it is a packed affair with just a few blips along the way. Editor Praveen knows how VP's films work and being his 50th film, the experienced professional has definitely been watchful. Kudos to DoP R.D.Rajasekhar too for his 25th film, and he must have been required to keep the VFX part too, in mind, while canning many scenes. The VFX and CG works are a major factor in the film, and all the technicians who have worked on this aspect must be lauded. Given all the deadlines that the team must have faced, the overall VFX work definitely isn't tacky.Watch out for the end-credits bloopers like always, and leave the hall with a smile as Masss ought to be a satisfying experience. It has the expected Venkat Prabhu elements, the crowd-pleasing supernatural factors treated in a slightly different way and of course Suriya in all his glory.

Pruthvi Eshwar This Venkat Prabhu's sixer is a complete one man show both behind as well as on the canvas.While on screen, it's Suriyas' all the way where as the captain, Mr.Prabhu, carried it on his shoulders being behind the camera. Screenplay is very good with a lot of twists all through but was not very gripping in the first half, giving way to unnecessary comic and song sequences. But still, one doesn't get bored of anything as the director incorporated a lot of references in very clever manner with which one is kept busy thinking about it, the best one being in the second half. Production values are really good, the cinematography is just enough to say so. Editing was just okay, could have been better. All the supporting cast did their part. Nayanathara had a very small role though. The film has ample of comedy, frightening situations, action scenes, awesome BGM, setiment and supernatural spirits. It's a complete entertainer which one can watch with their family. That sums it up, this 'Masss' is Suriya & Prabhu's F**king game!

Akshat Sheth Every time Venkat Prabhu's movie hits the theatres the expectation is to see variety with a bash of youthful energy, and the ace director this time has adopted the most successful genre in the recent times- horror comedy. Both stars Venkat Prabhu and Suriya have been aching to get back to the business after Anjaan bombed at BO and Massu seems to have laid the road, let's dig in and see what's spooky about it.Plot:Horror Comedy is quite an interesting concept and now it's not far away from being deemed as "Done and dusted", well here is VP with a new trick up his sleeve. Considering the genre of the movie, the lesser you know its better. The movie kicks off with Suriya and Premji two bonded-for- life amigos, who thrive on petty robberies. A song, action and a pot boiling chase stops at an accident after which Suriya is bestowed with a super natural power of seeing dead people. Why, what and how he deals with the power is to watch and relish.Suriya and Premji set the pace of movie with light hearted comedy amidst spooky super natural elements in a rather interesting way. A horror movie is never complete without a flashback and a strong backstory. In 'Massu' you do see them after a series of VP's usual topsy turvy twists. When we say Horror, there is a big expectation of a scary road down the lane with some thrills and fear, Masss is more of a "Dealing with spirit's and their emotions" kind of movie and would be a long shot to put it in Horror genre. The first half is about how Suriya blends with his character of Massilamani the Masss, accepts his fear factor and channelize it to make it a living out of it. Once the core plot starts unveiling, the later part of second half does become very predictable and the screenplay chugs along with just the entertainment quotient to make it a fair play.The "other" Suriya is a surprise element and VP touches the character with a Sri Lankan Tamil flavor and kudos to Suriya for pulling it rather brilliantly with the help of Rajasekar's perfect cinematography, not to forget the CGI effects through the movie giving life to the spirits. Nayanthara and Praneetha are the two leading ladies in 'Massu' and they have little to offer to the script and merely play love bugs.VP's movies are always rich in casting, an ensemble cast of biggies, and a few cameos are his signature style. In Masss while Arvind, Jai, Vijay Vasanth appear in a cameo, two other important stars Parthiban and Samuthrakani add their star value. Both of them have meaty roles as a policeman and a politician, good or bad? Well watch and find out.Things that stand out:Suriya's characterization as Masss the hero and as a Srilankan Tamilian is commendable, as with all of VP's movies, he brings out the best out of his heroes. Suriya's dialogue delivery and screen presence catapults the movie forward. To quote a scene, the one in which Suriya feels for his friend Premji in front of Nayanthara is hilarious. VP has been stereotyped as the director who loves party hard movies, a bit of adult humor and all that but in Masss he has steered clear of those elements and has given a wholesome family entertainer with an interesting storyline for the summer. As much as we ridicule Premji's antics we cannot but admire him here for his timely tickles and his funny body language, which make a definite impact in Masss. Yuvan's music is certainly not the best, but the Poochandi and the BGM in the revenge sequences are a definite treat. The Poochandi song starts off in MJ's thriller style and then moves in good spirit, you really have to applaud VP for placing the song at the perfect juncture of the movie. A Special mention to stunt master Silva in the first half, for the car chase and fights made up for the action ingredients required for the commercial flick.Things that could have been better:The film is spanned around 155 minutes, but it's those predictable scenes that make the sequences look even longer than reality. The Editing work in the first half is crisp especially with the one liners and comedy scenes not dragging, but loses steam in the second opening doors for improvement. VP's known for his signature style delivery of his intended storyline, Masss however is little less on the funny quotient and rather relies and thrives heavily on Suriya's super strength and mass factor. As with most of VP's movies the heroines don't have much of a part and a mature actress like Nayanthara could have been used better.Verdict : In all, the movie is a good watch for this late summer to quench your thirst with laughs and occasional surprises.