We have seen quite often in Hollywood films that a world of Shamans exists, but we have never actually seen it that much in Indian films or shows. The maximum we have been exposed to is a tantrik, which too has been either used as a villain or, at times, as comic relief. But the The Last Hour tries to use the same to create a genuinely good concept for a suspense drama.
There are a few things which are really good in the show. The first among them is the stellar locales. We keep going abroad to shoot, but there are such beautiful and gorgeous locations present in the northeast part of India, which are hardly utilised. The Last Hour taps into these, and comes out with flying colours. The second good aspect of the show is the brilliant cinematography by Jayesh Nair. Every frame makes you feel like you’re actually present there and indeed running with the cops to solve the case. Lastly, the decision to cast predominantly North-East actors is another masterstroke.
The Last Hour hires local talent, who actually look the part. Sanjay Kapoor is ok, as in he’s not something outstanding and is neither bad. Sahana Goswami, Raima Sen, Robin Tamang, Mandakini Goswami are barely there in scenes. Karma Takapa and Shaylee Krishen are good in their respective roles, but their underlying romantic angle was totally unnecessary to the plot of the show.
Coming to the shortcomings, the pace of the show falters. Rather than it being an 8-episode show, it could have been crisply cut down to a 2.5-3 hour movie. The editing by Peter Alderliesten and Annelotte Medema is to be blamed. There are scenes that are slightly sluggish and could have been cut short.
The direction by Amit Kumar, who had made his debut with critically acclaimed Monsoon Shootout (2013), and the writing by him and his co-writer Anupama Minz are also not up to the mark. The show’s perspective is from the eyes of someone from that region of India. But for a pan-India audience, the show should have been more accessible.
Despite all that, this is one of the very few shows which I am looking forward to seeing a sequel of. There are loose ends and the show isn’t very taut, yet it somewhere pokes your curiosity. It’s definitely a good ONE-TIME WATCH. I am going with 3 stars.
Title: The Last Hour (Season 1)
Cast: Sanjay Kapoor, Karma Takapa, Shahana Goswami, Shaylee Krishen, Raima Sen, Robin Tamang, Mandakini Goswami, Lanuakam Ao
Director: Amit Kumar
Platform: Amazon Prime
Rating: 3.5
