Who is the Real Patriot?'—this debate is raging across Facebook and X. Everyone knew that when two legends come face-to-face, Kerala's theaters would literally turn into a battlefield. But it’s not just about the applause; the real fan war is happening in the cyber space!The release day of Mahesh Narayanan’s 'Patriot' opened the doors to some of the biggest discussions in Malayalam cinema history.

Mixed emotions were visible on the faces of the audience leaving the morning show. On one side, fans were teary-eyed seeing Mammootty and Mohanlal together on screen; on the other, cinephiles were left asking, "Is this all?"The fan fights had started on social media even before the movie began.

While Mammootty fans praise the 'mass' of his character 'Daniel James,' Mohanlal fans highlight the screen presence of his Colonel character, 'Rahim Naik.'When one person comments, "Mammookka's performance is class, the theater erupted when Lalettan arrived," the opposing side mocks back saying, "But Lalettan’s is just a cameo, isn't it?" Lal fans are questioning whether Mohanlal was just called for a guest appearance in a movie made specifically for Mammootty. While Mammootty fans call the film 'Class plus Mass,' a section of Mohanlal fans are disappointed that their idol didn't get more screen space.

Data Privacy and Spy Thriller

Director Mahesh Narayanan has once again proven his craft. Centered around India’s defense secrets and a spyware named 'Periscope,' this film is not just a typical masala flick.The first hour of the movie is filled with technical dialogues about data leaks. For the average viewer, this causes some boredom. However, the spy-thriller hype built up by the interval cannot be stopped later. Because of this, the climax felt like it ended too abruptly. The fact that Fahadh Faasil's villain character suddenly became weak disappointed the audience

.Mammootty’s mature acting is the backbone of the film. Although Mohanlal appears in the second half, those moments immerse the theater in excitement.The lack of a good script and character depth has affected almost all the actors. Fahadh Faasil’s villain role was completely wasted without proper character development; the repetitive boredom of his recent antagonist roles in South Indian films follows him in this movie too.Nayanthara, appearing as Mammootty’s ex-wife, also has nothing significant to do. The script failed even in establishing relationships between characters. The situation is no different for Kunchacko Boban.

It must be said that in a film talking about large-scale cyber security, the 'cinematic liberty' taken in some places was a bit too much.Sushin Shyam’s background music moves along with the pace of the film. Manush Nandan’s camera captured the streets of London and the hustle of Kochi equally well.

One might suspect whether including Mohanlal’s character in the second half affected the flow of the story in certain places. There could have been more variety in the action sequences as well.

Final Analysis *** 3/5

'Patriot' is not just a fan movie. It is a serious film that discusses the politics and technology of the times we live in. It can be said that Mahesh Narayanan tried to craft a great film. But when bringing two superstars into the same frame, the 'fire' that the audience expects is missing in many places. Fans have a slight grievance over the absence of those 'old tit-for-tat' dialogues when Mohanlal and Mammootty come together. The film is carried forward by its technicality and Mammootty’s grand performance.However, those going in expecting a top-tier spy thriller are likely to be disappointed by the over-hyped expectations. An experimental film that can be watched if you set aside your expectations.