The first half of the Mute Witness was really understandable and thrilling- it made sense. The start of the movie, which takes us into a studio where a murder is being rehearsed, is really shot well. Then, we are introduced to a mute make-up artist, her sister and her sister's husband, who is the director of the film. It has quirky moments in the beginning, which is actually funny and witty, and you know that these things must be occurring during a film's shooting. Side-actors thinking they are the prime actors and trying to lengthen the screen to show their presence to the audience, even though their role is miserly, many a times, happens in cinemas. So you could relate the plot. Then, at night, the mute lady, is mistakenly locked at the studio- what could she do, she couldn't shout as she was dumb. She calls her sister, then witnesses a murder taking place in the studio by two of the people working in the film and decides to fled. The murderers search for her and find her when her sister and her husband arrive at the spot and she explains to them with gestures and hand movements about the murder. But no one except her sister pays any heed to her as the accused have eradicated all their evidence. Then, we are shown that the accused are working for someone who tells them to kill the witness. They attack her at her house but she outwits them and while her sister, worried, and her husband arrive at her place.
Till here, the story is perfectly clear. I loved everyone's acting and found their performances strong. The way they show the lady being murdered is quiet brutal and intense, though not scary in my opinion. The way they show the mute girl escaping is shot really well. The camera effects, the sudden silence, the heavy breathing, all are taken in such a way that the audience is glued to the film. There is some dark humor in this film but in the first hour only, it gels with the film pretty well. The agitated sister, who is so worried about her sister, gives a power-packed performance, while her husband, who takes the matter lightly, too, gives a real good role. As the film is shot in Russia, many of the people speak in foreign language, but you can cope up with them because there is a translator in the beginning and well, you can understand. The scene where the girl is lying in the tub is taken pretty well, in slow-motion and I loved the camera-effects, the 'plopping' of the water. Really strong.
But after that, we are introduced to a person who is from the police and rescues the girl. Then, there is a mish-mash where the story turns way too stupid and confusing that I was perplexed at the end, not with the story at all. The 'Reaper' thing was all c**p and the film became more sleazy. The sister and the husband's role became quite unnecessary and stupid as from a powerful role, their role turn absolutely stupid, and they were more kept as the funny guys. The mute-girl too became childish and a side-kick while the police-man became the hero of the film all of a sudden. I reckon that there would have been different script writers for the first and the second part, because after about an hour, the film became the complete opposite. Its reputation tumbled down and that's the main reason I am giving it a six out of ten. THe first have surely deserved an eight.
