India, May 23 -- Everything isn't as it seems in the world of Drishyam. The first two films, both the Malayalam original and Hindi remake lived up to it. But by now, the audience has caught on. Once you can see how the magic trick works, the third time simply isn't the charm.

And that's precisely why Drishyam 3 feels forced. Directed by Jeethu Joseph, the film finds Georgekutty (Mohanlal) settled in life. His maiden production, titled Drishyam, is doing well, and he is now searching for a suitable groom for his eldest daughter. But the past refuses to loosen it's grip on the family. What Georgekutty chooses to do this time forms the crux of the story.

The problem is that the first half contributes very little to the film's larger vision...