Rating: 2.75/5
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Release Date: January 2, 2026
Language: Malayalam (Telugu dubbed)
Director: Dinjith Ayyathan
Cast: Sandeep Pradeep, Saurabh Sachdeva, Vineeth, Biana Momin, Narain
Eko dropped on Netflix right as 2025 ended, bringing with it a mystery wrapped in fog, forests, and unanswered questions. This Malayalam thriller tests your patience before delivering a satisfying conclusion—but getting there requires commitment.
What’s It About?
Deep in Kerala’s Kaattukunnu forest lives Mlaathi (Biana Momin), a Malaysian woman isolated from the world. Her caretaker Peeyoos (Sandeep Pradeep) and a pack of trained dogs are her only company. Everyone’s searching for her husband Kuriachan (Saurabh Sachdeva), a dog breeder who vanished years ago after getting tangled in a criminal case.
His friend Mohan Pothan (Vineeth) leads the search, convinced Kuriachan’s hiding somewhere in those dense woods with his dogs. But nobody knows for sure. Why so many people want him found, what Peeyoos is really doing there, and how a Malaysian woman ended up in rural Kerala—these mysteries drive the film forward.
What Works
Sandeep Pradeep handles the underdog role well, staying controlled when the script needs restraint. Biana Momin barely speaks but says plenty through expressions and body language. Vineeth fits naturally into his part, while Narain brings believability as the investigating officer.
The background score deserves credit for building tension without overdoing it. Atmospheric thrillers like this succeed or fail based on mood, and composer Mujeeb Majeed understands that silence sometimes speaks louder than sound.
Cinematographer Bahul Ramesh (who also wrote the script) knows how to frame isolation. His visuals capture the forest’s unsettling beauty—the kind of place where anything could happen and nobody would hear you scream.
The ending actually delivers. After dragging you through deliberately paced scenes, the climax reveals layers that make earlier confusion worth enduring. It’s not spelled out for you, but enough pieces fall into place that you feel rewarded rather than cheated.
What Doesn’t Work
Let’s be honest—Eko crawls. This isn’t a thriller that grabs you by the throat. It’s more like being slowly pulled underwater. Some scenes linger too long, testing whether you’ll stick around for payoff.
The non-linear storytelling jumps between timelines and perspectives without warning. First-time viewers might spend the opening half wondering what’s happening and when. That’s intentional, but intention doesn’t always equal entertainment.
Here’s the bigger issue: Kuriachan never actually appears after disappearing into the forest. His existence comes entirely through other characters’ stories. Is he alive? Dead? Hiding? The film deliberately keeps this ambiguous, which works thematically but feels frustrating practically.
Multiple subplots run parallel, and connecting them demands patience most viewers won’t have after a long day. You need to actively engage—this isn’t background-watching material.
Technical Stuff
Bahul Ramesh deserves recognition for both writing and shooting this. His script maintains suspense through atmosphere rather than cheap tricks, and his camera choices reinforce the film’s isolated, paranoid mood.
Director Dinjith Ayyathan shows restraint where others might’ve added unnecessary drama. He trusts his material enough to let it breathe—sometimes too much, but the confidence shows.
Production values suit the grounded tone. This isn’t trying to be a big-budget spectacle. It’s a character-driven mystery that knows its limitations and works within them.
Final Verdict
Eko rewards patience but demands plenty of it upfront. The pacing drags unnecessarily through the middle, making a potentially tight mystery feel padded. But if you survive the slow burn, the ending justifies the journey.
This works best for viewers who enjoy mysteries that don’t explain everything, who appreciate mood over action, and who don’t mind rewinding occasionally to catch details they missed. If you want fast-paced thrills, skip this. If you want atmospheric storytelling with a payoff that actually lands, give it a shot.
Worth watching? Yes, but maybe on a weekend when you’ve got time and patience to spare.
Rating: 2.75/5 — Slow to start, solid to finish.