A common setting in many a genre outing over the years is the apartment complex due to its familiarity yet isolation. Living in close proximity to other people yet not knowing what's going on behind their doors offers limitless potential for thrills and chills, which is best exemplified by outings like Roman Polanski's so-called ‘Apartment' trilogy including “Repulsion”, “Rosemary's Baby”, and “The Tenant” but also spreading outward to titles including “The Sentinel”, “Poltergeist 3”, “Dark Waters” and “REC”, to name just a few. Now, filmmaker Vikram K. Kumar attempts to provide his own take on the setting with this Tamil-lensed chiller that has quite a lot to like about it.
Moving into a new apartment, Manohar (Madhavan) and his family, mother (Saranya), wife Priya (Neetu Chandra), and children are ecstatic to enjoy life in their spacious new home. Almost immediately, though, they begin to experience strange phenomena in the home, making them think that something's wrong with the building which soon confirms his suspicions when the family is hooked on a TV show that only they can access. However, the rest of the film is blind to this knowledge as well as the realization that the incidents in the show eerily mimic Manohar's real life, forcing him to delve into the truth behind the show and eventually uncover the deadly secret behind it and the mysterious events in the apartment.
Overall, “13B” has a lot to like about it. Among the strongest aspects at play is the central storyline by Kumar that explores a highly unconventional and unique take on the genre format. While initially appearing to be the routine setup of a happy family moving into a cursed apartment and exploring the truth behind the hauntings, the storyline here takes a different approach. Rather, the events are mostly written off until the appearance of the soap opera in their lives which begins to greatly unsettle Manohar as much as the strange hauntings and happenings did. The seemingly unexplained nature of how the show can so accurately predict not only his life but those around him and his family is an eerie concept that's milked to perfection here. It comes off even better when paired with the idea that the rest of the family is oblivious to this while Manohar is driven to obsession to know the truth. That this leads to the expected quest into the show which reveals the shocking origins of the hauntings inside the apartment allows this one to carry along with a gripping central mystery quite well.
That's not to discredit the majority of the hauntings that take place inside the apartment which are quite chilling and creepy. The initial setup offers enough low-key happenings, from curdled milk purchased the day before, mysterious accidents with breaking lightbulbs, or power tools taking on a life of their own, to get things going to a nice start. Other incidents, from the unexplained reason why Manohar's phone cannot take a clear picture of him inside the apartment while having no issues outside the building or a dog refusing to enter, have far more ominous overtones that allow them to become much more impactful to create a chilling atmosphere. Naturally, once the show begins to emulate his life and the on-screen events mimic Manohar's with the storylines present, does “13B” really hit its stride. This is due to fulfilling its central premise to the highest degree. With a tense final half driven by the full extent of revelations involving the fate of the family that used to live in the house, a fine series of stalking scenes with the killer chasing his victims throughout the apartment, the film has a lot to like.
There are a few issues in “13B” that hold it back. The main drawback to be had is the rather obvious tonal shift from genre thrills to a more mystery-driven format halfway through. After the devastating miscarriage scare, the majority of the movie from that point on is devoted to Manohar's search for the truth regarding the TV show and his apartment. Watching him cycle through old newspaper clippings trying to determine why his apartment is the only location to receive the show but the actual truth about what it is has a creepy edge but doesn't pack the chilling genre setup the rest focuses on. Incorporating a subplot about the murder of a family in the house's past and a twist upon a twist involving the real killer only add to that weird tonal shift. However, they also end up making this more complicated than it should be. Since these revelations are brought up in the second half, it all feels quite unnecessary and doesn't really need to be there with the introduction of too many elements that aren't needed.
A generally creepy Tamil-lensed psychological genre effort, “13B” comes off with a lot to like that manages to overcome its few minor flaws which hold this one down. Viewers who appreciate this kind of setup or are curious about its origin and execution will be well-advised to check this out.
