Review of Poachers: An Atmospheric Tale About The Illegal Ivory Trade

• Richie Mehta’s Poacher debuted its first three episodes at Sundance Film Festival.
• A confession leads to a sinister web of undercover crimes that appear to be in full swing.
• Mala Jogi (Nimisha Sajayan) is acutely aware of the sights and sounds of the dense jungle.

Richie Mehta’s Poacher, which debuted its first three episodes at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival in the Indie Program Section, begins with a disclaimer that reminds viewers that India recently amended the Wildlife Protection Act, which had previously outlawed all forms of wildlife hunting. But Poacher shifts to 2015 and opens in the jungles of Malayattoor, Kerala, with the startling shot of an elephant shot to death in the first few seconds. From there, it becomes clear what lies hidden.

When a remorseful forest watcher tells the Forest Officer that he was involved in the murder of elephants, the confession leads to a sinister web of undercover crimes that appear to be in full swing. We meet the unassuming Field Director of the Kerala Forest Department, Neel Banerjee (Dibyendu Bhattacharya), who knows that his current team won’t help him solve this problem soon. He immediately assigns Mala Jogi (Nimisha Sajayan) to the case after calling her. Why? Because she knows the towns and their inhabitants “like the back of your hand.” Mala is acutely aware of the sights and sounds of the dense jungle and its inhabitants, as evidenced by the quiet moment prior to her entry into the station.

When the action shifts to Trivandrum, there is also subdivision officer Dina (Kani Kusruti), who finds a criminal named Morris Finn, one of the people involved in the ivory trade and much more. However, there are harder and riskier plans for this entire operation, starting with a dealer in the capital and possibly moving on to international chains. Mala, on the other hand, seeks assistance from Alan Joesph (Roshan Mathew), who assists her in locating the phone numbers that will lead to Raaz, the local mastermind.

Richie Mehta follows the format of investigative storytelling and the ferocious reliance on strong exposition from the international Emmy-winning series Delhi Crime. The story moves along with just enough information from key character details. After three episodes, Poacher has finally come close to finding Raaz, but the conclusion suggests that there are still a lot of secrets. Although Poacher is not as gut-wrenching as Delhi Crime, Mehta is interested in developing an approach that ponders the same irony. The crime in Delhi Crime is far more covert and dense. Outsiders cannot comprehend the cruel treatment of these elephants for their teeth or the conflicted stench of isolation that persists in the village. Poacher uses cinematographer Johan Huerlin Aidt’s lens to somehow rely on the dark undercover of shadows and vines, where wild foxes and tigers are common sights, to capture the terror and beauty of Kerala’s forests.

Poacher’s formidable world is built on its cast’s relatability. In the tiniest bursts of repressed rage, Nimisha Sajayan cultivates Mala’s steely resolve, taking into account her own personal ground in between. Dibyendu Bhattacharya does an excellent job portraying the officer who, for more than one reason, cannot afford to waste time sorting for backup. Roshan Mathew and Kani Kusruti provide competent and precise performances. These people live in a system in which the majority of the perpetrators are also the victims of an unfair model of inequality and corruption. Poacher is a vividly detailed, richly atmospheric follow-up to Delhi Crime that ultimately rewards its audience with a bracing sense of authenticity, even though it arrives without the rush of a fast-paced thriller.

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