The title graphics of director Ajoy Varma’s Neerali gives an inkling about the drama that is set to unfold. And soon after, the hero and his friend drive themselves into a dangerous cliff that is several hundred feet above a valley, where the rest of the story happens.

Sunny George (Mohanlal) is a gemologist, working in Bengaluru. His wife Molly (Nadia Moidu) is hospitalized back in their native place, as the couple’s long wait for kids is finally turning true. Sunny rushes to the hospital in an old truck, owned by his company.

Veerappan (Suraj Venjarammoodu) is driving the vehicle. While speeding through a forest area, the driver loses control of the vehicle, in an attempt to save a man on the road. In a matter of some seconds, their truck is on the edge of a cliff, with the front tyres hanging in the air. It’s Sunny’s efforts to come out of the situation that takes the story ahead.

The story goes back and forth, revealing how they reached there and the rest of the characters are added to the narrative in the process. The situation becomes even more dramatic, with Sunny unable to make calls or send messages, as he hasn’t paid the phone bill and Veerappan’s phone lying in an out of reach position.

It’s one of those situation that is similar to the ones we have seen in many films from the past, be it Cast Away, Wrecked, Buried, 127 Hours or Mine. But what makes this one less effective is its incompetent writing, ordinary packaging and predictable situations. With the kind of making that look old-fashioned and weak, this one is far from engaging.

Though it’s a role that is barely challenging for him, Mohanlal performs his role in a dedicated way. Nadia Moidu is there only for a brief period, but she hams it up in a big way. Suraj Venjarammoodu has nothing much to do and Parvathy Nair has to play a hysterical character, which she does pretty fine.