13B is a refreshingly different horror film, although a bit long.

'13B', directed by Vikram Kumar, belongs to the same family as 'The Ring' and 'Pulse'. No, it's not a copy of these two movies, but there's an uncanny resemblance: A home appliance is used by evil spirit to convey their message.

To give the credit where it's due, '13B' engages you in the proceedings and most significantly, scares you as well. The trouble is, '13B' takes its own sweet time to come to the point.

Manohar [R. Madhavan], an upwardly mobile middle class Indian, moves into a new apartment 13B on the 13th floor with his family. From the first day in their new home, the women are addicted to a new TV show 'Sab Khairiyat'. The show is about a family eerily similar to their family, who has also just moved into a new house.

As the TV show unfurls, the incidents that happen in the show start happening to Manohar and his family. Initially, a number of happy events take place and a lot of good things happen, both in the show and with Manohar's family. Then things take a turn for the worse and shocking incidents start happening in the TV show.

Will the same happen to Manohar and his family? Will Manohar be able to solve the mystery in time before it consumes him and his whole family?

P.C. Sreeram's outstanding camerawork, the brilliant sound design and of course, a lively background score that enhances the mood. Add to it a few individualistic sequences, which merit ample praise. The sequences with the septuagenarian neighbor and his dog are outstanding, especially the sequence when the dog declines to enter the flat.

But the screenplay goes back foot at regular intervals. In fact, the writer builds up the story really well, it reaches its climax and then... it blows it up. The viewer is curious to get to the bottom of the mystery and when you do reach there, you aren't too convinced with what actually unravels.

Director Vikram Kumar has executed the material well, but he should've restricted the running time of the film to 1.30 hours or maximum 1.45 hours, unquestionably not 2.28 hours. Madhavan does a praiseworthy job. This is amongst his superior works. Neetu Chandra is all right. Amongst supporting actors, Deepak Dobriyal's body language and performance leaves an impression. Poonam Dhillon gets no scope. Sachin Khedekar is wasted. Dhrtiman Chatterjee, the neighbour is unmatched.

On the whole, the movie is a good time pass. It doesn’t spook the daylights out of you, but it is chilling in parts.