Kingdom Review

Tollywood's go-to tropes for crafting pan-India blockbusters are beginning to show signs of fatigue. The formula - sepia-toned flashbacks, oppressed tribes, gold-smuggling, bloody cartels, a messianic hero and gratuitous violence - feels overused. Kingdom (Part 1 of a two-part saga) taps into this familiar template. Thankfully, director Gowtam Tinnanuri resists the urge to indulge in excessive hero-worship. There's little reliance on slow-motion entries, bombastic build-ups or over-the-top spectacles. Yet, the tropes linger - subtler, but unmistakable. The pattern is hard to ignore.

Police constable Suri (Vijay Deverakonda) is on the verge of suspension for slapping a senior officer. Instead, he is told to go on a covert mission to Divi Island near Sri Lanka to track a drug cartel that's using a Telugu-speaking tribe for smuggling. Suri agrees after learning that his long-lost brother, Shiva (Satyadev Kancharana), is now a key figure in the tribe and works for the cartel. He hopes to bring his brother back and save the tribe.

The film kicks off on a promising note, introducing a refreshing version of Vijay Deverakonda as Constable Suri - a character who feels grounded and deeply relatable. He's not a flamboyant hero but an ordinary policeman visibly frustrated with a broken system, much like the common man. The police station setting feels authentic, and the director deserves credit for portraying characters with everyday realism. Each scene, up until Suri's arrival on Divi Island, is engaging and convincingly staged.

However, once the narrative shifts from Andhra Pradesh to Sri Lanka, the film begins to lose its grip. The second half feels scattered, struggling to decide whether its emotional core lies in the Suri-Shiva bromance - which is heavily emphasised - or in Suri's transformation into a saviour. The island subplot involving the drug cartel, smuggling and a corrupt local system feels overstuffed, making the story lose its focus.

The climax, especially the way Suri brings down the cartel's kingdom, feels abrupt and underwhelming. It doesn't end like Baahubali: Part 1, which left audiences eagerly wondering about what Part 2 would reveal. Nor does it conclude like Pushpa: Part 1, where you sensed that something bigger was coming, even if it wasn't clear what. Kingdom seems to hint at a sequel that aspires to be a KGF- or Devara-wannabe. One can only hope it carves its own path instead of chasing the pan-India frenzy.

The film's strongest selling point are its performances. Vijay Deverakonda brings a refreshing, nuanced edge to his role, shedding his usual persona for something more grounded and layered. Satyadev is equally compelling as the protective elder brother, willing to cross any line for Suri - his emotional depth adds weight to the story. Bhagyashri Borse, playing an undercover agent posing as a doctor, doesn't get much opportunity to showcase her talent. She has limited screen time, and the situations her character is placed in offer little room for emotional expression. Though underutilised in this installment, her character seems poised for a more prominent role in the next part.

The only qualm in terms of acting is V P Venkatesh as Murugan, the main villain. He doesn't quite look the part of a cartel head, and his performance lacks the necessary menace.

Visually, the movie looks rich. The two cinematographers, Jomon John and Girish Gangadharan, have crafted a captivating experience with evocative frames. Several sequences set against coastal backdrops and backwaters are particularly striking and linger in the memory. The action and stunt choreography are outstanding. A motorboat chase in the Sri Lankan backwaters is refreshing - a novel idea that clearly required extensive stunt coordination and rehearsal.

While the visual treatment is largely impressive, one glaring inconsistency stands out - constable Suri appears lean, but as soon as he goes undercover, he is suddenly bulked up and muscular, despite there being no passage of time to justify the transformation.

As for the music, the songs are lacklustre, but the background score stands out.

The editing could be sleeker. At 162 minutes, the film feels stretched in the second half. The first half, however, is fast-paced and edgy.

To conclude, though Kingdom is an average movie, it has plenty to offer for Vijay Deverakonda fans. Others might prefer to wait for its OTT release - with steep ticket prices and an experience that is not particularly exceptional, it does not quite justify a theatrical watch for everyone.