After Jersey, the entire audience was eagerly waiting for another film from Gautham Tinnanuri. Vijay Deverakonda plays the lead role, and expectations increased even more. But has Kingdom lived up to those expectations? Let’s find out.
Story: Suri (Vijay Deverakonda) is a petty constable in Ankapur. In an attempt to search for his elder brother, he reaches the headquarters. There, a senior officer notices his potential, and Suri ends up in the eyes of higher officials. Unexpectedly, a senior officer (Manish Choudhary) selects Suri for a special operation in Sri Lanka and sends him there. Even though he has nothing to do with the operation, Suri blindly accepts it in hopes of meeting his elder brother Shiva (Satyadev). In Sri Lanka, Suri faces an important obstacle, Murugan (Venkytesh), the son of a don. Was Suri able to overcome all these hurdles and find his elder brother? How did he deal with Murugan? Did the Indian government support him? These questions are answered in the film.
Performances: Every single actor in the film has lived up to their roles. Vijay Deverakonda as Suri, Satyadev as Shiva, Bhagyashree as Anu, and Manish Choudhary as the senior officer all perform well. However, the lack of proper character establishment and arc for each role is a drawback. Why is Shiva so attached to the tribe? Why didn’t he return to visit his brother and mother even once? These are left unjustified. What is Manish Choudhary’s character goal? Why is he doing what he does? This, too, lacks clarity.
Technical Aspects: Anirudh’s music and Girish Jomon’s cinematography are top-notch. The film is technically superior to what the story demands. Especially, the way the opening sequence is portrayed is stunning. The design of the title cards is also well-executed. More than all this, it looks like the makers have invested heavily in color grading and DI. Each frame looks clean and polished. There were no compromises in terms of quality.
Analysis: The audience expected strong drama from Gautham. Since this is his film after Jersey, people assumed Kingdom would also offer deep brotherly bonding and emotional scenes. However, Gautham sidelines the drama by focusing on the action. The much-anticipated jail episode and Satyadev–Vijay Deverakonda scenes fall flat. Though the action sequences are technically good, they lack emotional connection and do not offer the high that audiences crave.
Gautham’s attempt to explore a different style by setting aside his strength, drama, is the film’s biggest weakness. Overall, as a writer and director, Gautham fails to fully engage. Furthermore, the originality seen in Gautham’s previous films is missing here. Several scenes remind us of past Telugu and Tamil films.
It’s risky to promote a film by creating the wrong expectations. No one knows this better than Vamsi after the Guntur Kaaram backlash. Yet, the same mistake has been repeated with Kingdom. Especially, the lead-up to a potential sequel doesn’t spark much interest. Vijay Deverakonda’s hopes of making a blockbuster comeback may have to wait a bit longer.
Verdict: Overall, Kingdom is a grand film, and the performances steal the show. But it is the slow pace and lack of a strong conflict point that dilutes the plot. Too much hype will go against the film, and if you watch it with an open mind, Kingdom might hit you, but there is nothing special showcased here.
Bottom Line: Only for Vijay Deverakonda
Rating: 2.5/5
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