Kingdom Telugu Movie Review – Big Scale, Thin Soul

BOTTOM LINE
Big Scale, Thin Soul

RATING
2.5/5

CENSOR
U/A, 2h 47m

What Is the Film About?

The story of Kingdom revolves around Soori (Vijay Deverakonda), a normal police constable who ends up on a spy mission. How this mission connects to his brother Siva (Satyadev), and how he reunites with Siva forms the core plot at a high level.

Performances

Vijay Deverakonda delivers a sincere performance. At no point does it feel like he’s trying too hard or underplaying the role. His performance is natural and grounded setting the right tone for the film. Regardless of the film’s commercial outcome, Vijay earns goodwill for his role as Soori in Kingdom.

Satyadev in the supporting role of the brother, delivers a flawless performance. He is perfectly cast, and with the film largely revolving around these two characters, his presence adds weight to the story.

Bhagyashrii Borse plays the female lead, but she isn’t the typical leading lady. Her role is more of a supporting presence, with only a few blink-and-miss appearances. Given the limited scope, there’s little about her character or performance that stands out or stays with you after leaving the theatre.

Analysis

Kingdom is directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri best known for Jersey -a film that left a lasting impression. This time, he explores the emotional bond between two brothers set against a completely different backdrop. The film opens intriguingly in a British-era setting, with the visuals and initial setup grabbing your attention within seconds.

However, what follows until the interval is surprisingly underwhelming. The entire first half carries a gloomy, dull tone that makes the viewing experience feel tiresome. The pacing, writing, and presentation all contribute to this sense of drag. Despite the strong premise, there’s barely a single engaging or emotionally resonant block between the brothers.

A key example is when Satyadev’s character recognizes his brother Soori in jail; it happens just like that, without any meaningful buildup or any emotional high. Similarly, the national threat tied to Soori’s personal quest to find his brother is presented as another overused trope.

While using familiar storytelling devices isn’t necessarily a flaw, the problem lies in how flatly it’s all executed. There’s not a single genuinely emotional high or impactful moment in the entire first half. Even the antagonist track set in Sri Lanka – the villain gang, mafia, and cartel-feels superficial and utterly routine.

Overall, the first half feels dull, overly long and emotionally hollow though it looks visually excellent.

The second half definitely offers improved drama compared to the first. The stretch involving Satyadev’s character (avoiding specific details to avoid spoilers) takes a more engaging turn. While it lacks the thrill of a cinematic action block, it plays out decently and is more effective than much of the first half.

The climax too, is neatly executed and visually top-notch. Every design element in that stretch feels well thought out, creating a strong visual impact. The production design and execution elevate the overall look and feel of the film.

However, the core issues remains unresolved. Even the villain played by Venkitesh lacks any real depth. He ends up as just another stereotypical antagonist-one we’ve seen in countless films over the decades-leaving no impact.

What works though, is the film’s consistent intent to tell an earnest story without unnecessary deviations. The sincere performances by Vijay Deverakonda and Satyadev, coupled with solid visuals and Anirudh’s score, hold the film together just enough to make it an okayish watch.

Performances by Others Actors

Kingdom primarily revolves around the characters of Soori and Siva even though there is a decent supporting cast. While they perform their brief roles adequately, none of them truly stand out mainly due to how underwhelmingly their characters are written.

Apart from Soori and Siva, the only other character with notable screen time is the antagonist played by Venkitesh. However, the character design and writing fall short once again. Although his performance is decent, the role lacks impact due to a poorly developed character arc and weak execution.

Music and Other Departments?

The music is composed by Anirudh, who has become a reliable backbone for big-scale films in recent times. This time he delivers a background score that moves away from his usual style and aligns more with the tone and texture of Prashanth Neel’s visual aesthetics reminiscent of KGF. His music blends well with the visuals enhancing the mood. However, the film doesn’t offer impactful action blocks that allow the score to truly shine, which limits Anirudh’s ability to showcase his full potential.

Technically, the film’s biggest strength lies in its visuals. Cinematographers Jomon and Girish deliver rich, appealing frames that elevate the overall look and feel. Their work helps compensate for the dullness caused by weak writing and direction.

Editing by Naveen Nooli could have been tighter especially in the first half, which feels unnecessarily stretched and adds to the film’s slow pace and fatigue.

The production values from Sithara Entertainments, Fortune 4 Cinemas Banner, Srikara Studios are solid. In an era where audiences are increasingly critical of a film’s visual appeal, Kingdom delivers on the technical front and feels rich enough.

Highlights?

Visual quality and production values

Vijay Deverakonda’s Screen Presence

Anirudh’s background score

Drawbacks?

Flat and dull narration

No genuine emotional bond between the brothers

Ordinary writing

Very little effort toward freshness

Did I Enjoy It?

Not much, but there was some sincerity in it.

Will You Recommend It?

Yes, only if you’re okay with a slow, flat ride wrapped in rich visuals.

Kingdom Telugu Movie Review by M9