Kingdom: A Wannabe Epic That Never Earns The Emotion It Promises

The world of Kingdom offers everything you’d expect from a grand masala entertainer. It offers a tale of estranged brothers, an abusive father, ancient prophecies, tribal legacies and a destined savior. It’s a setup that promises emotional fireworks and epic payoffs. And yet, it leaves you yearning for more.

The film begins on solid ground. The first half is written with conviction, unraveling its dramatic layers at a measured pace. There’s intrigue, emotional tension, and a promise of something much bigger brewing underneath.

You're drawn in, eagerly anticipating the explosive payoff, but the moment where the protagonist breaks free and rises against all odds.

But that moment never truly arrives.

Despite the potential for grand set pieces, a tense chase, a hero’s reveal, Multiple 48-frame aesthetic shots, you don’t feel the urge to root or cheer. Why? Because the emotional core simply doesn’t land. The second half's one-dimensional writing robs the story of depth and coherence. As a result, logical inconsistencies start to pile up:

Would a seasoned Minister really believe that reuniting the brothers is the answer?

Why do none of the tribals (except one) question Suri when a mission fails?

How and why does Suri shift loyalties so abruptly?

By the end, you feel more for Vijay Deverakonda than his character Suri. The actor gives his all, he’s charming, intense, vulnerable and lethal in equal measure. His moments of pain, longing, and rage (especially in scenes involving his brother) are performed with nuance and sincerity. But the writing fails to support his effort. I will say it now, and I will say it forever, Huge set-pieces and fancy VFX just can’t make a movie win, it’s always the emotions, always.

Satyadev as Siva and Venkatesh as Murugan also bring gravitas to their roles. Venkatesh, especially, elevates what could’ve been a stock antagonist into a chilling, memorable figure.

Technically, Kingdom is stunning. The visuals by Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John are meticulously crafted, right from the symbolic frames like the door view of a brother running away, to surreal imagery like the blood-filled foam, crashing waves and golden sunsets. There’s genuine aesthetic taste on display. That being said, on the editing aspect, the film is a letdown. Perhaps, the movie could have been better if it had a better editing pattern. The minute setups that are placed as little buds in the first half do not quite bloom to their maximum potential.

Anirudh Ravichander gives the film his all, as expected. His score, especially in the climax track “Ragile Ragile” is thunderous and emotionally charged. And yet, the emotional resolution falls flat.

What’s even sadder is that, this, yet again, follows the path of the new trend of two-part movies, and this, just like most, will never get the next part. From giving us a generational film like Jersey, where the emotions work so brilliantly, this one is quite a letdown from Gowtham Tinnanuri.

Verdict

Kingdom is a film that wants to be an epic but never earns that title. Its beautiful world-building, committed performances and top-notch music are ultimately let down by a flat second half and underwhelming emotional beats.