Thalapathy Vijay ‘LEO’ Telugu Movie Review :
Parthiban (Vijay) and Satya (Trisha) and their family are under constant attack, sparking questions about Parthiban’s hidden past and his connection to Leo Das and Antony (Sanjay Dutt).
Vijay portrays a down-to-earth family man, handling the role of a father well, although some scenes of emotional distress stand out in his performance. His star power and body language shine in the action sequences. Despite initial criticism of his hairstyle in the trailer, it fits well in the film, contributing to his simple yet effective style. In terms of memorable performances, “Leo” doesn’t offer a breakthrough for Vijay.
Trisha plays the character Satya, Vijay’s wife, a role that could be taken on by another artist. Her presence throughout the film involves minimal dialogue, and her role diminishes as the plot progresses. Although she looks stunning in the early scenes, her styling becomes more ordinary later on.
Directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, riding high on the success of “Master,” “Leo” kicks off with an engaging action sequence involving a hyena, injecting freshness into the film from the start. The VFX and visual quality contribute to an impressive beginning.
The first half predominantly relies on well-executed action sequences, complemented by a high-quality background score. In the midst of the action, there’s a somewhat flat family drama, leaving viewers curious about the lead character’s tribulations.
Lokesh effectively incorporates a melodious song as background music during a restaurant fight. However, some of his concepts come across as outright absurd. For example, Parthiban is released from jail after committing five murders, and the same person who has killed several others seeks only one police officer to guard his home.
Such ideas raise questions about Lokesh’s vision and the film’s overall quality as it progresses into the second half. Nevertheless, new characters introduced at the interval, specifically Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja, immediately capture the audience’s attention, creating anticipation for the second half.
The second half of “Leo” introduces Antony’s character, portrayed by Sanjay Dutt, along with an extended flashback episode. This is when the movie begins to drag and fails to recapture its initial momentum.
The entire flashback, including the family drama and action scenes, tests one’s patience. Familiar faces like Madonna Sebastian appear in the sister’s storyline, and Anurag Kashyap makes a brief appearance, though it seems he was edited out in the final cut, disrupting the flow. The director attempts to weave in Antony’s brother, Herold Das, portrayed by Arjun, but it doesn’t seamlessly integrate into the narrative.
The movie offers one-dimensional villains, with the director trying to build suspense around Leo Das’s identity, only to lead to a predictable conclusion after extensive buildup. Surprisingly, Lokesh Kanagaraj, known for his ability to craft impressive action sequences, delivers a subpar VFX car chase action scene towards the end. In summary, “Leo” succeeds in maintaining engagement during the first half with its strong action, background music, and visuals. However, it loses its way in the second half and struggles to regain momentum.
For “Leo” to be a hit, major characters like Sanjay Dutt and Arjun Sarja needed standout performances. While Sanjay Dutt tests the audience’s patience, Arjun Sarja makes minimal impact, which can be attributed to the director’s vision.
On the other hand, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Mysskin, and Mathew Thomas deliver solid performances. Unfortunately, other cast members like Priya Anand, Madonna Sebastian, Anurag Kashyap, and more struggle to make an impact due to poorly written characters.
Anirudh Ravichander, who faced challenges on the audio front, redeems himself with a high-quality background score, significantly contributing to the success of the first-half action sequences. However, the story loses its way in the second half, and Anirudh’s efforts can’t salvage it at this point.
Anirudh, who has enjoyed a string of successes, faces a setback with “Leo.” Cinematography by Manoj Paramahamsa elevates the film’s overall appeal, delivering slick and high-quality visuals. The editing by Philomin Raj, particularly in the second half, could have seen substantial improvement. As for the writing and the quality of the Telugu dubbing, they maintain a satisfactory standard.
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