Movie Name: Leo
Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 ☆ ☆ (2.5/5)
Starring: Thalapathy Vijay, Sanjay Dutt, Trisha, Arjun, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priya Anand, Mysskin, Mansoor Ali Khan, and others
Directed by: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Cinematography: Manoj Paramahamsa
Music by: Anirudh Ravichander
Editor: Philomin Raj
Producers: Lalit Kumar
Release Date: 19th October, 2023
Related Links: Trailer
🎬🌟 Leo Movie Review 👍 or 👎 🎥🎨
Iconic Star Thalapathy Vijay Teams Up with Sensational Director Lokesh Kanagaraj for ‘Leo.’ With the enormous pre-release buzz and skyrocketing hype, it’s clear that Leo is poised for box-office success. Now, let’s see if it truly lives up to the immense anticipation.
Story Glimpse:
Parthiban (Thalapathy Vijay) manages a quaint cafe in Himachal Pradesh’s Theog, living a peaceful life with his wife Satya (Trisha) and their two children. However, when a group of thugs threatens his daughter and an employee, Parthiban is pushed to defend his family, setting off a chain of events. Amid the chaos, gangsters Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun) enter his life, convinced that Parthiban is their lost family member, Leo Das (Thalapathy Vijay).
Technical Aspects:
- Casting: Vijay, not just a star but a talented actor, shines in ‘Leo.’ His performance in the action sequences of the first half is remarkable and adds to the engaging experience. Trisha delivers a fine performance in her role.
- Direction: Director Lokesh Kanagaraj handles ‘Leo’ adequately. The first half is well-crafted, but the second half lacks momentum, falling short of the director’s high standards. The familiar story needed a more exceptional execution.
- Music: Anirudh’s background score in ‘Leo’ has its moments, but it doesn’t reach the heights of his previous masterpieces like ‘Master’ and ‘Vikram.’ The songs also fail to make an impact, partly attributed to subpar translation.
- Cinematography: Manoj Paramahamsa’s cinematography excels, especially in the flashback action scene. VFX shines in the hyena scene but falls short in the car chase, appearing cartoonish.
Highlights:
- Engaging First Half: The film’s first half is deliberately slow-paced but engaging, establishing characters and the protagonist’s world effectively.
- Stellar Performance by Vijay: Thalapathy Vijay’s acting prowess shines, and his vulnerability adds depth to the action sequences in the first hour.
- Well-Staged Fight Scenes: The action sequences in the first half are well-crafted and enhance the engagement factor.
- Strong Cinematography: Solid cinematography and camera work elevate the film’s visual appeal.
- Decent Interval Block: The interval block sets up expectations well for the second half.
- Moments for Franchise Fans: The film caters to fans of the franchise with a few moments to cheer about.
Downsides:
- Sluggish Second Half: The second half struggles with pacing issues and lacks significant story development.
- Weak Flashback Portions: The flashback sections disappoint due to uninspired writing, surprising considering Lokesh Kanagaraj’s previous work.
- Poorly Developed Characters: Characters portrayed by Sanjay Dutt and Arjun fail to make a significant impact, attributed to subpar writing.
- Underutilized Actors: Several actors, including Priya Anand, are underutilized in the movie.
- Inconsistent Editing: The editing is strong in the first hour but falls below par in the second half.
- Mixed VFX Quality: While the VFX in the hyena scene is good, the car chase sequences suffer from subpar VFX, appearing cartoonish.
Leo Movie Review Final Verdict: “Entertaining First Half, Falters Later“
