| Kingdom Movie Review |
Movie: Kingdom
Release Date: July 31, 2025
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐/5 – Watchable, with flashes of brilliance
Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Satya Dev, Bhagyashri Borse, Venkitesh VP & others
Director: Gowtam Tinnanuri
Music: Anirudh Ravichander
Produced by: Naga Vamsi, Sai Soujanya
Language: Telugu
Review by: yashtips.com Team
The Story in a Nutshell: Brotherhood, Betrayal & a Distant Island Mystery
Kingdom is a story of eighties, set in the early 1990s where a reserved good cop on a mission to find his missing brother runs into a conflict of two rivaling brothers, Raturu (Samuthirakani) and Das (Swaraj Rao). This takes the form of a personal endeavor at first but soon is diverted and turns into a cover work. Soori learns that Shiva has gone all the way down the criminal underworld of the country and was leading a smuggling racket in Sri Lanka. Soori has the task of infiltrating this cartel to get close to them and take them down, and the line he walks is thinner than the silver-loving cartel itself as he goes to work posing as one of them, but also in service to their downfall.
Things are heating up as the two brothers creep up on each other: Are they going to stick together or go to war? Is there a chance to believe that love may overcome the duty and family secrets within the family?
What Works: Subtle Performances, Cinematic Visuals & an Emotional Core
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Vijay Deverakonda also puts his normal flamboyance aside to take on a gritty, emotionally textured character. Soori is a man troubled by memories and duty-bound, and in that role, he is a quiet, honest, good person to watch.
- Jeans, Satya Dev makes an impression of Shiva. The brothers possess a good emotional load that has not developed fully in a few elements.
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Venkitesh VP performs well as Murugan who is the antagonist. His screen presence and his placid menace give several scenes a lift even when the script is restraining him.
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A lot of energy is brought into the plot with the bridge fight scene, the climax, and a couple of memorable action scenes. These scenes create an impression of an expansive universe of stories, which means a possible sequel.
Where Kingdom Slips: Familiar Tropes & Missed Emotional Payoffs
It is difficult to tell a story in Kingdom, even though it has two years of development to show. The main storyline of a man in search of his brother while surrounded by crime and lawlessness is way too familiar. And even though the director, Gowtam Tinnanuri, has made movies that are emotionally poignant such as Jersey, in this case, he is a little more style over content.
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What is supposed to be the core of the film is the emotional line in the affairs of Soori and Shiva- but is never told. The situations, which are expected to touch you, slip by too smoothly.
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Madhu is played by Bhagyashri Borse and she has a non-glamorous role, which is rather one-dimensional. The character of hers fails to develop because it serves as a placeholder of an arc in future.
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Multiple side characters are underdeveloped with their arcs being brought in, and left behind, or being abandoned. The lack of originality is witnessed in some scenes that appear to be deemed vu like what has been seen in other action dramas.
Technical Highlights: Visuals & Soundtrack Keep the Film Afloat
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Cinemas consists of cinematography by Girish Gangadharan and Jomon T. John, a Hollywood standard display of visuals. Gritty beauty of Sri Lanka coast and action areas in dim light are all styled with flair.
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The mood is bolstered by the score by Anirudh Ravichander which does not push the boundaries. We get to hear a side echoing of his earlier works (Devara, Vettaiyan).
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Naveen Nooli does the editing and keeps a pretty good pace but the second half drags somewhat towards the end.
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The brilliant action is clever action that is not outstanding. It has been threaded through the narrative that is built on individual decisions and feelings, as opposed to spectacle.
Bonus Backdrop: A Touch of Historical Fiction
Further layer brings the truth that the basis of the movie goes as far as 1920s when Britain was the colonial power. This leads to killing in the coast of Sri Kakuluam which makes the people flee into an island near Sri Lanka. Jump ahead 70 years- Soori has gone through the experience that he might just be in the middle of a prophesy. Kingdom has ingeniously followed a saviour myth where he insinuates that the brother coming to the rescue was prophesied.
Final Verdict:
Kingdom isn’t your typical masala action entertainer—it’s a more muted, emotional action-drama that relies on its performances and cinematic polish. Vijay Deverakonda delivers one of his most mature roles in recent times, while the visuals keep you hooked even when the writing falters.
Yes, the film could’ve been more impactful with tighter emotional writing. But with modest expectations, Kingdom is worth a one-time watch—especially if you appreciate subtle drama over loud heroics.
🌟 Final Rating: 3/5 – Good visuals, sincere performances, but doesn’t hit hard emotionally.
