Leo (2023) Movie Review

The most hyped film of the year, the Lokesh Kanagaraj-directed Leo starring Thalapathy Vijay, has finally arrived and opened to a bumper response across the globe. Does it live up-to the sky-high expectations? Let’s find out!

Plot of Leo:

Parthiban (Thalapathy Vijay) is staying with his wife, Sathya (Trisha), and two kids in Himachal Pradesh peacefully running a coffee shop. His life completely changes when he hits the news bulletin for a heroic act in his town and grabs the attention of Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun), as they suspect him to be their estranged kin, Leo Das. Who is Parthiban and what equation does he have with Leo Das? Why is Anthony after Parthiban and his family’s life? Does Parthiban manage to fight against all odds? All of this and the LCU connection unfold in Leo.

What works for Leo?

Leo begins with a bang as Lokesh Kanagaraj’s narrative moves at a fast pace. He sets up the character sketch of Thalapathy Vijay in no time and swiftly transitions the arc of the protagonist from a subtle coffee shop owner to a person who can go to any extent to save his family. The screenplay that puts Parthiban to take up violence is well established. The action block in the café followed by stunts in the market and the elevation point towards intermission are the high points in the first half.

Some of the family sequences in the early frame are also done well to establish the emotional connection with the key characters. The dynamic of friendship shared by Thalapathy Vijay and Gautam Menon also works well throughout the film. While the second half has a lot of issues, what stands out in the latter part of the film is the chase sequence on the snow-capped highway alongside a ‘Bloody Sweet’ surprise in the last 30 seconds.

Lokesh Kanagaraj also establishes his LCU with Leo. While the interconnected cross-over of supporting characters isn’t as organic as expected, it serves as an interesting crowd-pleasing element to spike discussions and interest around the film. In fact, it’s the hype of LCU Connect becoming a reality that will be driving the collections of the film, as Leo promises the biggest casting coup in the history of Tamil Cinema. The biggest asset of Leo is the towering presence and performance of Thalapathy Vijay, and the aspect of him being presented as the voice of the common man, who can do anything to protect his family, even if it means putting his own life at risk.

Naa Reddy Song is well placed in the second half and also acts as a breather in the last hour of the film. Anirudh's BGM is fantastic as always, and elevates the impact of just about every routine sequence too. The production values are top-notch.

What doesn’t work for Leo?

Leo rides on a wafer-thin plot – In fact, the storytelling is as linear and predictable as it gets. While one expects some twists and turns in the narrative, Lokesh disappoints with a rather routine premise. While the writing in the first half manages to hold interest and even sets up well for the conflict to explode in the second half, things begin to drag majorly in the second half. Lokesh tries to infuse action to cover up the loopholes in the screenplay, but the ‘Maar Dhaad’ does not leave an impact in the second half due to the not-so-engaging narrative.

The entire backstory of Leo with Antony and Harold is a drag and fails to evoke the required emotions. The flashback goes on for too long without adding much to the narrative. Sanjay Dutt’s character is poorly written and half of the film’s impact is diluted due to the weak antagonist track. The entire conflict around Sanjay Dutt and Thalapathy Vijay just doesn’t work. The action design also starts to get repetitive in the second half, with the climax not delivering the required punch. It’s actually the last 30 seconds that infuse life into Leo. After a good build-up in the first half, the second half is a letdown.

The emotional outburst of Vijay on Trisha doesn’t leave an impact as the arc surrounding the latter's character in the second half is not convincing. The much-discussed hyena sequence is also nowhere close to the hype. The dialogues too miss out on the elevation.

The Performances in Leo

Leo rides on the shoulder of Thalapathy Vijay as the actor delivers a powerful performance. He underplays himself when needed to and roars like a tiger in the action blocks. Lokesh promised to explore a newer side of Vijay in Leo and that’s visible on the screen right from the first frame. While he is effortless in action sequences, watch out for his performance in the emotional blocks. Sanjay Dutt has a solid screen presence however is wasted in an under-cooked character. The same can be said for Arjun, as even Harold Das doesn’t leave a mark. Trisha does well in the limited part, whereas Gautam Menon is actually the surprise package of the film. As a police officer, Gautam gets one of the best-written roles in Leo. George Maryan as Constable Napolean does well and continues his character from where Kaithi ended. The rest of the ensemble did well in their respective roles.

Verdict of Leo

Leo works primarily due to the fast-paced narrative in the first half, Thalapathy Vijay’s powerful performance, and the LCU connection established through the film. The issue with LEO is in its wafer-thin plot, weak antagonist track, and routine writing in the second half which results in a drag. While fans of Vijay are in for a carnival due to the euphoria and hype surrounding the release, the rest might find it just about a one-time watch. However, its important to keep expectations under check - this isn't a Vikram or a Kaithi. 

From the box office front, Leo is an absolute winner as the thing with event cinema is the fact that it’s all fine till it's not outright bad i.e., even average is good enough. And Lokesh Kanagaraj’s content is decent enough for the anticipation. 

PS: Watch out for the last 30 seconds - which is definitely a money shot for the franchise going forward.