Kingdom Movie Review: Vijay Deverakonda starrer starts strong, crumbles in the second half

Vijay Deverakonda starrer Kingdom is finally in theaters on July 31, 2025. The movie, directed by Jersey fame Gowtam Tinnanuri, is a spy action drama with Satyadev and Bhagyashri Borse as co-leads.

Let’s assess if the film lives up to its essence and how it has fared overall.

The Plot

Kingdom starts off with a story set in the 1920s, where a Telugu-speaking tribe called Divi is fighting off the British invaders. As they are at the brink of failure, they find hope that a saviour will eventually come to help them out.

Almost 70 years later, we are introduced to police constable Suriya aka Suri, a man who is in search of his long-lost brother. In a twist of fate, the policeman is assigned to infiltrate a Telugu-speaking section in Sri Lanka operating a crime syndicate, led by Suri’s brother, Siva.

How Suri manages to infiltrate the syndicate, whether he rescues his brother, and what obstacles he faces in his mission form the entire story.

The Good

Kingdom starts with immense hope in Telugu cinema. A bold venture in layering multiple genres into a single narrative. At first glance, one would believe it is simply a spy actioner, but deep into the plot, we understand how it is attempting to mix emotions and a sense of survival for the characters.

With Vijay Deverakonda and Satyadev giving impressive performances, the film rides heavily on their brotherhood. From a story perspective, the first half offers a glimpse that evokes heroism, and the emotions often resonate.

While the narrative takes a stumble as we enter the second half, there are a few moments that make one crave that it could get better, even if in vain. With a brilliant climax and pre-climax, the movie had potential but remains unsatisfactory.

A few scenes in the second half, including one with a boat and another reminiscent of Game of Thrones’ Red Wedding, will leave the viewer baffled with their execution and performance.

Heading to the technical aspects of the movie, Anirudh Ravichander once again cooks up a hard-hitting score, underlining why he is considered the best in the market. Unlike previous ventures, Anirudh mixes his EDM style with subtlety, unlocking a new flavor in his skills.

On the other hand, Girish Gangadharan (GG) and Jomon T. John have made every aspect of the visuals come to life. If one has followed the works of GG from Jallikattu and Vikram days, it would be evident how his signature lighting and composition have played out in capturing Sri Lanka’s beauty to the fullest.

Moreover, the action sequences were one of the finest to hit Telugu cinema in recent years.

The Bad

Kingdom sets high expectations with its first half, and as we enter the latter part of the film, one feels hit with a sucker punch. The writing, aside from characterizations, is packed with clichés, making us feel that we have already seen this.

Similar to various movies that were released after KGF, this film also suffers from the second-half curse, wanting to leave more for a part 2. Apart from a few good moments, Kingdom stretches out every ounce in a proper film to make it a duology.

A cliffhanger that one could expect from the film’s start itself, the makers managed to ruin a potentially great venture by making it a two-parter. In efforts to convert the film into a fast-paced venture, Naveen Nooli underperforms as an editor, managing to leave out even crucial parts to establish an emotional connection between characters.

The cliche-filled storyline just becomes exhausting after a point, tiring us with how a selfish person becomes the savior of his people. To an extent, it even feels like the lite version of Suriya’s Retro.

With a sub-par execution by Gowtam Tinnanuri, Bhagyashri Borse’s character was nerfed, leaving us wondering whether she was just included for name sake and promotions.

The Performances

Vijay Deverakonda manages to overcome his recent slump in performance with Kingdom. The actor has visibly poured in his efforts to make his character plausible, even though some moments remind one of Arjun Reddy.

With Vijay doing his best, Satyadev gives a proper balance to the narrative with his performance as Siva. Moreover, Venkitesh VP stands out as a credible main antagonist.

Watch the trailer for Kingdom:

The Verdict

Kingdom is not a bad film, but it had the possibility of becoming a great venture, which it has failed to achieve. If you want to witness a great performance by Vijay, then surely give this a watch in theaters.

ALSO READ: Kingdom Movie Twitter Review: Is Vijay Deverakonda starrer HIT or FLOP? Read 13 tweets if you are planning to watch the film