Leo film review: Raging Vijay's tryst with Lokesh's Cinematic Universe
Leo’s biggest strength is Vijay who has proved that he is not just a star but also a phenomenal performer
Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Leo is a tried and tested commercial entertainer that we have seen in many blockbuster films in the past, but here, the director has beautifully elevated the ordinary man who hides his violent past to save his family. The way Lokesh has extracted the best from Vijay and showcased his rage throughout the film is something we haven’t seen in him in his entire career.
Parthiban (Vijay) is a simple family man who lives with his wife Sathya (Trisha) and their two kids. Life goes smooth for them until Parthiban murders a group of criminals when they try to kill his daughter and an innocent worker of his bakery. As Parthiban’s pictures get published in the media, a notorious gang from Andhra Pradesh thinks that he is Leo (a deadly gangster who was believed to be dead 20 years ago). Leo’s father Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt), uncle Harold Das (Arjun), and hundreds of henchmen camp in Kashmir to know whether Parthiban is really Leo or someone else. Now, can Parthiban save his family from these deadly criminals?
Leo’s biggest strength is Vijay who has proved that he is not just a star but also a phenomenal performer. The way he exhibits his anger throughout the film is incredible. The actor also scores excellent in emotional and intense action sequences. Leo also has adorable moments featuring Vijay and his family; especially, the bond between him and his kids come as a relief in a film filled with high-octane action sequences.
Slow second half
However, the film dips with the pace in the second half when the superstitious angle of Sanjay Dutt and the enmity between Vijay and Arjun does not work in favour of the film. The writing lacks the punch in the flashback portions and fails to establish an emotional connection with the audiences.
Finally, in the climax, the film gains back the momentum, with Vijay revealing his true identity and Lokesh connecting the film with his Cinematic Universe of Vikram and Kaithi. Performance wise, Trisha has done her job well but Sanjay Dutt and Arjun are not up to the mark.
Technically, Anirudh deserves a huge applause for his background score. Some of the montage tracks, like I’m not Scared and Villain Yaruda, elevate the film along with the Badass track and pulsating background score. There is no flaw in Manoj Paramahamsa’s exemplary visuals and Anbariv’s hair-raising action sequences. The visual effects in the hyena sequence and the car chase sequences have come out really well, on a par with Hollywood standards.
Overall, Leo is a film where the first half is out of the park but the second half is more like a prolonged test innings with a spiced-up climax in the form of LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe) formula.
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