Das CH
Das CH
“Leo,” starring Vijay and Trisha, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj with music by Anirudh, stirred mixed reviews. Despite this, it became a blockbuster, fueled by the LCU franchise craze. Controversies, notably Mansoor Ali Khan’s statements about Trisha, and speculations about Leo’s character flashback being fake added intrigue. Netflix secured the OTT rights, and the film is now streaming. Now that it’s available for viewing, here is my take on “Leo.”
“Leo,” director Lokesh Kanagaraj takes audiences on a journey marked by both highs and lows. The film opens with an okayish note, introducing the protagonist with a Hyena scene that captures attention, but the subsequent family scenes are deemed a bit tedious. The pace of character building in the first half appears to suffer from lag, occasionally leaving viewers bored, despite a decent cafe fight. Anirudh’s background music earns applause, contributing to the film’s atmosphere.
As the narrative progresses into the second half, criticism surfaces regarding the overbuild-up of the protagonist, raising questions about the balance in Leo’s character story. The anticipation for the last 10 minutes is contrasted with the perceived challenge of enduring a 2.5-hour runtime. The director’s choice of Leo as a puppet within the larger context of the LCU surprises, prompting contemplation on the acceptance of such a role by a star hero. While a couple of good scenes, the interval, and the climax salvage some moments, the overall sentiment leans towards dissatisfaction.
Comparisons with other films, like “KGF” and “Bigil,” highlight a desire for more efficient storytelling. The delayed revelation of the story and the extensive time dedicated to character elevation are criticized, drawing contrasts with directors like Atlee who managed impactful storytelling in a shorter duration. The film, according to this perspective, struggles to balance between portraying the protagonist as neither an ordinary man nor a badass, leaving viewers questioning the effectiveness of the character-building approach taken by the filmmaking team in “Leo.”
