Kingdom (2025) Review: Why Vijay Deverakonda’s Spy Thriller Looks Great But Feels Empty

Kingdom brings Gowtam Tinnanuri back to Telugu cinema with a spy action drama that stars Vijay Deverakonda as Suri, Satyadev as Siva, and Venkitesh V.P. as Murugan. The film features Bhagyashri Borse, Bhoomi Shetty, and Manish Chaudhari in important roles that add layers to the main plot.

Released on July 30, 2025, the film comes from producers Sai Soujanya and Suryadevara Naga Vamsi. With Anirudh Ravichander handling music and cinematography split between Jomon T. John and Girish Gangadharan, Kingdom aimed to bring fresh energy to Telugu action films.

Story and Plot

The plot centers on Suri, an ordinary police constable who finds himself in a risky undercover mission in Sri Lanka. His assignment directly links to finding his brother Siva, who went missing years ago. As Suri digs deeper into a crime syndicate, the stakes keep rising.

The film moves between timelines to show the brothers’ strained relationship. I found the basic premise interesting, two brothers caught on different sides of a conflict. But the storytelling doesn’t give these ideas enough room to grow. The script tries juggling spy elements with family emotions but ends up losing grip on both.

Performances

Vijay Deverakonda puts real effort into playing Suri. He handles the physical demands well and brings a nervous energy to scenes where his character feels out of depth. I liked how he showed Suri’s growth from an uncertain constable to someone who adapts under pressure, even when the script doesn’t fully support that arc.

Satyadev starts strong as Siva, giving his scenes genuine weight in the first half. His presence adds gravity to the family drama at the heart of the story. Unfortunately, his role shrinks later when the film prioritizes action over character moments. Venkitesh V.P. plays Murugan with enough menace to make him feel threatening, though the character could have used more definition.

Strong Points

The film’s technical work stands out immediately. The camera work by Jomon T. John and Girish Gangadharan captures Sri Lankan settings with real beauty. Each shot feels carefully composed, especially during chase sequences and confrontations. The visuals alone make several scenes worth watching.

Anirudh Ravichander’s music adds punch to key moments. The background score knows when to step up during tense scenes and when to pull back. The sound mixing deserves praise too, action sequences feel immersive and loud in the right way. Production values stay high throughout, with detailed sets and authentic-looking locations that avoid the cheap feel some Telugu films fall into.

Problem Areas

The screenplay holds Kingdom back from being better. Despite strong technical support, the writing lacks the sharpness a spy thriller needs. Plot points feel convenient rather than earned. I noticed character motivations shifting without clear reasons, which made it hard to stay invested in what happens to them.

The second half speeds through crucial developments. After building tension slowly, the film rushes its resolutions. Important emotional beats get squeezed between action set pieces, leaving them feeling hollow. The climax arrives without the proper buildup, making it less impactful than it should be.

Reception

Review scores ranged from 2.25 to 3.5 across different platforms. IMDb users gave it 5.9 out of 10, while Times of India settled on 3.5. Critics mostly appreciated the technical craft and acting but pointed out problems with the story structure and emotional disconnect.

Audience reactions split down the middle. Many people praised Vijay Deverakonda for delivering a committed performance they felt was missing from his recent work. Some called it a proper return to form. Others couldn’t look past the weak storytelling, saying the film’s scale couldn’t hide its empty center. Social media showed this divide clearly, fans defended it while general viewers expressed disappointment.

Direction Quality

Gowtam Tinnanuri handles individual scenes with skill but struggles to tie everything together. The film shows he knows how to stage action and frame dramatic moments. What’s missing is the connective tissue that makes a good film feel like a complete journey rather than separate pieces stitched together.

His previous film Jersey worked because it had emotional honesty at its core. Kingdom reaches for bigger scale but loses that intimate touch. I kept waiting for moments that would make me care about these characters beyond surface level, but they rarely came. The film wants to be an emotional spy thriller but ends up being neither fully.

Closing Thoughts

Kingdom delivers on visual spectacle and shows Vijay Deverakonda can carry an action film with proper commitment. The technical crew does excellent work across cinematography, sound, and music. These elements create moments that feel genuinely cinematic.

But strong visuals and good performances can’t fix a weak foundation. The screenplay needed another draft or two to find its emotional center. The story moves without purpose in too many places, and the second half rushes when it should slow down for impact. What could have been a solid spy thriller ends up being a film that looks great but feels hollow.

I wanted to like Kingdom more than I did. It has pieces of a good film scattered throughout its runtime. But those pieces never come together into something memorable. For die-hard Vijay Deverakonda fans, there’s enough here to justify watching. For everyone else, it’s a technically impressive film that doesn’t leave much lasting impact once the credits roll.

Rating: 2.5/5