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Krishnashankar 21 days ago

Fk 37 days ago.

Leo movie is the master piece of LCU and Leo is my favorite movie of vijay all movies

avin 89 days ago

Especially the screenplay.... The best ever screenplay in tamil cinema I ever seen....

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Supper dupper hit thalapathy sir.sorry MR.LEO DAS

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“Leo,” a formulaic but satisfying Indian remake of “ A History of Violence ,” both is and isn’t exactly what it looks like. You won’t be disappointed if you’re expecting a boisterous, bloody, and bass-heavy action musical about a coffee shop owner who must protect his wife and kids from a paranoid drug dealer who claims that our family man is actually a vicious ex-gangster. “Leo” is otherwise business as usual, especially if you see it for Tamil-language speaking star Vijay, as many opening day ticketholders already have .

Vijay’s last few action movies have also served as overstuffed showcases for the chipmunk-cheeked leading man. Vijay (“Beast,” “Varisu”), a former child actor, still doesn’t have much range, but he doesn’t really need to. He’s an action star, and he looks good whenever he’s dispatching scads of heavies with his feet, fists, and various mallets and blades. (Action choreographer/stunt coordinator duo Abumani and Arivumani are credited with planning the movie’s “Action” under their “Anbariv” stage name.)

Vijay looks less at ease whenever he tries to make a multidimensional character out of cafe owner/animal rescuer Parthiban, though his discomfort only adds tension to his character’s identity crisis. Reteaming with “Master” writer/director Lokesh Kanagaraj , Vijay once again asserts his all-utility qualifications: he can wrestle a computer-generated hyena into submission, lead a warehouse full of extras in a (mostly fine) dance number, and even punch drug dealer Antony Das ( Sanjay Dutt ) through the air and into a Land Rover.

Vijay’s drive to affect any mood, style, or pose isn’t unusual for such a popular and charismatic marquee topper. Still, it is striking to see Vijay, still eternally youthful despite his fastidiously stylized beard’s skunk streaks, play a character who protests this much whenever he’s confronted with his killer reputation. There’s even an anthemic song that, in a couple of scenes, suggests that “Mr. Leo Das is a badass.” So, who does Vijay think he’s fooling?

Parthiban, thankfully, doesn’t need to be believable as anything other than a pretext for melodramatic fireworks. In character, Vijay appears convincing enough as a stern but loving dad to pouty pre-teen Mathi (Iyal) and polite adolescent Siddharth ( Mathew Thomas ), as well as a doting but paternal husband to Sathya (Trisha). Some incidental details suggest that, in the town of Theog, Parthiban has a reputation as “an ordinary person, yeah, just a peace lovin’ soul,” as one song goes. Vijay’s still more convincing when he’s inexplicably—but efficiently!—dispatching wave after wave of violent baddies, all of whom either assume Parthiban’s actually Leo Das, Antony’s estranged son, or simply have no clue who they’re dealing with.

A good part of what makes “Leo” so charming is that it’s already so familiar, both for its something-for-everyone mood swings and its pulpy stock plot. There’s no satirical edge here, not like there was in the movie version of “A History of Violence.” But that’s to be expected in a vehicle for a star who, when his character tries to win over his young daughter, dances to the strains of “Thanmani Pookkun” from Tamil icon Prabhu’s 1995 romantic drama “Pasumpon.” In another scene, we hear relatively modern movie music from the 2005 Vijay crime drama “Thirupaachi,” which further hints at “Leo”’s cinematic lineage.

If you already know Vijay, you probably also know what he’s capable of. He reminds us in “Leo” during fight scenes, most of which are composed and cut as dynamically as they are choreographed. Vijay also lightly tests viewers’ expectations whenever Parthiban laments or protests that he couldn’t possibly be Leo. Don’t listen to that song, no matter how many times it’s played: how could you ever doubt that face?

As with many action stars, Vijay’s presence creates its own reality-defying standards of normalcy. In a voiceover aside, he suggests that he (Parthiban) must believe in himself first to be more convincing to everyone else. That’s the nature of this type of movie, whose baggy pacing might still test the patience of anyone who just wants to watch Vijay stab a hyena and maybe also gawk at Sanjay Dutt, I mean Antony Das, as he sacrifices a goat at his Satanic-looking shrine, complete with a pentacle and giant bird of prey statue. Anything can be normal if you’re already invested.

Vijay’s performance is sometimes a little too strained, especially when Parthiban/Leo’s emotional outbursts have to bring a scene to a new level of emotional intensity. Then again, nonchalance doesn’t suit Vijay. He seems to care too much even when he, in character, casually blows away a few more non-descript baddies. If you’re watching “Leo,” it should be to see Vijay show off in between animal attacks, car flips, and celebrity cameos. And even if you don’t expect much from “Leo,” it still might give you exactly what you need.

In theaters now.

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

• Vijay as Parthiban / Leo Das
• Sanjay Dutt as Antony Das
• Trisha Krishnan as Satya
• Arjun Sarja as Harold Das
• Deeraj Vaidy
• Lokesh Kanagaraj
• Rathna Kumar

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Leo Review: A One-Man Show By Vijay; Actor Delivers Terrific Performance In Lokesh Kanagaraj Film

Written By : Sonil Dedhia

Edited By: Shrishti Negi

Last Updated: October 19, 2023, 09:04 IST

Mumbai, India

• 19 October 2023 | Tamil
• 2 hrs 44 mins | Action, Crime, Drama
• Starring: Vijay, Sanjay Dutt, Trisha Krishnan
• Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
• Music: Anirudh Ravichander

Leo Movie Review: Thalapathy Vijay's performance is easily one of the highpoints of Lokesh Kanagaraj's film.

Leo Movie Review: The most exciting fact about Leo, when it was originally announced, was the reunion of filmmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj and Vijay and the whole idea of it being a part of LCU (Lokesh Cinematic Universe). After leaving a strong mark with his uniquely entertaining films such as Kaithi and Vikram, Kanagaraj takes a quantum leap to attempt something highly ambitious with Vijay, who is inarguably one of the biggest stars in the country. Leo, an action thriller, is the filmmaker’s attempt at going big in terms of vision and scale which is only let down by lethargic writing.

Let’s get it straight, the story of Leo isn’t anything new, so everything lies in the treatment of the screenplay. Parthiban aka Parthi (Vijay) runs a coffee shop in Himachal Pradesh and is happily married to Sathya (Trisha) with two kids. One day he is attacked by ruthless gangsters Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun Sarja), who assume Parthiban as Anthony’s son Leo Das. What happens next? How does Parthi handle the mayhem? Is Parthiban Leo Das? These questions form the crux of the film.

Kanagaraj tries to take the ‘Vikram’ route once again retaining the family-thriller formula, but the mixed genres instead of complementing each other, annihilate each other’s space. The thrilling story does intrigue you using its smart traps and some interesting action pieces but it just loses momentum on switching between a pacy actioner, and a lame family story.

The filmmaker has surely catered to Vijay’s fans by including several applause-worthy moments, which will make fans jump in their seats. Parthiban is one of the neatly fleshed-out characters in the world of Leo. He is unapologetic and is willing to go to any extent to save his family. He stands up and doesn’t care about the consequences. One of the biggest highlights of the film is the background scene. Anirudh rarely disappoints and the same is the case with Leo. He raised the bar with Rajinikant’s Jailer and the BGM in Leo isn’t there but it’s the real deal.

However, the film is bogged down by the lack of inventiveness. There is no powerful villain to take on Vijay and make the proceedings interesting. It is Vijay’s show all the way and he headlines this clichéd thriller. The action sequences, which were highly talked about much before release, stand out and Vijay kills it with his charisma in these scenes. There are places where style supersedes substance, so much so that you can’t enjoy it after a point. The filmmaker tries to be imaginative and break out of clichés but he keeps using the oldest tricks in the book whenever he runs out of ideas. The story very clearly (and rightly so) keeps Vijay as the centre of attraction, but the problem starts when he’s the ‘only’ centre of attraction because there’s not much happening around him.

Thalapathy Vijay’s performance is easily one of the highpoints of Leo. Trisha gets a decent screen time, but her character doesn’t add much value to the story. Filmmaker Gautham Vasudev Menon has given an effortless performance. On the other hand, Sanjay Dutt is unfortunately wasted in the film. His charisma seems to be missing and his character looks weak in front of Vijay’s character in the film.

Despite a promising premise, Kangaraj falls for the very similar filmmaking trap of compromising style with substance. It’s not that there’s nothing significant here but there are a lot of insignificant speed-breakers which become the issue. The almost three-hour run time also makes you a bit iffy in your seat. The connection between Kaithi and Vikram to create the LCU seems a bit forced. If only the makers would have kept the action at the core, this would’ve been an amazing attempt majorly because of its cinematic style.

All said and done, this is pure entertainment fodder for Vijay fans and one should rightfully expect the same from it. But if you’re looking for a solid storyline this one is not for you. Far from roaring, Leo just squeaks past for its few moments of some action sequences and Vijay’s terrific screen presence.

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‘Leo’ movie review: A fiery Vijay valiantly tries to keep afloat Lokesh Kanagaraj’s weakest film yet

Director lokesh kanagaraj loads this ‘a history of violence’ re-telling with several (action) genre treats as gunpowder, the performer in vijay as ammunition, and shoots it with a lot of filmmaking fury... only to miss.

Updated - October 19, 2023 05:58 pm IST

Vijay in a still from ‘Leo’ | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In Lokesh Kanagaraj we trust.

You have witnessed the inspiring evolution of a filmmaker in four films. You are naturally soaked with all the pre-release fanfare, drama, fan theories, ticket-buying frenzy and whatnot. You have shuffled around all the pieces of information like a puzzle to set just the right expectations. And yet, when you step into Leo , if you forget all that and are overcome by euphoria — a joy that trickles down to your belief in a filmmaker’s vision — it’s largely because of the trust and goodwill he has earned.

But the trust, unfortunately, gets tested at times. Leo , starring Vijay, is a test of faith for Lokesh and his audiences. He attempts an ingenious re-telling of David Cronenberg ’s 2005 drama A History of Violence , a story about a small-town family man forced to put up a fervent fight against despicable men chasing after his blood. It’s a done-to-dust routine, partly reminiscent of even Vijay’s own Theri directed by Atlee, but in the hands of a filmmaker who made Kaithi and Vikram , the narrative finds fresh opportunity to be pushed to its limits and become a pure-genre Lokesh Kanagaraj actioner.

Lokesh loads this potent outline with several (action) genre treats as gunpowder, the performer in Vijay as ammunition, and shoots it with a lot of filmmaking fury... only to miss.

It’s also apparent where he misses the target. Lokesh justifiably has a lot to do in setting up the world of Parthiban (Vijay), a bakery owner and part-time animal rescuer living the quiet small-town life in Theog, Himachal Pradesh. A wonderfully-conceived and designed scene of a hyena rescue sets the mood for what’s about to come to Parthi, and his family that includes a concerned wife Sathya (Trisha), a son with teenage angst Siddharth (Mathew Thomas), and his daughter Chintu (Iyal) who likes to dance with her dad.

Leo (Tamil)

If the hyena rescue shows us what we are to believe of our hero, what sets the stage for this character is a show-stealing scene at his bakery, when a bunch of reckless hoodlums (played by Mysskin, Sandy and others) wreak havoc. A scene that Cronenberg and writer Josh Olson built purely to infuse nerve-wracking tension in their film gets an outright Lokesh treatment, right from the stereo playing 90s Tamil songs like ‘Karu Karu Karupayi’ and ‘Thamarai Poovukkum’ to close-ups tapering into Vijay’s face before what we know is coming.

Interestingly, Leo also delves even deeper than A History of Violence into an innocent man’s psyche after his family is exposed to a nasty world.

While Lokesh continues to build all he has to, you get a hint of worry that the story still hasn’t introduced the chief antagonists —Antony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and his brother Harold Das (Arjun) — who believe that Parthi could possibly be the formerly-presumed dead Leo Das (an uber-cool Vijay). You wonder if the remaining runtime could sustain the expectations from the anticipated flashback as well as the character arcs of the Das family. Lokesh’s Leo , to much disappointment, derails here, becoming his weakest film to date. It loses out on the whole “Who is Leo Das and why did he turn against his own people?” question, the pillar on which the entire film rests. And you never really care for any of the Das gangster squadron.

Even a stunningly-conceived car chase sequence (unlike anything on Tamil screens before) cannot save this actioner from losing its zeal; the many boring knife fights only dampen it further. Furthermore, Lokesh might have teased us with what he could do with the romance angle in the beginning, but the emotional beats and Sathya’s character arc wither away before long.

The filmmaker does manage to tap into the performer in Vijay — the star delivers what the scenes demand — but scene-writing blues can cut deep; it’s disappointing that Lokesh the writer (Rathna Kumar and Deeraj Vaidy share credits with him in Leo ) who we are familiar with from Vikram, delivers this substandard attempt at what could have been a fascinating character study.

If you already know the answer to whether Leo is part of the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, but prefer to be in denial till you watch the film.... this is a cue to exit. But Leo does make one wonder if the filmmaker’s knack for world-building doesn’t extend to universe-building, as everything about the LCU in Leo feels dreadfully forced.

Only the excitement to witness Kamal Haasan and Vijay — the stars — together on-screen remains, but will we be really invested in watching Parthiban enter the world of Vikram? How Lokesh will carry the story forward with five leading stars in the game remains to be seen. The end credits soundtrack, the ‘I’m Scared’ surprise zinger, and the many callbacks to Vikram prove that composer Anirudh Ravichander remains the heartbeat of Lokesh’s Cinematic Universe.

Leo might have missed the mark, but the impact of Lokesh’s previous films is such that the audiences will continue to bat for him. In Lokesh, we still believe... for now.

Leo is currently running in theatres

Published - October 19, 2023 04:53 pm IST

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• best-review
• Oct 17, 2023
• One of Vijay's finest performances (not as a star, but as an actor): The first half is replete with moments where Vijay showcases emotions as a doting father, husband, cafe owner, and animal lover.
• The writing in the first half: Superb, even when it's A History of Violence contextualized for Tamil sensibilities. Every scene carries a decent tempo, and the developments make you sit up. The whole hyena angle is beautifully executed, and its payoff in the climax is wonderful. The title card placement is a nice creative touch on Lokesh's part.
• Brilliant cinematography: Manoj Paramahamsa's frames wonderfully capture the Kashmiri locales (even though the film is "set" in Theog, Himachal Pradesh) with Parthipan's (Vijay) cafe looking remarkably aesthetic in that first fight sequence. When the film gets action-heavy, the use of the mocobot camera is put to fine effect.
• A pretty solid supporting cast: Whether it be Trisha (who looks absolutely dashing), Gautham Menon, Arjun Sarja, Sanjay Dutt, or Mathew Thomas, they deliver what the writing expects them to. It's just that the antagonists (Dutt, Sarja) lack sufficient fleshing out for us to care about their motives.
• Anirudh's music: While I feel he overdid the score a bit in the film, the elevation points (particularly a 10-15 minute pre-interval stretch) are fabulous, courtesy of his compositions. Badass Ma is the clear standout, but Naa Ready also worked thanks to the choreography. The English bits in the score were tremendous, and I can't wait to blast them on Spotify for my workouts once the OST is uploaded.
• A lackluster second half: The whole flashback segment suffers from tepid writing. A key character is introduced only to be killed off just a few minutes later. The writing doesn't give us any time to register this character, let alone connect emotionally. This then becomes the driving force for the protagonist's subsequent actions. The whole "identity crisis" aspect also wears out, because there's only so much you can do with it. In totality, this is a 75% Lokesh, 25% Vijay film.
• Some tacky CGI: While this doesn't hamper the viewing experience overall, you'll come across not-so-great CG work in certain parts. This is especially the case in a car chase sequence.
• The LCU connect: Felt somewhat inorganic and forced. Given the film takes place geographically far away from the proceedings of the LCU, I felt it stood a better chance as a standalone piece. There are some interesting cameos yes, but nothing that gives you the wowness of Vikram, or even Kaithi for that matter. Lokesh definitely reserved his best for Aandavar.
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'Leo' Movie Review: Vijay delivers power-packed performance in Lokesh's actioner

Director lokesh kanagaraj's 'leo', starring thalapathy vijay, sanjay dutt and arjun sarja, is a top-notch action entertainer with a predictable story. thalapathy vijay's performance and anirudh ravichander's music elevate this film, says our review..

Listen to Story

• Thalapathy Vijay's 'Leo' released in theatres on October 19.
• Vijay plays the titular role with Sanjay Dutt as the main antagonist.
• The action thriller is helmed by Lokesh Kanagaraj.

Release Date: 19 Oct, 2023

Commercial films, these days, fall into two categories. They're either too good or so bad that's it good. When a commercial film is tastefully done, the euphoria you feel inside the theatre is unexplainable. That’s exactly what you feel when you watch director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ‘Leo’. With a career-best performance from Vijay and brilliant filmmaking, ‘Leo’ is a paisa vasool entertainer.

Parthiban (Vijay) is an animal rescuer and a bakery owner in a small village in Himachal Pradesh. His wife, Sathya (Trisha), son Siddharth (Mathew Thomas) and Chintu make for a happy family. Parthiban is a doting father and doesn’t believe in violence. One day, dacoits enter his bakery, which unveils an aggressive side of Parthiban and results in the death of five gangsters.

This incident sets the ball rolling and destroys the peace in Parthiban's life. After the incident, the story moves to Telangana, where we are introduced to Das and Co, headed by Anthony Das (Sanjay Dutt) and Harold Das (Arjun Das). Parthiban resembles Harold's son, Leo Das. Harold goes all the way to Himachal Pradesh to find him to seek revenge.

Why are they behind Parthiban? What does Leo have in connection with Parthiban? Are they the same person? Most importantly, is ‘Leo’ connected to Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU)? If so, how ? All these are answered over two hours and 44 minutes.

Time and again, Lokesh Kanagaraj proves that he’s one of the best filmmakers we have now. With ‘Leo’, he proves that he can take a done-to-death story and elevate it to Hollywood standards. This film’s story is all about how a changed man who wants to hide his past will go to any lengths to protect his family. Lokesh’s screenplay, which is co-written by Rathna Kumar and Deeraj Vaidy, is full of solid moments that keep the audience wanting more.

As the title card runs, we get to know Lokesh is inspired by ‘History of Violence’ and ‘Leo’ is his tribute to the Hollywood film. He stays true to his word and we can safely say that ‘Leo’ is one of the most violent films in recent times. Thalapathy Vijay has delivered his career-best performance, be it action scenes or emotional sequences.

While the first half is packed with many theatrical moments, the second half turns more predictable. The final act ends up being a tad bit dramatic as well. The flashback of the Das and Co gang could have been a bit more creative. That said, ‘Leo’ is a near-perfect commercial entertainer, which will make us savour the theatrical moments. Also, Lokesh has packed in several surprises throughout the film. While some were revealed during the filming, others managed to get the audience excited.

Performance-wise, ‘Leo’ is Thalapathy Vijay’s show all the way. He shoulders the film with his charm. Trisha as Sathya has limited scope. However, their chemistry in an emotional scene will remind us of their previous films, including ‘Ghilli’. Sanjay Dutt looks like the usual antagonist imported from Bollywood. He still impresses us with his dialogue delivery. Arjun Sarja takes us back to the 90s when he flexes his muscles. However, the acting scope for Sanjay and Arjun isn’t as much as expected. Gautham Menon, Mysskin, Sandy and Mansoor Ali Khan performed their roles to the T.

‘Leo’ is an action bonanza and credits should be given to choreographer duo Anbariv for the high-octant stunts. The car chase sequence in the second half deserved to be watched and celebrated on the big screen.

Spoilers ahead!

‘Leo’ has Lokesh Kanagaraj’s stamp all over and he interestingly connects it to the Lokesh Cinematic Universe, which made the entire theatre erupt in joy.

Anirudh Ravichander is having a phenomenal year with back-to-back successes. After ‘Jailer’ and ‘Jawan’, he scored a hattrick with ‘Leo’. His background music and the songs amp up the masala moments quite well. Cinematographer Manoj Paramahamsa and editor Philomin Job ably do the job well.

‘Leo’ is a massy commercial actioner with brilliant stunt pieces that deserve a theatrical watch.

• TN Navbharat
• ET Now Swadesh
• Times Drive
• Health and Me

Leo Movie Review: Thalapathy Vijay, Lokesh Kanagaraj deliver solid action film

Updated Jun 28, 2024, 14:40 IST

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Critic's Ratings

Action, Crime, Thriller

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Leo Movie Review: Final Verdict

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