Rating:2.25/5
Story:
Kanguva's narrative unfolds across two distinct timelines and centers around a child. The two lead characters, Francis and Kanguva, portrayed by Suriya, develop a connection with the child under different situations. The story raises questions about the identities of those associated with the child and whether Kanguva and Francis, within their respective timelines, were able to rescue him from malevolent forces, forming the crux of the plot.
Performances:
Suriya did his best in both lead characters and tried to carry the entire film on his shoulders. However, despite his sincere efforts, his performance lacked the required effect because of poor writing. While Francis sounded like a nonsensical character, Kanguva, the title role, too fell way short of expectations as it was not properly established, and all Suriya had to do was scream loudly almost in every scene. Bobby Deol appeared as a cruel villain, and he was okay. Disha Patani sizzled in the first song, and she does not have much scope to perform. Natarajan Subramaniam was able to make his presence felt despite appearing for a short duration while KS Ravikumar, Yogi Babu, Kovai Sarala, Mansoor Ali Khan, and others were just present.
What worked for the film:
Director Siva (known as Siruthai Siva) is largely famous for making mass entertainers. With Kanguva, he attempted a big-budget fantasy/periodic genre for the first time. He was successful in setting up the world visually and handling a few important episodes of the film very well. The introduction of Kanguva and the simultaneous sentiment episode came good. Also, the Hima Kona episode in the second half was superb.
What did not work for the film:
The biggest drawback for Kanguva is the underwhelming writing. The storyline for sure had a good emotional depth, but the way director Siva handled the characters and important scenes was poor. The key twist at the pre-interval is predictable, and it disturbs the flow of the next fight episode. The titular role, Kanguva, gets a grand introduction scene that raises the expectations; however, Kanguva's character eventually comes across as rather repetitive. Also, the four clans and the regions they live in were not explained properly, which adds to the confusion. The initial portions of the present timeline were supposed to bring some entertainment, but they are outright silly except for one or two scenes involving the kid. The second half, which could have turned the tables, ends up as a heavy disappointment as the expected emotional connection between the kid and Kanguva goes missing. Also, the climax feels like a never-ending episode.
Kanguva Review and Verdict:
Kanguva tries to be an ambitious film with a one-of-a-kind setting. However, the movie turns out to be a disappointing fare, except for several notable moments. Although Director Siruthai Siva's intention was apparent, he struggled to deliver the idea with the desired impact. Suriya did his part well, but weak writing did not allow him to excel.
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