Movie Name: Kingston
Release Date: March 7, 2025
Filmyjosh Rating: 2.5/5
Starring: G V Prakash Kumar, Dhivyabharathi, Chetan, Azhagam Perumaal, Elango Kumaravel, Sabumon Abdusamad, Antony, Arunachaleswaran, Rajesh Balachandiran
Director: Kamal Prakash
Producers: G V Prakash Kumar & Umesh K R Bansal
Music Director: G V Prakash Kumar
Cinematographer: Gokul Benoy
Editor: San Lokesh
Related Links: Trailer
Kingston, the latest Tamil movie starring G V Prakash Kumar, is being marketed as India’s first sea adventure film. The movie has now been released in Telugu under the same title. Here’s a review of how it fares.
Story:
Set in 1982, the coastal village of Thoovathur in Tamil Nadu is plagued by a paranormal curse, which forces the villagers to abandon their livelihood of fishing. Fast forward to the present day, Kingston, known as King (G V Prakash Kumar), is a greedy man working for a smuggling gang led by Thomas (Sabumon Abdusamad) in Thoothukudi. As he discovers dark secrets, King decides to leave the gang behind and tries to revive the fishing tradition of his village. He sets sail, determined to break the curse, but he soon faces the deadly consequences of doing so. The film explores whether King can break the curse or if he will become its next victim.
Plus Points:
Kingston does have a few moments that work, especially in the second half when the sea adventure sequences take center stage. The scenes set in the ocean are relatively well-handled, managing to create some tension and intrigue.
G V Prakash Kumar gives a solid performance as Kingston. He carries the film as best as he can, bringing some energy to the proceedings. A few thrilling moments in the latter part of the movie succeed in keeping the audience curious about what will happen next.
Minus Points:
Despite being marketed as India’s first sea adventure film, Kingston falls short due to weak storytelling and uneven execution. The film lacks a gripping screenplay, making it difficult to maintain interest from start to finish. Instead of engaging the audience, it drags on with repetitive and unnecessary flashbacks.
The back-and-forth narration slows the pace considerably, hindering the connection to the core plot. Flashbacks interrupt crucial junctures without adding much to the story. Additionally, the film’s style feels heavily inspired by KGF, with overdone hype-building techniques and flashcards that feel forced and fail to add any substance.
The first half moves slowly, causing viewers to become impatient. While the second half picks up a bit, the lack of depth in execution keeps the film from delivering the thrilling experience it aspires to.
The casting is underwhelming, with several supporting characters failing to leave a significant impact. Dhivyabharathi’s role feels unnecessary, and many others don’t add much value to the narrative.
Technical Aspects:
Director Kamal Prakash, in his debut, attempts something different with Kingston, but struggles with both the screenplay and execution. The narrative would have benefited from tighter structuring and better pacing to make the film more compelling.
G V Prakash Kumar’s music is average, failing to elevate the emotional or thrilling moments of the film. The VFX, especially in the sea sequences, is subpar, which makes these scenes less believable.
The cinematography is decent, though the editing feels sluggish in certain areas, making the film unnecessarily long. The production values are mediocre, and the Telugu dubbing is just about passable.
Verdict:
Overall, Kingston is an underwhelming attempt at a sea adventure thriller. While G V Prakash Kumar delivers a solid performance, the film is weighed down by a weak screenplay, unnecessary flashbacks, poor VFX, and slow pacing. With only a few engaging moments in the second half, Kingston ultimately fails to hold the viewer’s attention and leaves no lasting impact.
Filmyjosh Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by Filmyjosh Team