Empuraan Review: Visually Rich, Painfully Boring

What Is the Film About?

Empuraan, the much-awaited sequel to Lucifer, takes the audience back into the world of power, politics, and deception. The story revolves around Jathin Ramdas (Tovino Thomas), who shocks Kerala by forming an alliance with a radical right-wing party, ASA. With growing political instability, all eyes turn to Stephen Nedumpally (Mohanlal), aka Lucifer, to restore balance. The central plot explores Lucifer’s tactics and strategies to safeguard the future of the state.

Mohanlal’s Performance: A Style-Driven Act

Mohanlal, a legendary actor, is undeniably the film’s biggest attraction. However, Empuraan fails to give him a fresh or engaging character arc. His performance, while charismatic, relies heavily on slow-motion sequences and grand introductions. In fact, the movie features nearly seven different hero-entry moments, emphasizing style over substance. While his screen presence is magnetic, there’s little depth in his performance beyond what fans have seen countless times before. The only refreshing aspect is that Mohanlal dubs in Telugu, adding some authenticity for regional audiences.

Supporting Cast: Underutilized and Underdeveloped

The film brings back several key actors from Lucifer, but most of them suffer from underdeveloped character arcs. Manju Warrier, reprising her role, remains a work in progress, leaving much to be desired.

Tovino Thomas delivers a decent performance as Jathin Ramdas, but his character’s conclusion feels abrupt and underwhelming. Prithviraj Sukumaran, who also directs the film, gets some action-packed moments towards the climax but doesn’t leave a strong impact. Newcomer Abhimanyu Singh plays a typical antagonist without much complexity. Jerome Flynn, known for his role in Game of Thrones, is utterly wasted in a role that barely registers.

Indrajith Sukumaran’s character, Govardhan, plays a crucial part in the plot but doesn’t offer much scope for performance. The remaining supporting cast is present only for fragmented moments, failing to create a lasting impression.

Technical Aspects: Cinematic Brilliance with Flaws

Music and Background Score

Deepak Dev provides the music and background score, but the soundtrack is largely forgettable. There is only one song in the entire film, which barely makes an impact. The background score, while grand at times, often feels excessive and fails to add emotional weight.

Cinematography and Editing

Visually, Empuraan is stunning. The cinematography captures the grandeur of vast landscapes and high-stakes political settings beautifully. Each frame is designed to enhance the larger-than-life appeal of the film. However, the editing leaves much to be desired. The pacing feels sluggish, and the film’s excessive runtime only adds to the monotony. A tighter edit could have improved the engagement factor significantly.

Screenplay and Direction

Prithviraj Sukumaran, as a director, delivers a technically sound film with high production values. However, the screenplay struggles with coherence. The film constantly shifts between different locations—Kerala, Gujarat, and West Africa—without a seamless narrative flow. The introduction of multiple characters and political subplots further complicates the storytelling, making it difficult for the audience to stay invested.

Analysis: The Good and the Bad

Highlights

• Visually stunning cinematography with grand production values.
• Mohanlal’s undeniable screen presence.
• A massive star cast with promising character setups.
• Slick presentation with a big-screen appeal.

Drawbacks

• Weak storyline with minimal emotional depth.
• Half-baked character arcs that fail to connect with the audience.
• Interpol subplot feels unnecessary and drags the narrative.
• Excessive runtime with slow pacing.
• Lack of a powerful soundtrack to elevate key moments.

Final Verdict: Style Over Substance

Empuraan is a film that looks grand but feels empty. While Mohanlal’s presence keeps fans engaged, the weak narrative and lack of emotional impact make it a forgettable experience. Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers a visually rich film, but the screenplay lacks the gripping intensity that Lucifer had.

If you’re a die-hard Mohanlal fan, Empuraan might be worth a watch for its stylish presentation. However, if you’re looking for a compelling political thriller with depth and strong character arcs, this film might leave you disappointed.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (3/5)

Best Suited For: Mohanlal fans and viewers who enjoy visually rich, larger-than-life political thrillers.

Not Recommended For: Those looking for a gripping screenplay, emotional depth, or fresh storytelling.