Movie Name : Kingston
Release Date : March 7, 2025
123telugu.com 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 is the latest Tamil movie starring music director GV Prakash Kumar in the lead role. It is being promoted as India’s first sea adventure film and has also been released in Telugu under the same title. The film premiered in theaters today. Check out our review to see how it performs.
Story:
In 1982, the coastal village of Thoovathur in Tamil Nadu is cursed by a paranormal force, which forces the villagers to abandon fishing for good. Fast forward to the present, Kingston, known as King (played by GV Prakash Kumar), is a greedy man working for a smuggling gang led by Thomas (played by Sabumon Abdusamad) in Thoothukudi. As he uncovers dark secrets, King decides to leave the gang behind. Determined to revive his village’s lost livelihood, he defies warnings and sets sail. However, the deadly curse of the sea stands in his way. Will he be able to break it, or will he become its next victim? The main movie reveals the answer.
Plus Points:
Kingston has a few moments that work, mainly in the second half when the sea adventure sequences take center stage. The scenes set in the middle of the ocean are handled well, creating some tension and intrigue.
GV Prakash Kumar delivers a decent performance as Kingston, carrying the film to the best of his ability. A few thrilling moments in the latter half keep the audience engaged, making them curious about what happens next.
Minus Points:
Touted as India’s first sea adventure film, Kingston falls short due to weak storytelling and uneven execution. The film needed a more gripping screenplay to sustain interest from start to finish, but instead, it drags with repetitive and unnecessary flashbacks.
The back-and-forth narration slows down the pace significantly, making it hard to stay connected to the core plot. Even at crucial junctures, the story is interrupted with flashbacks that add little value, affecting the overall impact. The film also feels heavily inspired by KGF, with stylized flashcards and overdone hype-building techniques that fail to add substance.
The first half moves at a sluggish pace, making viewers wait impatiently for the interval. While the second half picks up slightly, the execution lacks depth, preventing the film from delivering the edge-of-the-seat experience it aims for.
The casting choices are underwhelming, with several characters lacking significance. Divya Bharati’s role feels unnecessary, and many supporting actors fail to leave an impression.
Technical Aspects:
Director Kamal Prakash attempts something different in his debut but struggles with screenplay and execution. A tighter narrative and better structuring could have made this a more compelling sea adventure thriller.
GV Prakash Kumar’s music is average, failing to elevate the film’s emotional and thrilling moments. The VFX is subpar, significantly affecting the sea sequences’ believability.
While the cinematography is decent, the editing lacks sharpness, making the film feel stretched unnecessarily. The production values are mediocre, and the Telugu dubbing is just about passable.
Verdict:
On the whole, Kingston is an underwhelming attempt at a sea adventure thriller, lacking a gripping story and strong execution. While GV Prakash Kumar does his best, 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, the film fails to hold attention and leaves no lasting impact.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
