‘Kondal’ Movie Review: Antony Varghese’s Action-Thriller Sails Through Choppy Waters Before Going Down! (LatestLY Exclusive)

Kondal Movie Review: What a waste of exciting plot potential! If only the makers had tightened up the writing and runtime, Malayalam cinema could have delivered another banger of a movie this Onam. Ajith Mampally’s Kondal had an intriguing setup for an action film. Most of the movie takes place on a fishing trawler, focusing on the men working on it. The dangerous conditions of their job, the rough nature of the crew and the sea surrounding them, and the tensions that arise when one of them is fatally injured - sparking infighting - set the stage for an intense narrative. And then, a revenge angle is thrown in, derailing the entire plot with no chance of recovery. Onam 2024: Tovino Thomas’ ‘ARM’, Asif Ali’s ‘KishKindha Kaandam’, Antony Varghese’s ‘Kondal, Rahman’s ’Bad Boyz’ – Which Festive Movie Release Are You Most Excited About?

An impetuous Manuel (Antony Varghese) is forced to leave his family and town behind after getting into a scuffle with the local bigwigs. He joins a fishing trawler and becomes part of a crew who have known each other for months (except for a newcomer). Manuel remains distant during their downtime but steps in when any of them gets nasty or tries to be overly smart with others.

Watch the Trailer of 'Kondal':

However, Manuel has another reason for joining the crew, one that leaves some of his colleagues, particularly Jude (Shabeer Kallarakkal), uneasy. Jude, the nephew of the Tamilian boat owner, uses the trawler for his own shady purposes under the guise of fishing.

‘Kondal’ Movie Review - A First Half That Sets The Sails Properly

Kondal comes from the makers of RDX and also features one of its leads. While RDX may not have been a masterpiece when it comes to the action genre, it worked because you connected with the characters and the plot. In Kondal, there’s an attempt to do the same, especially in the first half, where we get to know the crew better and see the risks involved in their work. The actors feel well-cast, the portrayal of their daily routines adds a sense of realism, and Antony Varghese’s rugged appearance fits the setting perfectly.

The technical aspects of the movie, however, fall short of creating a truly convincing ocean setting. Sometimes, the boat and the water feel authentic, but during the action-heavy moments, things start to feel staged. Despite these flaws, I was invested in the characters and the drama on the boat. But then the interval arrives, and we are clued in to the real reason Manuel is on board.

‘Kondal’ Movie Review - The Second Half Sinks The Ship

This added layer of tension should have worked in Kondal’s favour, but sadly, the screenplay begins to falter as the film progresses. A flashback sequence and a couple of mediocre action scenes drain the film of its momentum, which it never regains. By the time we reach the uninspired finale, the story has lost its grip. RDX Movie Review: Shane Nigam, Antony Varghese and Neeraj Madhav's Actioner Offers Enough Thrills Within Its Formulaic Setting.

The "shark" scene just before the climax should have been the film’s standout moment. While there’s an admirable attempt to create an epic action sequence featuring an angry shark, the VFX and editing let it down. Some moments are unintentionally laughable, such as Manuel trying to ride the shark—something better suited for Jr NTR in the upcoming Devara.

Antony Varghese, christened as an “Action Hero” in the opening credits, is good but doesn’t bring anything new to his usual tough-guy persona. Shabeer Kallarakkal fails to make a terrifying impact, while Nandu was incredible. Rahul Rajagopal and Pramod Velliyanad manage to stand out in the supporting cast. Sarath Sabha’s portrayal of an effeminate cook was poorly handled. It’s also unclear what drew Kannada star Raj B Shetty to accept an ordinary cameo role, aside from two action scenes that barely pass muster. The two female leads, Prathiba and Gauthami Nair, are unfortunately sidelined.

‘Kondal’ Movie Review - Final Thoughts

Kondal is a missed opportunity to be an engaging, high-stakes action drama set in a unique, gritty environment. The effort is appreciable, but the movie ultimately loses steam with its muddled screenplay and lacklustre execution.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 13, 2024 10:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).