While there was a lot of hype generated over Kanguva, especially with Suriya performing dual characters, the film leaves one disappointed on many fronts first and foremost because of its weak direction and incoherent story.
While Suriya is, as usual, impressive in his performance, but the movie does nothing much to utilize his talent due to a lousy script. The storyline ambitiously unfolds over two timelines: one is set in 1070, while the other finds its place in 2024. Differences between the two eras are complex, with no tight narrative hold that leaves one sticked to his seat. The disjointed plot is therefore replaced with a more disjointed feel of just patching scenes together rather than a fluid narrative.
Unfortunately, the plot and the direction does little to save the movie. With a brand-name cast and a visually pleasing setting, it is disappointing that the director cannot maintain the tone throughout.
The movie quickly switches between overly dramatic shots of occasionally action cuts and, in turn, awkwardly mediocre pieces of forced humour. The pacing also seems to be a problem-the tedium stretches at one moment, and disrupt the train of thought because of which the film ends up feeling longer than it is.
The screenplay also makes a mess of the supporting cast, reducing them all to caricatured characters. The antagonist and love interests are nowhere near developed enough, as their motivations are unclear, leaving the viewer neutral about their fates. This makes it rather sad as well because this is something that alone makes the film sorely lack in emotional impact.
The silver lining of Kanguva is its visuals. The film is a camera feast, as it captures the majesty of the historical settings and the vibrancy of the present-day scenes. The action sequences here are well-choreographed, but poor narrative context and bad direction spoil the whole thing.
Kanguva is a film that shows how good performances and visuals are bogged down by weak direction and incoherent script. In essence, the film remained vastly short of its potential, failing to give a cinematic experience the audience will be searching for.