L2: Empuraan is the highly anticipated sequel to the 2019 blockbuster Lucifer. Like many sequels, it tries to be bigger and better than its predecessor and ultimately ends up being a letdown. In Empuraan's case, it is not its larger scale or acting that really holds it back but an overindulgent screenplay by its writer, Murali Gopy.

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A standalone story that lacks a punch

Set five years after the events of Lucifer, Empuraan is mostly a stand-alone sequel that explores the larger themes and world-building that the first movie set up and follows Khureshi Ab'ram (Mohanlal), the leader of an international crime syndicate who is forced to return to his native state of Kerala after a betrayal.

Lucifer was a political thriller that used the mass-masala formula to tell an interesting story set against the political climate of the state, and the mass elements and world-building only helped to enhance its narrative.

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However, when it comes to Empuraan, even though it shares the same core as its predecessor and the political themes it tries to explore are interesting, the movie ultimately becomes a victim of its often-bloated screenplay.

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Overindulgent writing

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Murali Gopy's script tries to come off as clever and layered. While it has its moments, it mostly feels basic and lacks any intrigue. The dialogue at times comes off as copy-pasted from a book of great quotes, trying to pass it off as original. The movie has the same issues that his 2017 movie Tiyaan had, where again, great ideas and themes were let down by a script that tries too hard to show you how clever it is.

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Distracted with its own scale

Prithviraj Sukumaran, as a director, has done a solid job for the most part, but it is clear that the much larger scale of the movie, the exotic locations, and the new toys he gets to play with keep distracting him and end up being the focus rather than the characters and storyline.

Particularly in the action set pieces, which, other than a few exceptions, lack any real excitement or intensity. There are slow-motion shots that overstay their welcome, drone shots for the sake of having one, and the overuse of the mediocre music by Deepak Dev, doesn't enhance the mass elements of the movie but deters them instead.

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Flashes of brilliance

That is not to say that the movie is terrible or boring, but it is a shame that it never lives up to its potential. This is particularly noticeable because there are things that work really well in the movie.

While I won't be going into any spoilers, I will say that the entire opening flashback is a great example. It is well shot, impactful, and does a great job of setting up the movie's villain. Mohanlal is great and fun to watch; it is a shame that the movie doesn't utilise the actor more.

He carries every scene he is in. The movie is a testament to how skilled and nuanced his dialogue delivery is, even the hammy ones. There is a scene in particular in the first half of the movie when he interacts with Indrajith Sukumaran’s character, Govardhan, where he warns him with a few lines of dialogue and some great acting that he is nothing more than a tool in a larger game.

The parts of the movie that explore the political parties of Kerala and their dynamic of engaging. The supporting cast was great, but the standouts were Abhimanyu Singh, Manju Warrier, Jerome Flynn, and Eriq Ebouaney. The only performance that fell short was Andrea Tivadar, who delivered a wooden performance and felt miscast.

So, ultimately, L2: Empuraan, despite the hype, is not a sequel that outdoes its predecessor but one that will forever be in its shadow.

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