The takeaway – if there’s one – from Lucifer was that Stephen Nedumpally wasn’t who we all thought he was. As the curtains draw to a close in Prithviraj Sukumaran’s directorial debut, which rekindled Mohanlal’s mafia lord phase, Stephen, who also goes by the alias Khureshi Ab’raam, is revealed to be running the world while trying to strike a perfect pose in the middle of nowhere.
Suddenly, a part-Illuminati (in the loosest sense possible), part-nobleman nature of Stephen is unveiled, leaving the audience scratching their heads as they try to wrap their minds around the dialogue-heavy, action-packed flick with too many pawns left on the battlefield.
L2: Empuraan comes into that context. This time around, Lucifer’s playground is the entire world. But as is the fate of every hero, he has to return home. The film opens from a very unpredictable place. We are transported back to the early 2000s when a certain part of India was boiling with heat and hate, leaving a trail of destruction and division. In an unlikely throwback that would tether the history of a character to that blot, the story moves to Kerala, then to Africa, and the US, and the UK.
If the first film was any indication of how much L is a franchise vehicle leveraging Mohanlal’s never-ending aura, L2 underscores it with larger-than-life set pieces, over-the-top action sequences, and an aspiring wannabe version of a modern Hollywood action flicks. But the trouble is its lackluster writing and formulaic filmmaking, which relies heavily on the overused hero trope.
In fact, Mohanlal’s presence is reduced to monologues and a monotone delivery. He doesn’t actually have much to do on screen other than entering and leaving in slow motion while the pyro department tries its best to make him look good.
The story had glimmers of positives, flickers of brilliance, but it’s inconsistent and often falls into “explaining for dummies” situations. There are silly plot holes, borderline cringe dialogues, and archaic comedy situations. The overall writing was one-dimensional – almost playing to the tune of a “made-for-fans” sticky note.
Prithviraj spares no effort in projecting Mohanlal as the ultimate swag man, the untouchable cartel lord, but the placement sometimes doesn’t land as intended. For example, Mohanlal’s introduction was so distracted that it failed to make an impact. Mohanlal’s second entry too was cold, but this time around he saves it with a piece of dialogue not removed from the scene. However, in one of the film’s most unpredictable moments, when he meets another character, he convincingly turns back the clock, showcasing his charm and aura exactly as Prithviraj intended. To do that magic every time would take some clever filmmaking; also, why would we need that every time Mohanlal is shown on screen?
At its core, L2: Empuraan is a subtextual commentary on present-day Indian politics, seen through the lens of Kerala. However, it’s neither a warning nor a solution – rather, an amplification of popular notions, complaints, and the widespread scepticism toward politics. It surely is intended to cozy up to the ordinary moviegoer who wants to see a commercial flick that doesn’t really need to be logical. They want punch dialogues, moments of superhuman action, and a Mohanlal show; L2 might have actually done that, while pretending to be a hardcore Malayalam film that could match solid Hollywood flicks.
Among the cast, Manju Warrier had a strong outing. She carried her role well, avoided being reduced to a cliché, and stood tall in an otherwise all-male-dominated narrative. The cinematography was impressive, doing justice to the energy of the script. Prithviraj didn’t have a lot to do with his role, nor did the much-hyped Game of Thrones star, Jerome Flynn.
Perhaps the biggest letdown of this flick is its sound department. The background score is deafening—almost to the point of hindering the storytelling. The signature song was well played, but the other song barely fit the situation.
L2: Empuraan is unmistakably a film made for unapologetic Mohanlal fans. It milks almost every bit of nostalgia associated with the yesteryear Mohanlal swag. And the fans, who expect nothing less, will be satisfied. Because despite its lack of depth, Prithviraj manages to deliver moments of pure heroism that serve Mohanlal’s fans without feeling preachy or cringeworthy.
But for those who prefer to focus on logic and the film’s political undertones, more than Prithviraj or Mohanlal, L2: Empuraan ultimately belongs to its scriptwriter, Murali Gopy.
And the easiest way for me to sum up this film? The gods have all failed, so Murali Gopy summoned the devil for a solution.
