L2: Empuraan (2025) Movie ft. Manju and Mohanlal
L2: Empuraan is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language action thriller film directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran and written by Murali Gopy. The second installment in the Lucifer trilogy, the film features an impressive cast led by Mohanlal, alongside Prithviraj Sukumaran, Abhimanyu Singh, Tovino Thomas, Manju Warrier, Indrajith Sukumaran, Jerome Flynn, and Andrea Tivadar.
Plot and Storyline
The story follows Stephen Nedumpally’s dramatic transformation as he discards his political facade to embrace his true identity as Khureshi Ab’raam, the powerful leader of a global crime syndicate. His departure from Kerala politics marks the beginning of a darker chapter, plunging him into high-stakes crime and international conspiracies.
Five years after becoming Chief Minister of Kerala, Jathin Ramdas’s alignment with communal forces led by Balraj ‘Baba’ Bajrangi triggers Stephen to return with Zayed Masood to save Kerala. While the core premise holds promise, the film struggles with depth and gripping storytelling that made Lucifer successful.
Cast Performance
Mohanlal delivers another powerful performance with his authoritative portrayal and impactful dialogues delighting fans. However, his character Abraham came across as less charismatic compared to his iconic Stephen role from the first film. I felt that Mohanlal deserved more screen time to truly showcase his acting prowess.
Manju Warrier stands out among the supporting cast and was the saving grace for many viewers. Prithviraj Sukumaran delivers adequately in his dual role as director and actor. Tovino Thomas plays his part well, though his character lacks decisive moments that could have elevated the narrative.
Direction and Technical Brilliance
Director Prithviraj Sukumaran presents the film on an ambitious scale with exceptional grandeur and execution. The film’s strongest aspects are its visual appeal and large-scale action sequences. The cinematography is excellent with outstanding lighting, framing, and composition.
However, I noticed the film was weighed down by excessive characters who seemed irrelevant to the main plot. The overuse of slow-motion shots and excessive background score becomes tiring after a while.
Critical Reception and Ratings
On IMDb, L2: Empuraan holds a 6.2/10 rating with mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Professional critics gave scores ranging from 2.5/5 to 3.5/5, noting the film’s technical ambitions but criticizing storytelling shortcomings.
The Hindu wrote that production design couldn’t save this sequel, while Times of India gave 3.5/5 stars noting that it doesn’t match Lucifer’s impact. One critic summarized it perfectly stating the film is ambitious but lacks accountability.
What Works Well
The film excels in several technical departments. The church fight sequence and Mohanlal’s grand entry are executed with Hollywood-style richness. When the film focuses on Indian politics, it creates genuinely engaging moments. The production design and visual spectacle are truly impressive.
Areas That Need Improvement
The major issues include slow pacing and excessive runtime that hurt the viewing experience. The film focuses too heavily on character elevations rather than solid narrative structure. I found the editing surprisingly poor for such a massive budget, with unnecessary jump cuts that break immersion.
Box Office Performance
L2: Empuraan marked a record-breaking entry with Rs 65 crore on opening day worldwide. The film crossed ₹250 crore globally and became the highest-grossing Malayalam film ever, surpassing Manjummel Boys. It crossed ₹100 crore domestically within 12 days.
Despite earning over ₹270 crore worldwide, the film faces a deficit against its ₹180 crore budget, making it financially challenging.
Final Thoughts
L2: Empuraan delivers stunning visuals and technical brilliance but lacks the storytelling depth that made Lucifer a masterpiece. While it succeeds as a visual spectacle, the film struggles with narrative coherence and character development.
For Mohanlal fans and franchise enthusiasts, it offers moments of brilliance worth experiencing on the big screen. However, general audiences might find the lengthy runtime and scattered plot points challenging. The film had all the ingredients for greatness but needed tighter storytelling to truly succeed.
