Movie Review: Eleven (2025) – A Promising Thriller Hindered by Predictable Execution
Eleven, a Tamil-Telugu bilingual crime thriller released on May 16, 2025, marks the directorial debut of Lokkesh Ajls, a former associate of Sundar C. Produced by AR Entertainment under Ajmal Khan and Reyaa Hari, the film stars Naveen Chandra as a steely cop unraveling a chilling series of murders. With a strong supporting cast including Reyaa Hari, Shashank, Abhirami, Dileepan, Riythvika, and Aadukalam Naren, and backed by D. Imman’s evocative score, Eleven promised a gripping investigative drama. While it delivers moments of suspense and emotional depth, the film struggles with a predictable narrative, sluggish pacing, and a lack of originality, making it a decent but underwhelming addition to Kollywood’s 2025 thriller lineup.
The story unfolds in Vizag, where a series of gruesome murders—bodies burned beyond recognition—baffles the police. ACP Ranjith (Shashank) initially leads the investigation but is sidelined after a near-fatal accident. Enter ACP Aravind (Naveen Chandra), a seasoned officer with a knack for cracking tough cases. As Aravind digs deeper, he uncovers a chilling pattern: the killer, dubbed Benjamin, targets twins, manipulating one sibling to kill the other. The trail leads to Twin Bird, a school exclusively for twins, and a web of childhood trauma and revenge. Alongside officer Manohar (Dileepan), Commissioner Chandrasekhar (Aadukalam Naren), and school principal Vishwanath (Ravi Varma) and his wife Shanti (Abhirami), Aravind races to unmask the killer before more lives are lost. Sanjana (Reyaa Hari), a peripheral figure, adds a personal stake to his mission.
The film’s premise—a masked killer targeting twins—starts strong, with an opening sequence of a charred body setting a grim tone, as Times of India notes. The concept of a psychological manipulator exploiting sibling bonds is intriguing, and a flashback sequence involving child actors adds emotional heft, earning praise from StudioFlicks for its depth. Naveen Chandra anchors the film with a restrained yet intense performance, balancing stoicism with sensitivity, as Filmy Focus highlights. His portrayal of Aravind, a cop whose methodical approach hides personal anguish, is a career highlight, with Filmibeat noting his ability to sell a major twist. The supporting cast shines, particularly Abhirami as the plot-explaining Shanti and Shashank as the sidelined Ranjith, though Reyaa Hari’s role feels underdeveloped, a common critique across reviews.
D. Imman’s score is a standout, with its haunting background music amplifying tension, as BollywoodShaadis raves. The first single, “The Devil is Waiting,” voiced by Shruti Hassan and launched by Kamal Hassan, sets a moody tone, while tracks like “Azhagaana Arakkana” (Tamil) and “Thaguvaadu Dorikene” (Telugu) add emotional weight. Karthik Ashokan’s cinematography captures Vizag’s gritty underbelly, with moody visuals enhancing the thriller vibe, and N. B. Srikanth’s editing keeps the 136-minute runtime taut, though not without lapses
Yet, Eleven falters in execution. The first half drags with a formulaic setup, as Cinejosh notes, and the mystery unravels too early, with obvious clues undermining suspense. GreatAndhra criticizes the “tired plot” and “guessable twist,” pointing to a clichéd masked killer trope that feels like a rehash of films like Ratsasan. The 20-minute flashback, while emotionally charged, is overstretched, disrupting the pace, as Times of India laments. The romantic subplot involving Sanjana feels forced and lacks depth, with 123Telugu noting Reyaa’s limited scope. Logical inconsistencies, particularly in the “Plan C” climax, feel contrived, as GreatAndhra observes, making the resolution more cinematic than convincing. The film’s attempt to blend psychological depth with commercial thriller elements results in a convoluted narrative, a sentiment echoed by TeluguOne.
Critics are divided, with ratings ranging from 2/5 (Cinejosh, TeluguOne) to 3.25/5 (Filmibeat’s Ramesh Bala). Rotten Tomatoes aggregates mixed reviews, with no Tomatometer score yet, but StudioFlicks calls it a “neat, engaging mystery-thriller” despite needing a tighter script. Social media posts reflect similar polarity, with
@FilmyBowl
praising the “game-changer” climax, while others note pacing issues. The film’s UA rating and bilingual release widen its appeal, but GreatAndhra suggests it’s better suited for OTT than theaters. Box office figures are pending, but strong buzz from premieres suggests moderate commercial potential, per BollywoodShaadis.Eleven is a commendable debut for Lokkesh Ajls, who shows promise in crafting suspense, but the film doesn’t break new ground in the crowded thriller genre. Compared to 2025’s Kollywood hits like Maaman or Devil’s Double Next Level, it lacks the emotional or comedic punch to stand out. Fans of investigative dramas will find moments to savor, especially Naveen Chandra’s performance and the second half’s twists, but the predictable narrative and uneven pacing hold it back. It’s a one-time watch for thriller enthusiasts, best enjoyed with tempered expectations.
