Tiger Muthuvel Pandiyan (Rajinikanth), a retired jailer, is a family man now. He spends his days making YouTube videos with his grandson, shopping for vegetables at the local market, and taking part in routine household chores. Muthuvel’s son (Vasanth Ravi), a police officer, goes missing while on a mission to nab a gang of idol thieves. When the news of his death is delivered, Muthuvel’s wife (Ramya Krishnan) pins the blame on his honest upbringing for this mess. Heartbroken, Muthuvel, ventures out to avenge his son’s death. The 2-hour-40-minute-long film takes time to establish itself. It takes over 40 minutes to pick up pace. Unlike every Rajnikanth movie, which thrives on a mass introduction scene, this one doesn’t give that cathartic experience. This is where it becomes a Nelson movie. But, the interval block and the mass scenes in the second half make up for it. Director Nelson, whose last big screen outing was Beast, is back with his signature style of filmmaking - packed with subtle, dark comedy in the first half. In fact, it is Yogi Babu and Rajinikanth’s fun banter that saves the first half. Second half takes off well with several mass scenes, especially when the story goes back in time to show a glimpse of Muthuvel’s past, but quickly loses steam and ends up leading towards a dragged, albeit a bit boring and a disappointing climax. The film, like several Rajinikanth movies in the past, lacks logic. The dark comedy works well in the original language (Tamil) and for those who are familiar with Nelson's previous films. But since it is not everyone’s cup of tea, the jokes may get lost in translation in other languages (the film has been released in 5 languages). Cameos by stars like Shivarajkumar, Mohanlal, Jackie Shroff, Tamannaah Bhatia, Sunil and Kishore add to the star value. Watch out for the climax that features Shivarajkumar and Mohanlal for the much required drama and energy. Rajnikanth is not a hero anymore; he is a superstar and this film shows him exactly as that. Fans get to see plenty of whistle-worthy Rajini-ism and nothing more. The father-son bond, which is essentially the heart of the story, is merely touched upon and leaves it to the audience to assume that the father and son are very close. There isn’t a single emotional moment between the two. It is disappointing to see a talent like Ramya Krishnan with nothing much to say or emote in the film. Vasanth Ravi has one single expression throughout the film. Vinayakan puts up an impressive show with his bloodshot eyes. Composer Anirudh Ravichander’s background music elevates the film; the songs however, border on average. In the 1999 film Padayappa, after an intense display of power play, Neelambari aka Ramya Krishnan tells Rajini, "Vayasanalum un style'um azhagum unna vittu pogala" (Even though you have aged, your style and charm has not left you). Twenty four years later, we can still safely say the same about Rajini in Jailer. But, that may not be enough to save this film.Read more

Rajinikanth is truly back and how! Whenever Thalaivar scores a hit, it almost feels personal. After ‘Annatthe’, which received unfavourable reviews, it has been quite a while since Rajinikanth delivered a solid entertainer. And for Nelson Dilipkumar, who is coming back from Thalapathy Vijay’s ‘Beast’, getting ‘Jailer’ right was much-needed. And he did a great job! ‘Jailer’ opens with a group of people involved in idol smuggling, with its main leader as Varma (Vinayakan). Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) is an honest police officer who wants to track the idol smuggling network and bust them. However, Arjun gets kidnapped by Varma, and everyone in the police department fears that he is dead. His father, Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), an ex-police officer himself, is distraught. Muthuvel Pandian is a doting father as well and now wants to take revenge. He goes on a killing spree, which leads him to Varma. But that’s not the end. Varma gives Muthuvel a daunting task as well. And Muthuvel agrees to it on one condition. The whys, whats, and hows are explored in nearly three hours. Director Nelson Dilipkumar is known for his impeccable comedy timing, and he incorporates dark comedy in all his films. ‘Jailer’ is no different. In fact, Rajinikanth gets a subdued introduction as a retired man taking care of the household chores. He helps his grandson with his YouTube channel, buys vegetables for the house, and has absolute fun. It is great to see Thalaivar do mundane stuff as opposed to the stylish antics we’d always see. But Nelson has struck a balance in tapping into both sides of Rajinikanth, which is essentially why ‘Jailer’ works. It is Rajinikanth who does all the heavy lifting in ‘Jailer’. The story of ‘Jailer’ has shades of Kamal Haasan’s ‘Vikram’. The two films are about a father going to any lengths for their sons, even if it means taking on a criminal gang. While ‘Vikram’ sticks to its genre righteously, ‘Jailer’ is a commercial actioner, with the right doses of action. The initial portions of Jailer have Rajinikanth attempting black comedy. While the comedy works in some parts, it also falls flat in many places. The film takes its sweet time to get into the main conflict. But Rajinikanth makes up for his subdued performance whenever the film lags. ‘Jailer’ is a film that celebrates the film industry at its core. We have Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff, and Mohanlal with their explosive cameos setting the screen on fire. And seeing these greats share screen space with Rajinikanth offers several whistle-worthy moments. The film also has many callback moments to Rajinikanth's superhit movies like 'Baasha' and 'Enthiran', among others, which add a nice touch of nostalgia. The interval sequence, which shows Rajinikanth's epic transformation, is a total banger! It is one of those sequences that brings forth the best of everyone. And when Anirudh's 'Hukum' plays, you are sold! Jailer’ also has its own shortcomings. While the story is extremely predictable, there are places where you’d begin to question how Rajinikanth has people all over the country to chip in and help him. The flashback to his early days as a police officer looks unconvincing. Several murders take place, but there are no repercussions. The story begins in Arakonam and travels to Kavali, Bangaluru and several other cities in India. And sometimes, we feel that ‘Jailer’ is incohesive. ‘Jailer’ is Rajinikanth’s return to form. Even at 72, his charisma and style make you scream in theatres. After Rajinikanth, it is Vinayakan, who has stolen the show completely. His piercing gaze and deadly wrongdoings make him a worthy villain for Rajinikanth. Vasanth Ravi, too, has a meaty role in the film. While the performance of Rajinikanth is an asset to ‘Jailer’, it is also Anirudh Ravichander, who acts as a solid pillar of support for the film. His thumping background score will make you enjoy Rajinikanth’s swag. Whenever the ‘Hukum’ song plays on screen, the theatre erupts in joy. Cinematographer Vijay Kartik Kannan’s frames are grand and offer visual extravaganza. Editing by R Nirmal complements the film's mood as well. Ramya Krishnan, Sunil, Tamannaah, Yogi Babu and several others appear in short-lived roles. ‘Jailer’ is a film that celebrates Rajinikanth for what he is. There are sparks of Nelson’s intelligence in ‘Jailer’ which makes it quite enjoyable.Read more