30.JAILER (2023)

 

Language : Tamil

Genre: Action/Comedy

The  director Nelson is one of the most trolled directors in recent times, following the colossal failure of Beast, and I was sceptical when news of Nelson's collaboration with Rajni surfaced. However, I was completely mistaken, and I should not have ignored the fact that Nelson is the same filmmaker responsible for the whacky and eccentric films like Kolamavu Kokila and Doctor. And Jailer is unquestionably not Nelson's comeback; rather, it is a statement from Nelson that he is here to stay.

It's pretty admirable what Nelson did with Rajni in Jailer. Rajni, who is constantly enveloped by the aura of his superstardom and outlandish mannerisms, was contained in the universe of Nelson, where the Superstar must give a controlled performance while allowing others to go over the top. And when the time was right, he opened the box to let the beast out, which is when all hell broke loose.This approach is indeed a reinvention of Rajni in recent times, despite the fact that the strategy is kinda tried and succeeded in Baasha.Rajni, the lead actor, serves as the film's driving force; thanks to his charisma and commanding on-screen presence.

The main problem with jailer is its flimsy screenplay, in which the majority of the characters are poorly developed and the plot itself is full of loopholes and the proceedings are blatantly obvious.  The dark humour aspect of jailer is hit-or-miss, in contrast to Nelson's prior successful endeavours. The movie sags after a fantastic opening act that is followed by a sizable interval. The conflict in the film also changes when Suniel and Thamanna's characters are introduced. Despite having significant roles in the plot, those scenes had the air of an afterthought comedy. When the movie starts to falter, Nelson deftly lets loose the other two beasts, Mohan Lal and Shivraj Kumar, and this is when the director gives out a tonne of fan service. Additionally, Anirudh's music elevated the stars' charisma and swagger, which served to enthral and create hysteria among the audience.

Vinayakan, who played the main antagonist, gave a respectable performance as well. Despite the fact that he was initially portrayed as a terrifying antagonist, his character's arc eventually became so diminished that Rajni's heroism and swag outweigh him. Even though the second half's writing suffers in many places, the way Nelson has packed the climax is undoubtedly something to see. Fans of all three superstars can rejoice and celebrate during those moments.

Overall, Jailer is a full-on entertainer with amazing fan-service moments and has more redeeming qualities than flaws. Due to its writing problems, it is far from being a perfect entertainer, but the kind of adrenaline rush it offers is sufficient to suggest seeing it in a theatre.  It should be noted that this is not the kind of movie that can be watched in an OTT platform; rather, it calls for a distinct communal viewing experience.

My opinion: RECOMMENDED!!!