As I get into the cinemas for the FDFS (first day, first show) of Jailer in my locality in Chennai, the energy around me is palpable. Sitting next to me is a young dentist who rescheduled all her appointments, and declared a holiday for her clinic, to catch the FDFS. She begins screaming and dancing as Rajinikanth opens the door and emerges out of a pooja room, nearly numbing my eardrums for a second.
After Annaatthe and Darbar which did poorly at the box office, Rajinikanth has delivered a riveting action flick with Jailer. The superstar looks super stylish, with his salt-and-pepper hair and beard. Nelson Dilipkumar is back in his elements, and offers plenty of dark humour, just like his earlier flicks, Doctor and Kolamaavu Kokila.
The film opens with the theft of an idol from a temple and the murder of a priest, giving viewers a general idea of what is to come. Arjun, an assistant commissioner who cracks the idol theft case goes missing only to be told that he is dead. His father, former cop Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth) who was once a jailer, vows to avenge his son's death and protect his family. What happens next forms the rest of the story.
Nelson retains his signature style, with plenty of action sequences, bloodshed, dry humour and a gripping screenplay. There are enough twists and turns to keep you engaged. The flashback sequences are especially delightful, reminding the fans of Rajinikanth's evergreen hit, Baashha. Mollywood actor Mohanlal looks even more stylish than the superstar himself. Kannada superstar Shiva Rajkumar and Jackie Shroff too come up with strong performances. Tamannaah Bhatia's cameo is a treat to watch.
While Rajinikanth looks super stylish, he doesn't have many action sequences, as his handymen do all the fighting while the superstar mostly issues commands.
Initially, the movie reminds you of the recent Kamal Haasan-starrer Vikram. The movie also reminds you of Sivaji Ganesan's Thangappathakkam. And of course, the film does call for suspension of disbelief very many times. Despite these flaws, if you are a Rajinikanth fan, Jailer will certainly bring a smile on your face.
Movie: Jailor
Director: Nelson Dilipkumar
Cast: Rajinikanth, Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Jackie Shroff, Sunil, Ramya Krishnan, Vinayakan
Rating: 3/5