"Jailer" is an electrifying entertainer in commercial format by Nelson who always builds a complex web of crime and police with stylish elements. It is not easy for an aging Superstar like Rajni to ace movies with a familiar template (of a heroic veteran looking like on some gardening leave but having massive latticework of connections in the backstory). Rajni acts like a smiling assassin with dignity and grace aided by a whole infrastructure of talent to resurrect his box-office fortunes after three back-to-back duds. The pace of the narrative never lags and whenever it seems to laze into indulgent comedy or silly scenes, the BGM of Anirudh accelerates the cinematic track back into energy or the gang of villains regroup into their next up move against the “Jailor”.
The story: Varman (played by Vinayakan) is the villain of the film who is on a fancy mission to steal statues of ancient temples. Two people stand in the way. One is a jailor (Rajni) and the other is a cop (Jailer’s son played by Vasanth Ravi) who demands a share. He cleverly seems to have bumped off the son (Has he? Find out) but the jailor is a man who outwits him at every turn. The contest between the Jailor and Varman is the most engaging part of the movie. The best histrionics of the film are by Vinayakan (Varman) who got the most improbable break to act opposite Rajnikanth. Any other film industry wouldn’t have given such a generous role to an actor like Vinayakan with his uncharacteristic looks and personality. But for a villain, what matters is the persona and the punchlines - and in both Vinayakan pulls off an incredible feat that surely must not go unnoticed in future. Yes, Rajni has given a free hand to the director in populating the film with the most explicit and graphical dosages of violence not seen in any of his earlier films. To make up for comedy and glamour, Nelson keeps a tightened grip on drawing a compass around the film with mostly the characters in the plot - most notably, Redin Kingsley for comedy. Sunil, the mass Bollywood comedian recruited for a hard purpose miserably fails to deliver and Tamannah, as his incredulous ladylove also flounders.
Overall, the movie rarely seems to plod on despite 165 minutes, except for the raunchy filmy masala scenes involving Sunil and Tamannah. For Rajni, the comeback is strong aided by a lot of his brethren from the South like Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar whose limited footage is cleverly used twice in the film for heightened effects. The Rajni formula is intact - and neatly entertains. What’s missing is a romantic track with his wife or lover - but the intensity of the plot doesn’t give you options to look outside of the conflict between the Jailer and Varman. The best part of this violent film with a surprise ending that leaves you niggled with a mixed after-taste is that the hero knows his physical limitations and enlists an impregnable pack of sniper commandos who always give him good cover. This is the hard truth of our lives - which many of today’s younger and other aging mass heroes do not realize - and you can see how Rajni’s heroism and stardom do not shrink one inch on screen despite the sniper props Nelson strategically places at various pivotal points in the film. “Jailor” is watchable but if you don’t stomach graphic violence, stay at home.
My Rating: 3.25/5
