Jailer 2
Cast: Rajinikanth, Vidya Balan, SJ Suryah, Mithun Chakraborty, Ramya Krishnan, Suraj Venjaramoodu
Director: Nelson Dilipkumar
Rating: ★★★
There was a time when Rajinikanth was an actor. That time is long gone. He is a star today, defined by cigar smoking, sunglasses flipping, slow-motion walking, and everything that just makes him the ‘superstar’. Nelson Dilipkumar seems to have mastered the art of banking on that. And yes, while Jailer 2 does have a semblance of a story that moves Tiger Muthuvel Pandian’s tale forward, let’s not pretend that’s why anyone’s heading to the theatres this weekend.
Jailer 2 story
It has been 3 months since Muthu (Rajinikanth) killed Varman (Vinayakan) and was warned that a network of idol smugglers would soon be on his scent. True to the dead man’s word, Dileep (Suraj Venjaramoodu) would like to know who would dare disrupt their smuggling ring’s operations. Muthu’s family still doesn’t know that he went to the extent of killing his son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) to keep them all safe. He’s busy trying to give them some normalcy while working as a supermarket supervisor. Unfortunately, the past catches up to him at one point, and new threats loom. Muthu seeks help from some new and old friends.
Jailer 2 review
It’s no wonder that after the massive misfire that was Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Coolie, Nelson and Rajinikanth did not oversell Jailer 2. That is not to say the film is boring, as the duo manages to pull off the impossible. They take a story they’ve already told and amp it up when it comes to the humour and the masala. Even though it’s filled chock-a-block with other stars, it’s no surprise that everyone only comes second to Rajinikanth. Most of them don’t even have much to do sometimes, beyond elevating Muthu and the star playing him. But it works for the most part.
3 hours of aura farming
Deep Dive
What is the story of Jailer 2?
Why are viewers divided over Jailer 2’s second half?
Should you watch Jailer 2 if you are not a Rajinikanth fan?
More than anything, Jailer 2 depends on Rajinikanth's aura farming for close to three hours straight. Watching him flip his glasses and empty ammunition into bad men can get tiring, but Nelson ensures that never happens. He injects just enough story that still bends at the star’s altar, but has enough danger to make you wonder where all this could go. People around Muthu are constantly threatened, and he’s always around to save the day. It’s predictable, but it’s also fun to watch when Yogi Babu and Namo Narayana get to be silly with him. Especially when Muthu remains straight-faced, in true-blue Nelson hero style through it all.
{{/usCountry}}More than anything, Jailer 2 depends on Rajinikanth's aura farming for close to three hours straight. Watching him flip his glasses and empty ammunition into bad men can get tiring, but Nelson ensures that never happens. He injects just enough story that still bends at the star’s altar, but has enough danger to make you wonder where all this could go. People around Muthu are constantly threatened, and he’s always around to save the day. It’s predictable, but it’s also fun to watch when Yogi Babu and Namo Narayana get to be silly with him. Especially when Muthu remains straight-faced, in true-blue Nelson hero style through it all.
{{/usCountry}}What doesn’t work
At the end of it all, if you’re not a Rajinikanth fan, Jailer 2 barely has anything to offer you. Nelson moves the story by an inch from the first part when it should’ve been moved by a mile. The women in this story, even the ‘strong’ ones like Kantha Kalpak (Vidya Balan), get some uncomfortable arcs. The flirtatious vibe between her character and Muthu gets supremely uncomfortable after a while, especially when she’s reduced to hailing what a ‘man’ he is. A scene involving a pregnant woman is also hard to sit through, especially when it exists solely to show Muthu's heroism. Have we learnt nothing from TJ Gnanavel’s Vettaiyan? The two special numbers, Ala Bolelo and Bindaas, featuring Poorna and Nora Fatehi, only add to the runtime. There’s also a hint of a sequel, which feels unnecessary.
In conclusion
Nelson and Rajinikanth pull off a mass masala film that is breezy to sit through and doesn’t feel like a try-hard. The cameos, especially the much-hyped ‘surprise’ ones, might not have the same kind of impact Shiva Rajkumar, Mohanlal and Jackie Shroff did in the first part, but they still hook you. When a 75-year-old who has slowed down and is playing a grandfather can so easily outdo younger heroes in a commercial film, there’s not much more to add. And maybe, that's all fans need.
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