BOTTOM LINE
Engaging Start, Average Finish
OUR RATING
2.75/5
CENSOR
U/A, 2h 48m 
What Is the Film About?
Muthhu, aka Tiger Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), is a retired police officer with a lovable family and friends. What happens when he hears the news of his son’s death? Who is the culprit and how did he take revenge is the movie’s core plot.
Performances
Jailer is a very different outing for Superstar Rajinikanth. He has his style in abundance, and the styling, too, is excellent, but what brings the difference is the body language and the act. Nelson gives him a character that allows Rajinikanth to play his age and have mass moments. And all this is done in the most subtle fashion possible. The action scenes highlight this the most. They are designed so that Rajini doesn’t go over the top, flexing his muscles, yet the mass elevation is felt.
Right from the start, Rajinikanth stays in the character and still manages to exude mass charm and swag. The second half gives him more scope for mass, and he nails it in his usual style. Among the last few films from the Superstar, Jailer is a different and unique outing for sure for the fans. It will be a treat for them and an enjoyable outing for regular moviegoers.
Ramya Krishna doesn’t have much of a role in the first half. She appears intermittently and in fine, but nothing here is memorable. 
Analysis
Nelson of Doctor and Beast fame writes and directs Jailer. The director has a unique presentation and humour style which is seen in abundance in Jailer. It’s vital for the movie to work as the premise is a simple revenge drama.
Jailer starts slowly as the director takes time to establish the world and key characters. By ‘world’, it’s not the hero’s as it’s done quickly in a song, but the overall universe related to the core plot.
Care is taken not to let things go over the top. Everything is done subtly and generates a fresh vibe. The music and humour add to the appeal.
Jailer’s first half acts like a setup for a potentially action-packed second half. We have glimpses of the villain and heroism. Also, there are moments with family and little emotional sequences. The whole thing is adequately placed to give the right high and feel to the lead to the interval and then take off in the second half.
The second half builds on the momentum of the first. The post-interval sequence itself starts the proceedings with a bang. And then, we get into the actual plot, action, and also the trouble with Jailer.
There is a visible shift in tone as the proceedings turn over the top and silly. The latter has been a problem with Nelson and is also seen here. Apart from the ‘tone’, the power dynamic between the protagonist and antagonist, which made the first half enjoyable, is also missing. Things become too one-sided in favour of the hero.
The missing balance and over-the-top comedy with a silly track related to the crown derail the proceedings intermittently in the second half. It might still work with a few, but it doesn’t still manage to elevate the proceedings. Things get back on track towards the end, with a twist and some emotional drama, but it feels a little too late. The length while reaching that point is the issue here.
In the end, Rajinikanth is all that shines and stands tall. His star aura and presence in a fresh package by Nelson works and hold the interest despite the issues in the second half.
Overall, Jailer has an engaging first half with a perfect interval block. It turns rocky in the second half and fails to take things to the next level post-intermission. Still, it is a decent outing and makes for a one-time watch for Rajini’s star presence and the initial hour and a half. 
Performances by Others Actors
Jailer is filled with prominent character artists. However, most of them are seen only during the second half. The film’s first half mainly features Yogi Babu doing the comedy along with Rajinikanth. He is in his element and delivers the required. Malayalam actor Vinayakan plays the villain and appears intermittently in the first half. Despite less screen time, he is impressive and registers. However, in the second half, he becomes another villain with a progressively weak characterisation.
Tamannaah appears briefly playing a heroine in the movie. Her viral sensation song Kaavaalaa doesn’t hit the mark visually but works out due to its neatly embedded humour. Sunil has a small but vital segment in the movie. He is fine, but his track doesn’t have the universal appeal., Mohan Lal, Shivaraj Kumar, and Jackie Shroff appear in cameos and are fine. Their presence is great, but the cameos don’t have that memorable appeal. 
Music and Other Departments?
Anirudh Ravichander is in the form of his life, both in delivering songs and the background score. He also doesn’t disappoint here and is one of the critical factors (pre-release) for generating immense hype on Jailer.
Coming to the movie, the songs are placed according to the narrative. So, we have a first half where there are hardly any songs, but there are back-to-back songs in the second half. The background score goes with the subtle mood of the flick and gives a fresh feel to the proceedings.
Technically the movie is slick, and it can’t be emphasised enough. Vijay Kartik Kannan’s cinematography and R Nirmal’s editing help give Jailer a sharply cut, visually enticing product for the big screen. The second half could be sharper, though, as some parts drag. The dialogues have the trademark Nelson humour imbibed into them and work.
Highlights?
Rajinikanth
First Half
Rajinikanth-Yogi Babu Track
Interval
Post Interval Block
Anirudh’s BGM
Drawbacks?
Predictable Story
Drags In The Second Half
Missing Seriousness After A Point 
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes, first half and part of second half.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes, for the first half and Rajini
Jailer Movie Review by M9
Final Report:
Jailer’s second half starts with a bang but fails to sustain the momentum. The ‘Nelson’ mark ‘comic’ route to the end is the issue as the proceedings appear flat and give an impression of missing seriousness. Still, Jailer is a decent one-time watch for Rajini and the first half.
— Tamanna’s #Kaavaalaa is just another passable item number, incomparable to Samantha’s “Oo Anatava.” However, it is executed with a humorous touch featuring Sunil.
First Half Report:
Jailer’s first half is decent, with subtle humour working all the way. Rajini plays his age and is subdued but always maintains an undercurrent mass. Anirudh adds freshness to the proceedings with his bgm. A perfect setup for the second half to take things to the next level.
— Jailer show kicked off with an intense dose of mass scenes, and Anirudh seems to be already on the job. Stay tuned for the first half report.
Stay tuned for Jailer Movie Review and US premiere report.
Superstar Rajinikanth’s films haven’t created significant buzz lately. Although movies like Petta entertained a portion of his Tamil fanbase, we can’t classify them as true Rajini-style hits.
Director Nelson’s Jailer generated immense pre-release excitement due to Anirudh Ravichander’s involvement and the cast. The buzz is so strong that Nelson’s previous disaster didn’t impact “Jailer.”
In the US, Jailer is set to have a big opening premiere and is expected to make a million dollars on its premiers day. This is impressive for a regular commercial movie and shows how much people still like Rajinikanth.
The hype is genuine; it simply requires word-of-mouth to match the soaring expectations. Will the director deliver a solid action film that lives up to the hype? Stay tuned for our exclusive first-net Jailer movie review.
Jailer US Box-Office Hourly Gross:
At 9 PM EST, Jailer surpassed the $800K mark, with a total gross of $818,169. It’s poised to exceed the million-dollar milestone by day’s end.
