'Jailer 2' Review: Rajinikanth Rules, but the Story Runs Thin

Cine Sarkar Editorial Desk | Our perspective is informed by publicly available reviews, audience reactions, and information surrounding the film.

‘Jailer 2’, the sequel to Rajinikanth and Nelson Dilipkumar’s ‘Jailer’, released in theatres on October 15, including in Telugu. It is produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, with music by Anirudh Ravichander.

The setup

After Varma (Vinayakan) is killed, several smuggling syndicates go hunting for his killer. Tiger Muthuvel Pandian (Rajinikanth), now living quietly, is dragged into the fight and sets out to track down the masterminds behind the network.

Performances

Rajinikanth’s walk, the flick of the glasses and sheer screen presence still bring the house down, and he carries the film on his shoulders. SJ Suryah as the main antagonist and Vidya Balan, in a negative role as Rajini’s sister, are solid, and Suraj Venjaramoodu is convincing. The cameos, from Mohanlal and Shiva Rajkumar to Hrithik Roshan, add little excitement.

Direction and screenplay

Nelson’s deadpan humour works in the first half, especially in the Namo Narayana scenes. But the story is thin and its structure closely mirrors the first film. The second half slows down and the comedy fades. A simple plot stretched over nearly three hours shows the strain, though the climax sets up the next chapter reasonably well.

Technical aspects

Anirudh’s loud score lifts the action and brings back the original’s theme to cheers. Vijay Kartik Kannan’s cinematography is good and the production values befit the scale. R. Nirmal’s editing could have been tighter.

What works

• Rajinikanth’s style and screen presence
• The first-half comedy
• Anirudh’s background score
• SJ Suryah and Vidya Balan

What doesn’t

• A thin story that echoes the first film
• A stretched second half and a near three-hour runtime
• Cameos that make little impact

Cine Sarkar’s take

‘Jailer 2’ is a Rajinikanth show through and through. Every frame he is in is a treat for fans, and the first-half laughs land. But the freshness of the original is missing, and a thin story and bloated runtime weigh the second half down. Weighing those strengths against those weaknesses, the Cine Sarkar Editorial Desk rates it 3/5. Rajini fans and lovers of mass entertainers will have a good time.

Cine Sarkar verdict: The story is thin, but Rajinikanth’s style and the first-half comedy make Jailer 2 a decent one-time mass entertainer.

Rating: 3/5