Good Bad Ugly

Good Bad Ugly (GBU) marks Ajith Kumar's return to his vintage, massy self. And boy, does he return with a bang! This is what I call a self-conscious movie-one that very well understands the pulse and expectations of a select group of audience, and sets out to satisfy the cravings of that identified segment. That being said, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. You'll either leave the cinema absolutely loving it or end up questioning your life decisions.

At its core, this is a movie about a loving dad who would do anything to right the wrongs for his son. But that's probably just 20% of the movie-the remaining 80% is full-on Ajith Kumar 'massacre'.

The film is filled with callbacks to some of the hero's past classics-be it dialogues, looks, or even reenactments from earlier films. From 'Vaali' to 'Billa' to 'Mankatha', nothing is spared. Fans get to witness "Vintage AK" (yes, that exact phrase is used in the film), as the man is once again portrayed, celebrated, and worshipped by everyone in reel and real like a godlike figure.

The film sets out to do just one thing, and only that: serve diehard fans of AK with enough substance to sustain them for the coming years, especially with the actor announcing a break from movies to focus on his racing career.

While it's clearly a "leave-your-brains-behind" kind of fan-service ride, it doesn't aim to cater to all shades of AK fandom. Instead, it's primarily designed to appeal to one specific archetype of Ajith fan-the 'mass masala' lover. If you identify as one, GBU is going to be one crazy, wild ride. However, if you're going in to watch Ajith the performer or the actor, there isn't much space for that in this movie.

All said, the film is brimming with everything that defines AK's icon status-his slow-mo walks, his suits-and-sunglasses look, his dedication to pulling off high-octane stunts, cheeky one-liners, and much more. All of that is generously sprinkled across the runtime. But while the movie perfects the 'icing,' it fumbles when it comes to baking the 'cake' itself.

You have to commend the director's intention to create something colourful, loud, and nonchalant. The sheer volume of AK references, nostalgia, and stylised moments keeps hitting you without rest. Barring a few great moments that land fantastically (including a banger of an interval block), most of these odes to the past end up looking forced and flat.

Good Bad Ugly perhaps would've worked even better for the general audience too had it gone fully spoof-mode, delivering something wacky, nonsensical, and fourth-wall-breaking with AK. For instance, we get a completely random, never-imagined-before kind of gangster origin story of the "Red Dragon," featuring some unexpected 'international' cameos. These portions were totally wild and unexpected.

As for the technical aspects, the editing felt a little choppy at times, but to be able to squeeze in so much into a 2-hour-20-minute runtime is gargantuan-and it is indeed a commendable effort. GV Prakash's music is loud and complements the over-the-top vibe the film is aiming for. However, the same songs, the same BGMs, and the same hero shots get repeated too often. Once is a surprise, twice it's tiresome.

The warm tonality of the film too is well-suited for a story of this nature, and AK the star shines bright in almost every look, get-up, and outfit he dons.

There's not much to say about standout performances, as most of the supporting cast is relegated to simply singing praises of the hero and adding no value to the screenplay or plot.

Ajith, too, has very little scope to perform in this film, but this man understood the assignment and delivered exactly what a certain sector of his fans have been craving from him all along.

Overall, GBU is not for everyone-but ultimately, it's an all-out Ajith Kumar show from start to finish.

The story's got a few bits that'll tickle your fancy, nothing mind-blowing, but not a total dog's breakfast either. The narration's proper lively - classic Adhik Ravichandran stuff - flashy, loud, and full of beans.

The screenplay tries to throw in a few curveballs - some land with a bang, others just fizzle. The first half? Quite the cracker. Second half? Bit of a snooze-fest, if we're honest. The climax saves it from going completely pear-shaped. Ajith's die-hard fans will be chuffed, no doubt, but for the average punter, it's just a middling watch.

Ajith's smashing in a role that fits him like a glove. Trisha's looking like a right stunner and puts in a tidy performance. The rest of the gang do the job, no faff, no fuss.

The background score's got some kick in a few scenes, not too shabby. Cinematography and production design? Decent enough - nothing to write home about, but not half bad.

All in all, give it a go this weekend if you fancy a bit of popcorn and telly - just don't rock up with sky-high hopes.

"Good Bad Ugly" (2025) delivers a high-octane first half that serves as a thrilling tribute to Ajith Kumar's star power, but the film's second half stumbles, ultimately falling short of its initial promise. While Ajith is terrific and the film caters to his fanbase, its narrative inconsistencies and forced elements detract from the overall experience.

Ajith Kumar is undoubtedly the film's biggest strength. He commands the screen with his charisma and delivers a performance that will undoubtedly thrill his fans. The first half is fast-paced and energetic, showcasing Ajith's action prowess and screen presence in a way that feels like a well-crafted tribute to his filmography.

However, the film's narrative begins to unravel in the second half. The plot becomes convoluted and lacks the focus of the first half. Forced elements and contrived situations are introduced, disrupting the flow of the story and making it feel less organic. The pacing becomes uneven, and the film struggles to maintain the same level of excitement and engagement.

While the film offers plenty of fan service, catering to Ajith's established image, it comes at the expense of a well-rounded and compelling narrative. The supporting characters, while competent, are often underdeveloped and their motivations remain unclear.

The film's technical aspects are generally adequate, with decent cinematography and a fitting soundtrack. However, these elements cannot fully compensate for the film's narrative shortcomings.

Overall, "Good Bad Ugly" (2025) is a mixed bag. Ajith Kumar's terrific performance and the fast-paced first half are undeniable strengths. However, the film's messy and forced second half prevents it from being a truly satisfying cinematic experience.

So unexpectedly got to watch 'Good Bad Ugly' In Theaters Starring Ajith Kumar in lead,written and directed by Adhik Ravichandran. So overall my experience of watching ajith was fun but overall experience with film was seriously underwhelming. This Ajith's one man show basically sums up with multiple title cards,irrelevant placement of old song's,bad technicalities,weird character setups,heavy loads of elevation and usage of the word AK that just doesn't land perfectly.

So going in Detail i want to divide into two halfs,the first half from the first second itself the film starts up setting the characters of protagonist and the remaining cast,and none of the proceedings feel effective but still manages to hook us partially through some random fight sequences. Then comes the Interval block which was really good and entertaining,but till that the it was middling experience. After a fine interval expected a good second half.

But the film again proceeds in the same random way where the characters and their motives feels nothing. The second half pile up some good laughs and whistle worthy moments. Some decision's took during this half although doesn't make sense but they were fun to watch. But the climax was just a overcooked mess,which ends in a most basic way possible.

Coming to the performances,The biggest and only reason to watch this is definitely Ajith kumar. He delivers a powerhouse performance which seriously justifies the overall euphoria created. His performance completely made the film watchable. Remaining performances and their writings was just half baked. Trisha was decent. Arjun das tries but the whole writing of his character was underwhelming. And remaining cast was just there,and some were just there because of ajith because their work is to elevate ajith in every situation possible.

Coming to the technical aspects,i was really concerned regarding this and successfully adhik didn't disappoint me in this thing a whole. The budget was just kept for the showcase of artificial production values. Weird as F costumes which just seem so bizarre and irritating. Collides with a camerawork of random takes and shakes in every angle possible,and without hesitation i can state this that more than the proceedings of story the camera moved. And ofcourse coming to the music of Gv Prakash Kumar,it was just basic and i never thought i'll used this term with him but it goes loud sometimes. The few seconds of anirudh's 'aaluma doluma' in climax brought more vibe than the whole score of gv in the film.

And coming to the writer and director adhik ravichandran,see i didn't really except anything from him or movie. But he really succeeds in few moments bringing out some really entertaining sequences,but overall the treatment he served in the name of fan service was felt partially here and there due to random choices,underwhelming character writings. And and if you think simran in kill bill costume is a surprise cameo,Adhik blends the cinematic liberty with AI or animation whatever which makes your jaw drop which may work with few but seriously you are not prepared for that.

Overall ajith delivers every second and frame who definitely standout more than a backbone, this film may offer a fan service or celebration that ofcourse works with the fans of the star and also may end up as a decent film for some,but for me the film was neither good nor ugly but felt MID.

Good things first and the only good thing about this movie is its story .. a decent storyline which has a good meat for AJITH as an actor ...but the entire storyline is completely spoiled by an atrocious screenplay with rehashes of past Ajith movies, too loud unnecessary BGMs and irritating non related old hit songs for every character in the movie... Screenplay is a total mess like typical Adhik movie (remember AAA Simbu movie...Adhik is back...) making the movie a very tedious and irritating watch.. over hyped in the name of fan boy and not expected Ajith in such a movie of self proclamation hype from first to end scene... Irritating bullet firings from all directions with absolutely no logic... Villain Arjun Das has as usual given his best but looks a big misfit... As usual Jackie Shroff and few other villains too come and go in blink and miss with tantrums of Ajith.... In fact we would have never seen Ajith in self tantrums in any of his previous films like this....but in every scene becomes too irritating.... The movie is nothing but some bits and pieces of scenes with nonlogical connection into a decent storyline... Simran in few scenes irrelevant but looks gorgeous ..... Prasanna in a insignificant role.... Strictly only if you want to watch Ajith in all scenes in slow motion hype...