Darbar

As a Rajini fan I can safely say that this did disappoint but at the same time it did satisfy to a certain extent. The disappointment was in the dubbing area and also the the screenplay in the second half. First half was great and it flew by and had all the ingredients of what you would want in a Rajini movie apart from the dubbing. It really did put me off and after awhile it felt like I was watching a Hindi movie dubbed in Tamil! Why was this not taken care of? 200 crore budget they said, yet they missed this?? 🤔😒What happened to muragadoss?? I just can not fathom that the more I watch his recent films I find it so hard to believe this is the same man who made Ghajini, Ramana and thuppaki. This did not feel like a muragadoss film at all, it felt so amateurish. The fight scenes would have been mocked if they came out 10 years ago! However, the railway station scene was entertaining and Rajinis mass and swag was on point. So coming to the other positives....well there's only one....and thats the "SUPER ONE!".....the one and only THALAIVAR RAJINI. Movie is all about this man, his style. his speed. the flicking of the sunglasses the walk oh what panache! he truly is such a pleasure to watch onscreen. The movie was full of "Rajinisms",.....but I think this was one of the reasons why the movie didn't work, I felt muragadoss was so into satisfying the fans and he also got lost in his fanboy fantasy he totally forgot about the story or any other aspects or characters in the film apart from Aaditya Arunachalam.

Yogi babu did a great job and truly hats off to Rajini sir for letting yogi not spare him at all! nayanthara was wasted, she comes and goes and then she just totally disappears after awhile. Suneil shetty was the worst choice for the villian! the man was expressionless! We need a powerful strong villian against Rajini not a flaky good looking Bollywood actor who has no idea! We are used to seeing strong characters like Mark Anthony and neelambari against Thalaivar. Hari Chopra was not fooling anyone that he was the big bad wolf!

Music by anirudh was sub par and not on the levels of petta although Thara Maara Single was a treat to watch as Thalaivar seemed to be having fun and enjoy himself. That's the thing in this movie, it's just a pure delight to watch superstar enjoying himself....and he just seems to be having fun onscreen, and ultimately I guess thats what his die hard fans expect from him, although, A large potion of us also expect a strong story and most important of all as I mentioned before a strong villian is essential in a Rajini movie. This was the biggest drawback in the film.

Santoshi Sivan's lens must be mentioned as he has done a wonderful job in making all the characters look great onscreen, even yogi looks good! So overall I'm giving this film a 6 and to be frank all 6 stars is for Rajini sir and the technicians of the film apart from the director. Rajini sir was truly great, it is amazing a man at his age can have so much energy, and the gym scene is a testament to a dialogue which he mouths in the film....saying age is just a number. The man carries this film on his strong shoulders, with any other star this film would have been totally lifeless and unbearable. So, at the end go and watch it if you have not already.......for Rajini sirs screen presence and his infectious energy.

Super star Rajini sir is extraordinary... We can see the vintage Rajini ..

But the problem is with director murgadas the story is decades old and routine stuff everything is predictable and clumsy ... Boring movie .. watched full movie only for the screen presence of the vintage Rajinikanth

The GOOD, BAD & NOT-SO-BAD

GOOD

Superstar Rajni - For his undiminished charisma, style quotient and energy through which he fits into the role of a super-cop, when he is almost seventy, including courageously gymming out in all glory. He is a living testimony to the adage that age is just a number and remains the primary reason to watch this otherwise avoidable flick. And.. that is a near impossible feat that he can rightfully claim that only Rajni can accomplish.

Nivetha Thomas - For her commendable performace in a meaty cameo as Rajni's daughter.

Anirudh - For an energetic background score and few good (not great) songs.



NOT-SO-BAD

Yogi Babu - who fares decently with his comic one-liners.

Action set-pieces - While none of it is exceptional, the railway station piece is well choreographed and packs a punch.

Nayantara - She continues to look like a billion bucks and oozes elegance and grace even though she has a nothing role here. While there is a weak pretense to rationalise the semblance of a romance, it is what it is - at best, a weak pretense, if not entirely phony.



BAD

The Villains - Sunil Shetty and co who are bad because they are not bad-enough baddies to challenge the hero in any meaningful way.

A R Murugadoss - Director ARM appears pretty directionless as he puts up a tepid show with weak writing which is all over the place. Looks like the chart-buster "Summa Kizhi" was actually inspired by a reading of this ragtag script. If not for the Superstar who shoulders this pretty sloppy outing and salvages it to watchable category, this would have been declared DOA - dud-on-arrival.

This movie came with lot of expectations about Super Star - A R Murugadoss combo. Yes, they have lived up to the expectation to a certain extent. Thalaivar is as usual stylish and suave in 1st half and everything seems good. But, after 10 minutes in the 2nd half the movie becomes brainless (literally too) and progresses without logic. The absolutely miserable scene is the spoiler and I don't want to disclose it. Finally, a disappointing watch that pulls you down after a marvelous 1st half.

I've never written a review before but just couldn't stop myself this time. To every rajini fanatic I plead you to not glorify such a baseless horrible movie. Irrespective of this movie becoming a blockbuster or not Rajini will still remain rajini but by glorifying this senseless cop movie we will only be encouraging the hese directors to continue to fool the audience by making such stupid films. The confidence that the fans will take care of making a film an automatic success is the reason directors are taking things for granted. I plead to the fans and the movie goers to skip this terrible movie in protest. This film wouldn't have got positive reviews even back in the 90's as it is a totally outdated script. A. R. M has lost himself. Spyder, Sarkar and now this. Three major disasters in a Row.