Coolie, piloted by Lokesh Kanagaraj and starring Rajinikanth, is a film that walks the line between being engaging and underwhelming. With a star-studded cast and massive expectations riding on it, the movie offers a fairly entertaining ride, but not without its bumps.
The narrative stems up with a retired person living in Chennai, Deva (Rajinikanth), sets out to find the truth about the strange death of an old friend. Beginning as a personal quest, it slowly gives way to a conflict involving crime, betrayal, and a dark past with the villainous Simon Xavier (Nagarjuna, in a great performance). The setup is pretty interesting and builds momentum in the first half while witnessing fine twists and some stylish action.
Rajinikanth is having the time of his life in this film, and it’s refreshing to see a role that enables both charm and intensity. His draw as a screen presence continues, and there is enough afforded to him by the film to blossom. Nagarjuna really shines as the villain, smooth yet threatening and seemingly having a blast doing it. Soubin Shahir’s performance is complex and worthy of praise, combining humour and menace in a very credible way. Nagarjuna is a standout as the antagonist, suave, threatening, and clearly having fun with the role. Soubin Shahir also deserves praise for his layered performance, delivering a solid mix of humour and menace.
However, not everything clicks. The pace dips in the early portions and again in the final act, where the film loses its grip. The backstory reveal toward the end feels unnecessarily stretched, and a star cameo (Aamir Khan) falls flat with little impact on the plot. Upendra and others make brief appearances but don’t get much to do.
Anirudh Ravichander’s background score lifts several scenes, especially the action sequences, but at times feels repetitive. The cinematography and production design are fine, although the film doesn’t quite match the staggering heights of visual splendor found in Lokesh’s precedent.
While Coolie attempts to juxtapose a scenario-first approach with fan service, it manages to do neither full justice. The emotional beats aren’t hard enough, and the final act lacks that punch you expect in an action drama on the big screen. That said, the film isn’t a misfire it’s just not the milestone event some may have hoped for.
Coolie is a watchable action thriller powered by Rajinikanth’s charisma and a strong villain in Nagarjuna. It has moments of fun and flair but is weighed down by a shaky climax and uneven pacing. Lower your expectations a bit, and you might just enjoy the ride.
IWMBuzz rates it 3/5 stars.
