Currently streaming: facilitated by JustWatch Last night's Times Square premiere of "Jailer," a gory and humorous action Indian thriller starring Rajinikanth, the self-advertised "Super Star" who commands a huge following and speaks Tamil, was met with a standing ovation from a packed house. That is, everyone present in the audience appeared to be supporting Rajinikanth. The Top 14 Most Terrifying Mythological Creatures in Horror Films At 72 years old, Rajinikanth (“Robot,” “Kaala”) is still active. His "Jailer" character, Muthu "Tiger" Pandian, a former police officer and jail warden, has a sly little grandson and a penchant for killing bad guys. The Muthu are known for their deadly stabbings and beheadings. In addition, he has a wide circle of dubious former acquaintances that pose a threat to his family. These pals are portrayed by a strong cast of leading males and Indian character performers.
Varman's character-defining violence continues to be extreme, giving old man Rajinikanth a mandate to be merciless. It's sometimes moving to see him match Varman because, as our antihero's theme song proclaims, "He will make your next generation dance to his tunes." Rajinikanth is arguably unique in that, unlike Sylvester Stallone or Steven Seagal, he continues to attract the type of young fanatical filmmakers who all seem fixated with making the now physiologically mature star appear perpetually famous. A friend who saw "Jailer" in Los Angeles last night made a joke about Rajinikanth's theatrical entrances into new rooms. In Times Square, each scene is different, especially when he finally spots Varman's barrels of sulphuric acid.
The film contains several memorable scenes, and even at 72 years old, Rajinikanth reigns supreme as the superstar. But this is all the film has to give. After 24 years, Ramya Krishnan and Rajinikanth were reunited, which could have meant so much more if she had been given more to perform in the film than merely play the grieving mother and wife. At least 24 years ago, in Padayappa, her character was multifaceted and had much more to give. The film has appearances from Jackie Shroff, Shiv Rajkumar, Mohanlal, Sunil, and Tamannaah.
Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, called Jailer (Rajnikanth), is a retired police officer who lives peacefully with his wife, son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. His son Arjun, an honest police officer, goes missing unexpectedly. Jailer begins seeking for him but discovers that he has died. He kills the person who murdered his kid, driven by vengeance. This triggers a chain of events that connects to a group that steals idols from temples. What does the Jailer do? How will he protect his family? The answers to all of these questions comprise the rest of the story.
