# Jailer (2023) Review: Rajinikanth's Swagger, Nelson's Wit > Jailer is Nelson Dilipkumar's Tamil action comedy built around Rajinikanth as a retired jailer, a crowd-pleasing star vehicle with a sharp first half and a baggy second. Canonical: https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/jailer-2023-review/ Published: 2026-07-23 Last updated: 2026-09-24 Author: Kaiser Khan — Founder & Editor Language: English Review basis: direct-viewing Spoilers: none Rating: 3.5/5 ## Verdict Yes, with reservations. Rajinikanth fans and lovers of mass Tamil cinema will have a blast; others should expect a long, uneven second half. ## Is Jailer worth watching? **Yes, with reservations. Jailer is a hugely entertaining Rajinikanth showcase for most of its length, mixing deadpan comedy and stylised violence with real confidence, even if it overstays its welcome.** Director Nelson Dilipkumar understands that the joy of a late-career star vehicle lies in the reveal of what the hero can still do, and he stages those moments with relish. The catch is the second half, which loses the first half's tight control and sprawls across a running time of close to three hours. ## What is Jailer about? Muthuvel Pandian ([Rajinikanth](https://celluloidscore.com/stars/asia/india/rajinikanth/)) is a retired jailer living a quiet life with his family in Chennai, a doting grandfather who is gently mocked at home for his ordinariness. His son (Vasanth Ravi) is a principled police officer, and when the son's investigation into an antique-idol smuggling gang goes badly wrong, Muthu is forced back into a harder world he had chosen to leave behind. His opponent is a volatile gang boss played by Vinayakan. Ramya Krishnan plays Muthu's wife, Mirnaa his daughter-in-law and Yogi Babu supplies comic support. [Jailer](https://celluloidscore.com/movies/jailer-2023/) is written and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar, runs 165 minutes and is in Tamil. ## A star vehicle that plays with its star The cleverest thing about Jailer is how long it withholds Rajinikanth's mass-hero persona. The early scenes cast him as a mild, faintly comic family man, and Nelson plays that ordinariness for gentle laughs. When the film finally lets him show a steelier side, the payoff lands with the force of a whistle-worthy entrance, precisely because the audience has been kept waiting. Rajinikanth, in his seventies and entirely at ease, plays it with minimal effort and maximum presence. He does not need to move much; a glance, a slow walk or a tilt of his sunglasses carries the weight of nearly five decades of screen mythology. Nelson clearly adores this persona but is also willing to have a little fun with it, and that mix of reverence and wit is what separates the film from routine fan service. ## Nelson's deadpan violence, Anirudh's thunder Nelson's signature, familiar from his earlier comedies, is a dry, absurd humour that sits right next to brutality. Jailer has plenty of both: henchmen who are funny until they are suddenly not, and action beats staged with a cold, almost comic matter-of-factness. Vinayakan is a genuine asset as the antagonist, unpredictable and menacing without tipping into caricature, and he gives the film a villain who feels dangerous rather than decorative. Anirudh Ravichander's music does a huge amount of the work. The background score pounds, swaggers and builds each of Rajinikanth's big moments into an event, and the soundtrack became a phenomenon of its own. Some viewers will find the constant sonic hype exhausting, but it suits a film designed to be watched with a cheering crowd. ## Where the second half sags The film's problems arrive after the interval. The plot becomes more convoluted, a long comic detour pads the middle stretch without adding much, and the tension that the first half built so carefully leaks away. The family drama is also thinly written; Ramya Krishnan and Mirnaa are given very little to do beyond reacting. At 165 minutes, the film could lose half an hour without losing anything essential, and its violence, sometimes played for laughs, may put off viewers unused to the genre. ## Who should watch Jailer? It is essential for Rajinikanth fans and a strong pick for anyone who enjoys mass Tamil entertainment, where star entrances, songs and slow-motion swagger matter as much as plot. Newcomers to the form will find it an accessible starting point, provided they commit to the running time. The violence is frequent and occasionally graphic, and some of it is played as dark comedy. If it works for you: - [Vikram](https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/vikram-2022-review/), another veteran-star comeback driven by an Anirudh score and old-school swagger. - [Leo](https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/leo-2023-review/), a 2023 Tamil action film with a similar idea of a family man hiding a dangerous history. - [Beast](https://celluloidscore.com/reviews/beast-2022-review/), Nelson's previous film, for more of his dark, deadpan action comedy. ## The verdict Jailer is a triumphant showcase for Rajinikanth and a witty, confident piece of mass entertainment for much of its length, powered by Vinayakan's menace and a thunderous score. The saggy second half and underwritten family roles cost it dearly, but as a celebration of a star who still commands the screen, it delivers. **Rating: 3.5/5** ## Related title - [Jailer (2023)](https://celluloidscore.com/movies/jailer-2023/) ## Editorial - [Editorial standards](https://celluloidscore.com/about/editorial-policy/) - [Report a correction](https://celluloidscore.com/about/corrections/)