Coolie Movie Review: Lokesh Kanagaraj Searches Desperately For A Voice Outside LCU With This Boring Rajinikanth Starrer

Coolie Movie Review: With Rajinikanth and Lokesh Kanagaraj collaborating, rumours were rife that Coolie will be part of the director's famed movieverse LCU or Lokesh Cinematic Universe. Those watching this tedious and overstuffed actioner will have difficulty in deciding whether Coolie would have worked better as a passable fare in the LCU since it borrows obvious elements from it and tries to lean into the tag more often than not, or is just a total misfire from the director and, fortunately, not a part of his ambitious franchise.

There are more misses than hits in Coolie. Soubin Shahir (Dayal) and Nagarjuna's (Simon) villainous characters power the narrative in the beginning and set the sinister tone in the world of illegal trade Coolie is set in. As the film continues, Dayal and Simon appear more as cardboard cutouts than real villains. Without solid character motivations, viewers will feel blindsided by them and disconnect creeps in. Scenes of graphic violence act as hooks and try best to keep the viewers locked in, but since the real intent of the director is hidden, partly due to the packaging of a 'thriller' movie, Coolie loses sight of the larger picture. It wanders without aim, and once tired, puts its focus on Rajinikanth's Deva to rescue the paper thin plot.

Also read: With Coolie, Rajinikanth Delivers Biggest I-Day Opening In Indian Cinema

In his 50th year in the film industry now, Rajinikanth fans deserved better for him and from him. Coolie doesn't and shouldn't cut it, especially after the way he surprisingly reinvented himself in director Nelson Dilipkumar's Jailer. Lokesh has his team behind him but his vision is missing and tanks the movie. First half is long, without any urgency despite the flourishing crime world and continues to throw the viewers from one twist into another. However, most of the thrills don't land with the impact it might have appeared on paper. In the second half, there is too much on the director's plate and he doesn't do a convincing job with the final pay-off.

Also read: Is Coolie A Part Of LCU? Speculations About Rajinikanth Starrer Rife

Another recurring and frustrating aspect in Coolie is the constant use of flashbacks. It spares investing in logically forming an emotional core in the story and any relatability with Deva becomes a strenuous search. In the second half, scenes between Deva and Preeti (Shruti Haasan) are stretched and lack earnestness. Shruti's performance also appears one tone and stands out as the weakest in the movie.

There are some positives in Coolie that may help one stick around for its almost 3-hour-long runtime. However, they are far few and scattered. Rajinikanth's witty one-liners do offer reprieve in tense face-offs. Anirudh's background score powers the high points in the storyline. However, the soundscape falls in the familiar zone instead of standing out. Nagarjuna looks stylish as Simon but there are elements of Lokesh's Rolex overpowering him. Whether one can see him as a separate entity and not emanating from the LCU is the big question. Dayal is better moulded and Soubin does a good job navigating his character's evil and entertaining aspects. But, in the second half, the film's only enjoyable character becomes a caricature. Alongside, Pooja Hegde, he is a delight in peppy the Monika song.

Coolie demands patience of its viewers. It does not have the intrigue of Vikram or the style of Kaithi. Outside of the LCU, Lokesh has certainly faltered. The movie works on a template, relying heavily on actors. The Rajinikanth factor weighs down on the director and becomes his weakness. Nelson tapped into Rajinism and delivered in Jailer. Coolie doesn't do half as much. 

Rating: 2/5 Stars