‘Jailer’ review: Barely arresting

Director Nelson’s new film with Rajinikanth is constantly warning you that something is about to break bad. But the fearful anticipation that should have been built through smart plotting is outsourced instead to the departments that execute stunts and supply fake blood.

The Tamil action drama is stacked with characters who cannot make a move without accompanying it with either an exaggerated emotion or a dastardly act of violence. Heads are split open or separated from necks. Every attempt is made to shock or thrill – often both and at the same time. The outsourcing tendency extends to the film’s 72-year-old hero who, after displaying a couple of instances of his virility, settles down to become the equivalent of an overseer at a factory.

On the surface, Muthu (Rajinikanth) is a retired grandpa who dotes on his grandson, buys the groceries and avoids conflict. The inner beast in Muthu is awakened when his police officer son Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) is held hostage by antiques smuggler Varma (Vinayakan).

In case you hadn’t realise it, Varma is mean (he dunks his adversaries in vats of sulphuric acid, for one thing). But since Varma is up against a hero played by Rajinikanth, there is never any...

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