When a Rajinikanth film is about to hit the screens, the buzz is unmatched. Fans across generations wait for that moment when “Thalaivar” lights up the big screen — and with Coolie, expectations were sky-high. After all, it was directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, the man behind modern Tamil blockbusters and multi-starrer spectacles. This pairing sounded like a sure-shot winner.
Unfortunately, Coolie turns out to be more of a slow walk than a sprint. The movie has flashes of brilliance and a few nostalgic nods, but the magic fans were promised? It barely shows up.
The Setup That Had Potential
Lokesh Kanagaraj draws inspiration from Rajinikanth’s 1981 classic Thee (itself a remake of Deewar). In Coolie, we meet a younger Deva — a port worker who fights for his fellow labourers. The flashbacks, sprinkled throughout the film, give Rajinikanth’s character some emotional depth without needing lengthy explanations.
On paper, it’s the perfect foundation for a rousing mass entertainer — the hero of the working class taking on a corrupt system. But once the flashbacks end, the present-day storyline struggles to hold the same weight.
Where It Falters
The big problem? The writing. At 170 minutes, Coolie feels stretched, with long portions that lack urgency. There’s an attempt to blend crime drama with emotional beats, but the transitions feel clunky. The film wants to be gritty and grounded while still serving over-the-top “Rajini moments,” but the balance never quite lands.
Lokesh is known for fan service, but here, those moments feel like they’re ticking boxes rather than flowing naturally from the story. Yes, Rajinikanth gets his massy dialogues, his slow-motion walks, and his trademark swagger — but they don’t hit as hard because the plot around them is thin.
The Performances
Rajinikanth, even at 50 years into his career, carries scenes with pure screen presence. He doesn’t need to do much to make fans cheer, and that’s both the strength and weakness of Coolie — it leans too heavily on his charisma instead of building tension through the story.
Soubin Shahir delivers a solid performance, adding a grounded layer to the drama. But with the writing not giving him enough to work with, his impact is limited. The supporting cast does their job, but no one gets a truly memorable arc.
The Verdict
Coolie had the perfect ingredients: a legendary actor, a hit-making director, and a nostalgic nod to one of Rajinikanth’s classics. What it needed was tighter writing and a more focused narrative. Instead, it feels like a film caught between being a modern mass entertainer and a tribute to old-school Rajini cinema — ending up not fully satisfying either side.
For die-hard Rajini fans, Coolie offers a few moments worth whistling for. But for everyone hoping for a grand, genre-defining Rajinikanth-Lokesh collaboration, this one’s more of a missed opportunity than a milestone.
