Rajinikanth films exist in their own category. Mass or mess is always the question going in, because with Thalaivar the gap between the two can be surprisingly thin.
Coolie, directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, leans into the mass side more than the mess side — which is good news. Rajinikanth is doing what only he can do, and there are sequences in this film designed purely for that experience. They deliver. The problem is the film around those sequences. The writing in the first half drags in places, and some of the plot logic requires you to switch your brain off a bit more than usual, even by the standards of this genre. Certain character motivations are not as sharp as they need to be, and it shows.
Lokesh Kanagaraj is one of the most exciting directors working in Tamil cinema right now. Coolie may not be his best work, but it is a functional Rajini mass entertainer. Know what you are signing up for and you will have a good time.
