Jigarthanda DoubleX

JDX is clearly Karthik Subbaraj's best work since Jigarthanda. Of course, it brings back the familiar "gangster & filmmaker" trope from the original, though it ups the stakes, emotions, and craft. On the whole, I still prefer the first film because it had a simpler core and didn't have to shoehorn any kind of messaging. But credit where it's due, the second half of JDX takes you into a space you wouldn't expect, (almost) hitting the right emotional notes, as well as showcasing some exceptional bits of writing. The first half of JDX, on the other hand, is probably the most well-shot in all of Subbaraj's films. Cinematographer Tirru is firing on all cylinders, getting the Madurai Western colour palette right and candidly capturing a host of differentially textured characters. SaNa & Subbaraj are an irrefutable combo, and somehow, the latter keeps extracting fantastic background scores from the former.

The writing in the pre-interval block and the climax are terrific. These segments bring out the best in SJ Suryah as a performer, even when they hark back to certain ideas from the first film. The remainder of the film rests on the able shoulders of Raghava Lawrence, who comes up with a spectacular feat. It's to the director's credit that we only see Alliyus Caesar and NOT Raghava Lawrence in the film. The supporting cast also pitches in with emotionally charged performances, and this includes good showings from Nimisha Sajayan and Ilavarasu - plus, the folks who played various members of the tribe. Naveen Chandra, as the antagonist, is impressive. I can say the same for the actor who portrayed Shettani.

Subbaraj's adoration for Clint Eastwood Westerns fully comes through in the first half, and while the humour quotient is less (when compared with the 2014 film), it keeps you visually hooked. The setup is elaborate, and in the beginning, I wondered why Subbaraj took the longest (and intricately detailed) route to get to the seen-before plot point from the first film. But, he surprised me in the climactic portion by offering solid payoffs. The only major downer is the visual effects for the elephant scenes, but I'm willing to let that slide since the makers didn't try to brag/reveal too much in their promotional material about it. On the whole, this is deliciously cooked meta cinema, and a splendid return to form for Karthik Subbaraj, the CINEMA LOVER.

We've had some banger movies out of Kollywood in 2023, and this just might be my Tamil movie of the year. I was skeptical of a Jigarthanda 'sequel' when this was announced and wasn't sure what to make of the casting, but was blown away by what I watched.

You can write a story about a given topic/around a message, and a good story should be enough for the film. Making a movie about making movie about the same story could almost feel..."Why? Keep it simple & not complicate the plot. Just make it about the message." But no, JDX disagrees. It want's to do what's tough.

Writing/Direction - Easily some of the best work I've seen in recent times. The movie has so many layers that have been written in very seamlessly. I enjoyed the first film, even though I didn't like the transition of tone/genre. I knew JDX would be doing the same, but damn, I didn't expect them to 'use cinema to bring forth change' the way they did. Loved how they went back and forth on what 'shooting' means to different people in the film. I didn't expect the messaging to be hard-hitting and yet, no on-the-nose. Didn't think you could blend of genres this way, but they did.

Raghava Lawrence - role of a lifetime! It's not often that you can steal the show with SJ Surya (who was also really good) in it, but this guy managed it. You've got to watch it to believe it. Support cast - really good.

Music - Santhosh Narayanan and his work elevate almost every scene of the film beyond expectation, especially the ones that are supposed to hit hard. It was very refreshing to listen to his genre of music after continuous bombardment of Anirudh songs, only sung by him, mostly about hero-worshiping.

Cinematography - especially the first half - top notch. The lighting and the colors deserve a special mention. I was bummed out that the 2nd half didn't look as vibrant, but I understand why it was done that way.

I could go on and be more specific, but that would potentially spoil things for you...sooo...Don't miss this film! I'd be very surprised if this doesn't win a bunch of awards next year. Based on how technically epic this film, on the commentaries on various things, and simply based on how well they tell the story of the power of cinema through cinema, this would be in the top 10 Indian films of 2023 to submit for Oscars. I know I haven't watched many other GOOD Indian movies this year, but boy if they sent this film, I don't think I'd disagree one bit!

The story has pretty good narration. It was well written. Lawrence, S. J. Surya and other side characters truly showed their dedication with their outstanding performances!

Cinematography, Set Locations, Outfits were all top notch. Background music were vibes as well.

Though the movie is lengthy and has slight drags in certain areas, i personally feel every minute of the movie was enjoyable and emotional. Lawrence and S. J. Surya have their respective character developments which just adds onto the already very well written story.

I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you add this to your watchlist if you havent already.

I am giving honest review and overall i liked the movie..The movie duration yes it affected the storyline and little lagg feeling but there are many plus points in the movie we should look out for..This movie is watchable with family..

PLUS POINTS 1. Lawrence Acting,Mannerism,Dialogues,Great Comeback Performance 2. Sj Suryah Apt Role as Director eventhough he was in different mission 3. Village Theme 2nd half with emotions 4. Heroine Stole our Heart again after Chitta movie she lived the Character 5. Message for society and politics strong warning 6. Storyline Good

MINUS POINTS 1. Bgm santosh messed up 2. Movie duration 3.1st 30 min little boring but eventually catch up with Lawrence entry 4. OverHyped after Jigarthanda 1 success caused this to become okayish movie.

It's been 9 years since Jigarthanda was first released and people still love it to this day. It's considered a modern cult classic of sorts with a noticeable following, and for director Karthik Subbaraj to announce a sequel to one of the industry's most successful movies in a time where sequels exist simply to leech off name recognition, one might have some reasonable reservations about it. Well, this is where I disagree.

The original Jigarthanda was to me an extremely overrated movie. And as much as the word is frowned upon, I can't seem to find a word that describes my feeling towards it better. It was an ugly movie, with not a single likeable character, and where the conflict kept sinking to insufferable lows. It's still beyond me how this movie was ever considered anything more than mediocre. Well, thankfully we have a sequel that takes the same premise as the original and rectifies any and all faults I had with it.

Karthik Subbaraj is now 9 years the wiser, and with his naturally great eye for dramatic storytelling only refined, he finally finds good use for the premise; this time with likeable characters, clearly defined and compelling motivations, and while the occasional ostentatious tendencies do show, it's forgivable as it never impedes with the movie's impressive flow. With a breakneck first half and a resolute second, Jigarthanda Double X ends up being an arresting and fun cinematic experience. Try not to miss it!