Mass movie!!
Good Bad Ugly (GBU) marks Ajith Kumar's return to his vintage, massy self. And boy, does he return with a bang! This is what I call a self-conscious movie-one that very well understands the pulse and expectations of a select group of audience, and sets out to satisfy the cravings of that identified segment. That being said, it may not be everyone's cup of tea. You'll either leave the cinema absolutely loving it or end up questioning your life decisions.
At its core, this is a movie about a loving dad who would do anything to right the wrongs for his son. But that's probably just 20% of the movie-the remaining 80% is full-on Ajith Kumar 'massacre'.
The film is filled with callbacks to some of the hero's past classics-be it dialogues, looks, or even reenactments from earlier films. From 'Vaali' to 'Billa' to 'Mankatha', nothing is spared. Fans get to witness "Vintage AK" (yes, that exact phrase is used in the film), as the man is once again portrayed, celebrated, and worshipped by everyone in reel and real like a godlike figure.
The film sets out to do just one thing, and only that: serve diehard fans of AK with enough substance to sustain them for the coming years, especially with the actor announcing a break from movies to focus on his racing career.
While it's clearly a "leave-your-brains-behind" kind of fan-service ride, it doesn't aim to cater to all shades of AK fandom. Instead, it's primarily designed to appeal to one specific archetype of Ajith fan-the 'mass masala' lover. If you identify as one, GBU is going to be one crazy, wild ride. However, if you're going in to watch Ajith the performer or the actor, there isn't much space for that in this movie.
All said, the film is brimming with everything that defines AK's icon status-his slow-mo walks, his suits-and-sunglasses look, his dedication to pulling off high-octane stunts, cheeky one-liners, and much more. All of that is generously sprinkled across the runtime. But while the movie perfects the 'icing,' it fumbles when it comes to baking the 'cake' itself.
You have to commend the director's intention to create something colourful, loud, and nonchalant. The sheer volume of AK references, nostalgia, and stylised moments keeps hitting you without rest. Barring a few great moments that land fantastically (including a banger of an interval block), most of these odes to the past end up looking forced and flat.
Good Bad Ugly perhaps would've worked even better for the general audience too had it gone fully spoof-mode, delivering something wacky, nonsensical, and fourth-wall-breaking with AK. For instance, we get a completely random, never-imagined-before kind of gangster origin story of the "Red Dragon," featuring some unexpected 'international' cameos. These portions were totally wild and unexpected.
As for the technical aspects, the editing felt a little choppy at times, but to be able to squeeze in so much into a 2-hour-20-minute runtime is gargantuan-and it is indeed a commendable effort. GV Prakash's music is loud and complements the over-the-top vibe the film is aiming for. However, the same songs, the same BGMs, and the same hero shots get repeated too often. Once is a surprise, twice it's tiresome.
The warm tonality of the film too is well-suited for a story of this nature, and AK the star shines bright in almost every look, get-up, and outfit he dons.
There's not much to say about standout performances, as most of the supporting cast is relegated to simply singing praises of the hero and adding no value to the screenplay or plot.
At its core, this is a movie about a loving dad who would do anything to right the wrongs for his son. But that's probably just 20% of the movie-the remaining 80% is full-on Ajith Kumar 'massacre'.
The film is filled with callbacks to some of the hero's past classics-be it dialogues, looks, or even reenactments from earlier films. From 'Vaali' to 'Billa' to 'Mankatha', nothing is spared. Fans get to witness "Vintage AK" (yes, that exact phrase is used in the film), as the man is once again portrayed, celebrated, and worshipped by everyone in reel and real like a godlike figure.
The film sets out to do just one thing, and only that: serve diehard fans of AK with enough substance to sustain them for the coming years, especially with the actor announcing a break from movies to focus on his racing career.
While it's clearly a "leave-your-brains-behind" kind of fan-service ride, it doesn't aim to cater to all shades of AK fandom. Instead, it's primarily designed to appeal to one specific archetype of Ajith fan-the 'mass masala' lover. If you identify as one, GBU is going to be one crazy, wild ride. However, if you're going in to watch Ajith the performer or the actor, there isn't much space for that in this movie.
All said, the film is brimming with everything that defines AK's icon status-his slow-mo walks, his suits-and-sunglasses look, his dedication to pulling off high-octane stunts, cheeky one-liners, and much more. All of that is generously sprinkled across the runtime. But while the movie perfects the 'icing,' it fumbles when it comes to baking the 'cake' itself.
You have to commend the director's intention to create something colourful, loud, and nonchalant. The sheer volume of AK references, nostalgia, and stylised moments keeps hitting you without rest. Barring a few great moments that land fantastically (including a banger of an interval block), most of these odes to the past end up looking forced and flat.
Good Bad Ugly perhaps would've worked even better for the general audience too had it gone fully spoof-mode, delivering something wacky, nonsensical, and fourth-wall-breaking with AK. For instance, we get a completely random, never-imagined-before kind of gangster origin story of the "Red Dragon," featuring some unexpected 'international' cameos. These portions were totally wild and unexpected.
As for the technical aspects, the editing felt a little choppy at times, but to be able to squeeze in so much into a 2-hour-20-minute runtime is gargantuan-and it is indeed a commendable effort. GV Prakash's music is loud and complements the over-the-top vibe the film is aiming for. However, the same songs, the same BGMs, and the same hero shots get repeated too often. Once is a surprise, twice it's tiresome.
The warm tonality of the film too is well-suited for a story of this nature, and AK the star shines bright in almost every look, get-up, and outfit he dons.
There's not much to say about standout performances, as most of the supporting cast is relegated to simply singing praises of the hero and adding no value to the screenplay or plot.
- Aashishs-97
- May 22, 2025