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Vettaiyan backdrop

Vettaiyan

10 October 2024Tamil2h 41m
out of 10
Mixedlukewarm or divided
Monk Score · 6 scored reviews · 2 not rated

Rajini and Fahadh shine, but Vettaiyan fumbles its moral stance on encounters.

Verdict tier Mixed, lukewarm or divided, on a scale of Unfavorable, Mixed, Recommended, Exceptional.

  • Praised: Rajinikanth and Fahadh Faasil performances
  • Criticised: Predictable, confused central message

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Critic consensus

What 8 critics are saying

Critical reception for Vettaiyan is mixed to lukewarm, with most reviewers finding the film disappointingly predictable for a social drama tackling extrajudicial killings. Several critics noted that Rajinikanth's star presence provides crowd-pleasing moments, and Fahadh Faasil's performance drew specific praise, but these strengths are undercut by a muddled central message and formulaic storytelling. Many critics also felt the film represents a step down from director TJ Gnanavel's previous work, with its handling of the encounter-killing theme seen as more interested in audience deception than in making a clear moral argument.

How the 6 scores spread

2 not-rated reviews aren't plotted

Positive / mixed / negative reviews

Positive = 6.5/10 and up · negative = below 5/10

AI-generated summary of 8 critic reviews · may contain errors

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From the papers

Critic reviews (8)

Top critics first, then by score · not-rated last · updated

  1. PinkVilla

    Film review ·

    The movie Vettaiyan is simply a complete Rajinikanth show that is embedded with apt content to be conveyed. Along with him, Fahadh Faasil has also managed use to entertain us with his wit and charm, adding another layer to his long list of acting capabilities. However, Vettaiyan despite being an investigative tale does have its share of problems in various instances, with the film failing to keep the momentum it had in its narration in the second half, lagging behind in many instances.
  2. RogerEbert

    Film review ·

    “Vettaiyan” may sometimes feel like the worst kind of throwback, but it still manages to coast on its star and his collaborators’ unshakable faith in crowd-pleasing movie logic. The filmmakers don’t miss a formulaic story beat nor do they skimp on what they think their audience will want from Rajinikanth.
  3. Times Of India

    Film review ·

    Overall, the movie is a predictable investigative thriller-social drama that packs several ‘Rajini moments’ for fans to cherish.
  4. India Today

    Film review ·

    ...a social commentary on extrajudicial killings. Good, solid moments get overshadowed by predictability.
  5. Indian Express

    Film review

    Vettaiyan is also burdened by the presence of Rajinikanth, the superstar. The film is extremely confused about its central message, and the problem with Vettaiyan is that glorification of a trigger-happy cop happens for far too long. Also, the film is predictable to a fault, and it takes away from the kind of tension associated with such procedurals.
  6. The Hindu

    Film review ·

    Vettaiyan is a brave attempt to do something the moral compasses of Tamil cinema have long been wishing for, and it's arguably one of the best Rajinikanth films since Kaala. However, as thoughtful as Gnanavel was about stylising and staging the encounter scenes, he seems to have struggled to find a pitch for what he really had to say. The film's conceit rests more on how it deceives the audiences' judgement in the investigation, rather than organically making a stand against it and writing impactful dialogues against these killings.

Credits

Cast & crew

Cast

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