15 October,2026 12:57 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rajinikanth pic via Instagram
Rajinikanth has brought back his iconic character, Tiger Muthuvel Pandian, to the big screen. Jailer 2, the sequel to his 2023 blockbuster Jailer, hit theatres on October 15 (Thursday). As the early shows ended, early reactions started coming in on X (formerly Twitter), with fans sharing their first impression of Jailer 2. While some praised the film's action-packed moments, others felt the second half fell short of the first.
Taking to X, one user wrote, "The film starts on a strong note with a superb first half. Though the second half gets a bit over the top, the mass moments keep the film entertaining. The cameos work well, and the film scores high on production values."
Another review expressed excitement and added, "The whole Goa birthday sequence in the second half is a textbook on how to write mass masala scenes with excellent payoff for stars. Personally loved it more than Jailer. Just go and watch it in a packed theatre."
Some fans said Jailer 2 reminded them of Baasha, the 1991 film that rose Rajinikanth to superstardom. "JAILER 2 is a f'''ing dynamite. God damn explosion like Baasha!! Waiting for Jailer 3," a viewer wrote.
While the first half recieved appreciation for setting up the story well, the general sentiment was that the second half did not maintain the same standard. One review read: "First half works mainly because of Nelson's trademark comedy, a few solid Superstar elevation scenes, and Anirudh's BGM. But the writing gets weaker as it goes on, with the SJ Suryah and Vidya Balan villain tracks feeling tiring and impactless, while the film moves away from the entertainment that works best. Rajinikanth's screen presence still delivers, but even the elevation scenes don't hit consistently."
Another viewer wrote, "The Second Half has a few dips, and writing could've been more solid on the villain part. Apart from the flaws in the Second Half, the Mass stretches worked well as a theatre moment."
One viewer was even more critical, as they expressed, "Every 15 minutes, a new villain is introduced for no apparent reason, and why they're even there is anyone's guess! Every character feels forced, and the story keeps going around in circles with no real direction. Started with some promise, but completely lost the plot in the second half. Just a one-time watch!"
Jailer 2 is backed by Sun Pictures and directed by Nelson Dilipkumar. Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Mirnaa and Rithvik reprise their roles from the first instalment, while S. J. Suryah, Mithun Chakraborty, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Vidya Balan, Anna Rajan and Jatin Sarna are new additions to the cast.
