Coolie (2025) Review: Superstar Swagger Meets Heavy Gangland Machinery

This Coolie review starts with a simple question: what happens when Tamil cinema's biggest star meets one of its most stylish action directors? Lokesh Kanagaraj's 2025 crime thriller puts Rajinikanth at the centre of a revenge story, and the result is loud, slick and uneven.

It runs a long 170 minutes in Tamil, and it asks for some patience. Fans of star-driven action movie reviews will find plenty to enjoy.

Coolie Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Coolie plot is built on grief and suspicion. Deva (Rajinikanth) has been living quietly when a close friend dies under strange circumstances. He refuses to accept the official version of events and decides to find out the truth himself.

That search takes him inside a powerful gang that operates out of sight. As he investigates, he is pulled into a web of crime, betrayal and secrets from his own past. The stakes rise quickly, and Deva must face dangerous enemies while protecting the people he loves.

The setup is familiar, but it gives the film a clear engine. Revenge, loyalty and old sins drive almost every scene.

What Works in Coolie

The biggest draw is Rajinikanth himself. Even in a story that leans on well-worn crime tropes, he commands the screen with the easy swagger that made him a legend. The film knows exactly how to frame that presence.

Lokesh Kanagaraj brings the polished, rhythm-heavy style his fans expect. Action scenes are staged as events, with music and camera movement working together to make entrances and confrontations feel big.

Anirudh Ravichander's music supplies much of that energy. Tracks such as "Coolie Disco" give the film a pulse and a sense of fun that lifts the heavier stretches.

• Strong star moments that play to Rajinikanth's screen persona

• A confident, stylised approach to action

• A driving score that keeps momentum alive

Coolie Cast and Performances

The Coolie cast is stacked with recognisable names. Rajinikanth plays Devaraj, known as Deva, and he blends weary gravity with flashes of mischief.

Nagarjuna Akkineni plays Simon, and he is a welcome presence as a figure tied to the criminal underworld. Soubin Shahir appears as Dhayal/Dilip and brings a restless, unpredictable energy. Upendra plays Kaleesha, Shruti Haasan plays Preeti, and Sathyaraj plays Rajasekar, giving the ensemble real weight.

Supporting players

The wide ensemble is both a strength and a challenge. Each actor makes an impression, yet some characters feel underused because the film is juggling so many of them.

Where Coolie Stumbles

The main problem is length and focus. At nearly three hours, the film loses pace in its middle stretch, where the investigation feels more like a series of set pieces than a gripping mystery.

The writing, credited to Kanagaraj and Chandhru Anbazhagan, relies on revenge-thriller conventions that seasoned viewers will spot early. The emotional core, built around Deva's bond with his friend, does not always land as strongly as the style around it.

There is also a sense that the ensemble could have been better used. Several talented actors get scenes that look striking but add little to the story. Audience reaction has been mixed, with a TMDB score of 6.2 out of 10 from a small pool of votes.

Is Coolie Worth Watching?

Yes, if you go in for the star power and the style rather than a fresh story. Coolie delivers charismatic moments, energetic music and confident action, even when the plot treads familiar ground.

The Coolie release date was 13 August 2025, and the film is rated NR. If you like crime stories such as those in our crime movie reviews, it offers enough spectacle to justify the runtime. If you want tight, surprising storytelling, you may find it overlong. For a leaner rescue-style alternative, see our A Line of Fire review.

Who Will Enjoy Coolie

• Rajinikanth fans who want the star at full swagger

• Viewers who enjoy stylish Lokesh Kanagaraj action and loud, music-led set pieces

• Crime-thriller fans who value atmosphere over originality

For background on the film, see its Coolie page on IMDb.