So every attempt at seriousness is punctured instantly by a stab at comedy, and the film never seems comfortable with its subject (Shakti’s transformation comes off looking especially ridiculous). A.R. Murugadoss, with Thupakki, made the ideal Vijay vehicle, never letting the stakes get too serious. But that’s different from there being no stakes at all, with everything looking preordained. Some nice tunes by Imman apart, there’s nothing in Jilla to justify the three-hour running time. But try telling that to the delirious fans.
Tamil
