Lokesh Kanagaraj reshaped the syntax of storytelling in Tamil cinema with his 2019 film Kaithi. With Vikram, he set the ball rolling for the Lokesh Cinematic Universe (LCU) in 2022. Even Leo worked magic on the big screen the following year. So when Lokesh announced Coolie starring Rajinikanth, the anticipation was sky high.

But Coolie turned out to be a damp squib — it is a nearly three-hour-long torture Lokesh’s loyal fans did not deserve.

Here are five reasons why Coolie failed to impress.

Lokesh stops being Lokesh

The biggest disappointment of Coolie is how little of Lokesh’s signature style of direction is actually in it. This is the director known for films which are stylish, violent, and entertaining. Even if the influence of Korean thrillers and David Fincher's filmography is palpable, he indulges in masala tropes, with method to his madness.

But in Coolie, he seems to abandon his playbook altogether. Instead, he chooses to mimic recent Rajini-starrers — Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer or Aishwarya Rajinikanth’s Lal Salaam, for example — where the Tamil superstar’s larger-than-life aura is the sole focus.

All the trademarks of a Lokesh movie are here — cameos, 1990s songs as background score, endless Easter eggs — but none of it feels fresh anymore. It feels like fan service written by someone checking boxes.

A story that loses track of itself

Coolie begins with promise. Deva (Rajinikanth) is introduced as a man with a shadowy past who gets entangled with Simon (Nagarjuna), a smuggler of luxury watches. There’s a murder and revenge arc thrown in. It feels like the setup for a tense crime thriller. For the entire first half you keep waiting for Deva’s backstory and yearn for a climax that will blow your mind.

But soon the film veers off into side plots that have little to do with the main story. By the interval, the central conflict is forgotten. The second half unravels like a mishmash of action set pieces targeted at doing justice to the superstar aura of the ensemble cast.

By the end, you have more questions in your mind than you had before walking into the theatre.

More style, less substance

To be fair, the film looks good. Girish Gangadharan’s neon-lit cinematography is striking, and Anirudh’s thundering background score almost convinces you that you’re watching something epic. Lokesh even uses motion-controlled rigs for some slick action choreography.

But underneath all the polish, the writing is paper-thin. Characters pop in and out without reason, and important revelations about characters happen in the middle of dull action scenes. Emotional arcs hardly make an impact, and by the time the end credits roll, the film collapses under its own weight.

Nagarjuna’s villain fizzles out

What’s a Rajini (or Lokesh) film without a memorable villain? When it was announced that Nagarjuna would play the antagonist Simon in Coolie, fans expected a David vs Goliath-like clash between Rajini and him. Instead, Simon fails to be a worthy villain. The screenplay sidelines him so badly that you forget he exists. In trying to give Rajini all the spotlight, Lokesh forgets that a hero only shines when the villain is strong.

What Nagarjuna’s Simon lacks, Soubin Shahir’s Dayal makes up for. Simon’s henchman who betrays him, Dayal had all the makings for a villain who could match Deva’s (Rajinikanth) stature. But after the interval, he is reduced to more of a comic relief — at one point, his character is even made to wear a dog collar.

Female characters are overlooked, yet again

For years, Lokesh has faced criticism for treating women in his films like props. Coolie is no different. Shruti Haasan’s Preethi is introduced with some weight, but soon the screenplay reduces her to a damsel in distress.

Another wasted female actor is Rachita Ram. Her Kalyani could easily have become another Agent Tina (remember Vikram?). But the script hands her the raw deal. One moment she is shown as a hapless woman trapped in a syndicate. The next moment she turns into a scheming double agent. Immediately after, she is shown as a helpless woman desperate to save her life before meeting an end that she didn’t deserve.

Cameos and chaos everywhere

Cameos used to be Lokesh Kanagaraj’s ace card. In Vikram, Suriya’s brief but explosive appearance as Rolex left audiences gasping. But in Coolie, the cameos feel less like storytelling choices and more like box-office gimmicks. Take Aamir Khan, for example. The cameo adds nothing to the story except a bait for the North Indian audience.

Then there’s Upendra. A powerhouse actor with cult appeal, his arrival is treated with buildup and anticipation. And yet, once he enters, the film doesn’t seem to know what to do with him. Not to forget, there’s Sathyaraj. His character sweeps into the story and disappears without making his presence felt.