Thalapathy Vijay’s GOAT movie is full of entertainment in the first half, but becomes too much of a stretch with unnecessary violence and drama in the second half. To watch this movie, you need to keep your brain locked up in the cupboard.

Director: Venkat Prabhu

Cast: Vijay, Prashanth Thyagarajan, Prabhu Deva, Meenakshi Chaudhary

The main twist in the movie GOAT starts with Vijay losing his son in Thailand and how he recovers his dead body. It was by accident that his son went missing from the hospital. But who could have been behind this prank is the question. This particular moment is the scene staller when the father breaks down.

Thalapathy Vijay for the only time in the movie has actually acted in this scene not bothering one bit about how he is looking. When he breaks down to see his son’s dead body and his backpack, he starts crying his heart out. The way he howls will shake you to the core.

However, as the movie moves to the second half, it appears to be more of a stretch with loads of gun giggles and action. Not just Thalapathy Vijay, Prashanth and Prabhudheva do a brilliant job as raw agents. The idea of Thalapathy Vijay’s GOAT is good, but lacks the magic of true weaving of a story. The VFX too fails to add any value to the film. Like most south films this movie to has the sexist and misogynistic angle which has been normalised. The film shows that it is okay for men to come back home drunk every night and that too is shown in a comical way. Secondly, infidelity is also normalised when men on duty go to Thailand and are flirting around with the local women. One of the bluntest spy-thriller that I have watched so far.

It looks as if it’s not been stitched well. Thalapathy Vijay plays a double role, both father and son. One is a completely clean character, but the other one is deeply dark with a strong backstory which gives the reason as to why he is the way he is. Going back to the story Gandhi (Vijay), along with Sunil (Prashanth), Kalyan (Prabhudheva) and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer), forms the Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (SATS).

Sometimes, you will truly feel that it is a badly made Mission Impossible movie. Rather I would call it a bad copy. One should understand that for coping with a film you need to use your brains too. Director Venkat Prabhu who is known for his filmography fails to engage the audience especially in the second half. I hate to run down the efforts of the filmmaker, but I honestly believe that the first half was way better than the second half. Even in the last acts  of  CSK vs MI where audiences were expected to be cheering, Venkat Prabhu failed to leave an impression in our minds.

Rating: 2 and half out of 5

WATCH the trailer of Thalapathy Vijay’s GOAT here: 

Lachmi Deb Roy is the entertainment editor of Firtspost, Network18. She reviews films and series with a gender lens. Her interviews are called 'Not Just Bollywood' because she takes huge interest in world cinema. OTT over theatrical releases is her preference unless and until its a King Khan film. She takes interest in fashion, food and art reviews too.

'The Greatest of All Time' aka 'GOAT' is Thalapathy Vijay's penultimate film before he fully commits to politics. Tracing his career, one would truly understand why 'GOAT' is probably the perfect title for Vijay. Director Venkat Prabhu's spy thriller further establishes Thalapathy Vijay as truly 'the greatest of all time'.

Gandhi (Vijay), along with Sunil (Prashanth), Kalyan (Prabhudheva) and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer), forms the Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (SATS), led by Nasser (Jayaram). A fun and efficient team, they get the job done without much hassle. However, when Gandhi takes his pregnant wife (Sneha) and son Jeevan on a mission to Thailand, he faces a tragic loss, prompting him to seek a less risky job.

Yet, an unexpected emotional surprise awaits him during a work trip to Moscow. Just as he believes he's settled into a happy life, he encounters his adversary. As the story unfolds, Gandhi rejoins the SATS team to confront the villain.

Director Venkat Prabhu's tribute film to Vijay is replete with brilliant moments that celebrate the actor. Not the star. The director, who is known for his unconventional storytelling and impeccable comedy timing, picks up a classic two-hero subject. However, it is probably the weakest story from Venkat's filmography as it hardly offers anything new. Though he has packed it with surprises, twists and turns, the predictability factors ruin the proceedings.

Take, for example, the Metro fight scene. You see that the older Vijay is fighting a new villain. Although the villain is masked, you can clearly identify who it is before the unmasking. While some surprises work well, others do not. Whenever Venkat Prabhu taps into Vijay's comic timing, the film soars, but this effect is brief.

The storyline of 'GOAT' is wafer-thin, relying heavily on references rather than a strong narrative. This, along with its three-hour run-time, does test your patience. However, the last 30 minutes are where Venkat Prabhu's film truly comes alive. Twist after twist and cameo after cameo follows to lift the drowning script. It is this stretch that lets the audience walk out with a smile on their faces.

Vijay, as an actor, is brilliant at playing two different characters on screen. As the young Vijay, he brings alive his character from 'Azhagiya Tamizh Magan' and you can't help but enjoy it. The film is also a stark reminder that Vijay, one of the biggest actors in Tamil cinema, is bidding goodbye in his prime.

Venkat Prabhu's screenplay has references to Vijay's political entry, and his past films and brings all his trademark scenes alive. Vijay, despite his stature, has agreed to certain script choices, which gives way to some of the memorable moments. Take, for example, the scene where the actor passes the baton to a fellow actor. The dialogues they exchange make for a brilliant theatrical moment.

'GOAT's' supporting cast starring Prashanth, Prabhudheva, Sneha, Mohan, Jayaram and Meenakshi Chaudhary, among others ably support Vijay. The yesteryear actors evoke nostalgia through their scenes, and it's enjoyable to see them take potshots at each other. The less said about Mohan (who plays Menon, one of the villains), the better.

Apart from the formulaic storyline, it is Yuvan Shankar Raja's music that's quite a letdown. The background score and the placement of songs hamper the experience.

'GOAT' banks on de-ageing technology. It brings alive the late actor-politician Vijayakanth on screen. However, the AI work doesn't live up to the expectations. With the help of de-ageing technology, the makers managed to show younger Vijay vs older Vijay quite effectively. However, in the flashback sequences which show the younger Vijay in his teens, the de-ageing work is quite shoddy.

'GOAT' is inconsistent and comes together in the pre-climax and climax sequence. Wait for the brilliant cameos and references that will make up for the shortcomings.

This Venkat Prabhu-Vijay film is let down by predictable storyline and poor CGI. For a director whose filmography boasts of flicks like Maanadu, Chennai 600028 and Ajith-starrer Mankatha, Prabhu comes up short with The G.O.A.T.

Dish:

A Thalapathy Vijay film

Ingredients:

Opening action sequence: 1

Song right after the opening: 1

Family sentiments: As per director’s taste

Usual comic tropes: As per director’s taste

Politics: A pinch here…

Nostalgia: … a spoon there

Secret agent/soldier/policeman-turned-aam aadmi-turned either of them again: Sigh…

Songs: One too many

Heroines and friends/sidekicks as props: More the merrier

Yogi Babu: 1

Cameos: Subject to availability

Gore: As per director’s taste

Climax: There’s more to come

.

.

Fresh storyline: I am waiting!

Recipe:

Ah! Now that’s what it all boils down to. And that is where a chef like Lokesh Kanagaraj leaves his stamp.

It’s a fine line between a recipe for disaster or one for success, as far as Vijay movies are concerned. With The Greatest Of All Time (The G.O.A.T.), director Venkat Prabhu treads this line with AI as his balance pole. It does see him through much of the first half, but then the boon becomes his bane.

Vijay is at his usual charming self as M.S. Gandhi (a Special Anti-Terrorism Squad agent), with three friends – Sunil (Prashanth), (Kalyan) Prabhu Deva and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer) – as his gang, and Jayaram as their head, Nazeer, in Delhi. When he is not on a mission, he is a happy-go-lucky husband and father. Things turn tragic for Gandhi when a mission involving an adversary, Rajiv Menon (Mohan), comes back to haunt him while on a holiday with his family in Thailand.

Years later, a twist in Russia leads him to believe that things are finally looking up for him and his family. But he is proven horribly wrong. And this trigger-happy Gandhi is not the one to offer his other cheek to his enemies. More (predictable) twists follow, till the finale is set at the Chepauk Stadium, where M.S. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings are taking on Mumbai Indians in an IPL match. Yes, you read it right.

The film may not go places, but it does take the viewer from Delhi to Thailand, back to India, to Chepauk Stadium, and finally to who-knows-where. It gets difficult to keep pace with the ever-changing locales, as it does with the resurrections.

There is hardly any back story to the gang of four SATS agents. Menon as the villain is unconvincing, as is the conflict between him and Gandhi. Consequently, the much-hyped face-off between Gandhi and Gandhi Jr falls flat.

Which brings us to the dollops of CGI used throughout the film, especially to bring to life Jeevan (Vijay as Gandhi Jr.). It will be hard to digest, even for a die-hard Thalapathy fan. While the de-aging evokes memories of a young, yesteryear Vijay, nostalgia alone cannot make up for some shoddy use of AI. And it’s not just with Jeevan, the climax, and some of the scenes abroad stick out like a sore thumb on the CGI canvas.

For a director whose filmography boasts of flicks like Maanadu, Chennai 600028 and Ajith-starrer Mankatha, Prabhu comes up short with The G.O.A.T. Despite Vijay’s star power, and some notable performances from Sneha (as Gandhi’s wife Anu), Prashanth and Prabhu Deva, the film struggles to hold itself together in the face of frequent predictable twists and turns, cliches and songs.

The G.O.A.T. is believed to be Vijay’s penultimate film. ‘Thalapathy 69’ is expected to be his last film, before he takes the political plunge. For his legions of fans, he is the GOAT, and so, this film is a celebration of sorts for them. But, Vijay as Jeevan in The G.O.A.T has given them a ray of hope. It’s not over until he says it’s over.

Film: The Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.)

Language: Tamil

Director: Venkat Prabhu

Cast: Vijay, Sneha, Mohan, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva and others

Rating: 2.5/5

Join our WhatsApp Channel to get the latest news, exclusives and videos on WhatsApp

*Articles appearing as INFOCUS/THE WEEK FOCUS are marketing initiatives

Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved

Movie: The GOAT – The Greatest of All Time Rating: 2/5 Banner: AGS Entertainment (P) Ltd Cast: Thalapathy Vijay, Prashanth, Prabhudeva, Mohan, Jayaram, Sneha, Laila, Ajmal Amir, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Parvati Nair, Vaibhav, Yogi Babu, Premgi Amaren, Yugendran Vasudevan, Akilan and others Music: Yuvan Shankar Raja DOP: Siddhartha Nuni Editor: Venkat Raajen Production Designer: Rajeevan Action stunts: Dilip Subbarayan Additional Screenplay: K.Chandru & Ezhilarasu Gunasekaran Producers: Kalpathi S Aghoram, Kalpathi S Ganesh, Kalpathi S Suresh Written and Direction: Venkat Prabhu Release Date: September 5, 2024

The GOAT is one of Thalapathy Vijay’s films that had the lowest buzz in recent times in the Telugu states.

Let’s find out whether the film has generated any interest in theaters.

Story: MS Gandhi (Vijay) and his wife (Sneha), who are anticipating the arrival of their second child, travel to Bangkok for a brief family vacation, during which their son Jeevan is abducted.

The incident deeply devastates Gandhi, a member of an anti-terrorist squad. Years later, Gandhi sees Jeevan (Vijay), his son, in Russia.

After he brings his son to their Chennai residence, the whole family starts living contentedly.

Unbeknownst to Gandhi, his son has joined him with a specific goal in mind—to seek vengeance on his own father. What are the reasons for his son seeking vengeance?

Artistes’ Performances: Vijay portrays both a father and a son. He not only looks credible as Father Gandhi but also delivers an excellent performance. However, in the role of the son, whose youthful appearance is created using de-aging technology, he appears strange in many scenes.

Prashanth and Prabhudeva are satisfactory in their respective roles. Mohan, a prominent star in the 1980s and 1990s, has a poorly written character.

Meenakshi Chaudhary and Sneha have small roles, each appearing in a song and a couple of scenes. Trisha and Siva Karthikeyan make cameo appearances in the film.

Technical Excellence: Except for the use of de-aging technology for Vijay's younger role, the film's technical aspects aren't particularly impressive.

The chase scenes and action sequences are typical imitations of Hollywood films. The cinematography is effective, but the songs are forgettable. The background score is quite weak and fails to contribute anything positive for the film.

Highlights: Interval bang Vijay's Looks

Drawback: Boring scenes Unconvincing character of young Vijay Overload of action Duration Cliched climax Music

Analysis Father-son dramas are not new, but the basic premise of The GOAT is based on an intriguing concept: an estranged son returns to his family with the intention of exacting revenge on his own father, with Vijay playing both the father and the revenge-seeking son. Normally, this idea would have captivated everyone, but filmmaker Venkat Prabhu has narrated it in a way that makes it less exciting.

The younger Vijay is the plot's central character. The audience should be on the edge of their seats, wondering if the son has truly turned rogue or if he will realize his mistake. However, the final hour is so formulaic that the proceedings never really excite us. The last segment, set in a cricket stadium, further undermines the seriousness of the action drama.

The film begins like a typical spy thriller, with the hero working for the Indian government as a secret agent and unintentionally killing the family of someone who then vows to take revenge on the hero's family.

The first half is mostly focused on the hero's daily life, with unfunny jokes about drinking habits and the wife being the boss, among other things. Much of the first half is completely dull. It only becomes serious and exciting when the narrative shifts to Russia and the younger Vijay is introduced.

The film's second half is somewhat intriguing, with moments involving father Vijay and son Vijay in their cat-and-mouse games. The film is engaging until a pivotal twist occurs in the second half, but then it starts to drag.

Following the trend of a 'part 2,' the film ends with the idea of a second part titled The GOAT vs. OG. However, by the time the film reaches this title card, the majority of the audience has already left the theater. The film is simply too long.

Moreover, the justification for the moniker "The Greatest of All Time" feels forced.

Overall, Venkat Prabhu's action film, which seems to be influenced by Will Smith's Gemini Man, offers only one or two spectacular sequences but fails to maintain the momentum until the end, resulting in a typical action drama.

Bottom line: Greatest Patience-Tester

Email us at [email protected]