Lokesh Kanagaraj's Master is a reminder of the fact that when done right, mass masala entertainers can still make your blood boil and give you one helluva ride.
While the film retains all the usual Vijay movie masala tropes, the Lokesh Kanagaraj touches were unmissable. It may not be as terrific as Kaithi, but the film has enough mojo to keep you entertained for three hours. The screenplay is nothing out of the ordinary but the characterization of both the hero and the villain is so good that you stay invested in the story till the very last frame.
Thalapathy is in his usual elements and like Atlee, Kanagaraj has exploited Vijay's starpower brilliantly. He is terrific in Vaathi Coming and somehow makes the action sequences work through sheer charisma and swag. Vijay Sethupathi has been given equal importance and the backstory and intro he gets is no less than the typical hero-intros we get in South movies. As the cruel, calculating Bhavani, Sethupathi is chilling to the core and a worthy adversary to Thalapathy's JD. Malavika Mohanan has precious little to do. Andrea Jeremiah and Nasser have been wasted in thankless roles.
Another superstar for master is Anirudh who elevates the key scenes with his amazing background score. After Rahman, we finally have found a composer who can constantly provide catchy soundtracks in big ticket films (Vedhalam, Maari, Petta, Darbar to name a few).
Overall, I really had a great time watching Master. It was engaging from the word go, and the Thalapathy vs Sethupathi face off was totally worth the hype. However, be warned- if masala entertainers are not your cup of tea, I don't think you'll find anything worth taking back from this Lokesh Kanagaraj film. But if you are a sucker for good masala potboilers, book your ticket right now!
