GOAT Review: Vijay’s The Greatest Of All Time Is Greater Than Anticipated
Vijay’s Greatest of All Time aka GOAT is not a regular flick as his last two outings before Leo. Though the Venkat Prabhu movie has the usual ‘I am waiting’ like cliches of a Vijay movie, script and good direction takes the spy thriller to another level with perfect cinematic twists and turns that will guarantee you a visual treat. The movie has another plus point that carries the entertainment to next level: technology. The quintessential use of visual effects clubbed with well thought after character detailing makes the thriller more engaging.
Venkat Prabhu, who has carved a niche for himself with his distinctive approach to filmmaking, particularly in the thriller and action genres, won’t disappoint both the core Vijay fans and a normal moviegoer with his innovative storytelling and engaging narrative in GOAT. Prabhu’s latest venture, after the box office bomb Custody, is a mix of suspense and high-octane action. As in his Mankatha (2011), a stylish heist thriller that was well-received for its gripping plot and high-energy sequences, GOAT features an ensemble cast led by Vijay and it revolves around life of an agent and his enthralling voyage through revenge, personal struggles and survival. A familiar storyline that could have gone haywire if it hadn’t been handled neatly, processed really well with Prabhu’s knack for blending contemporary themes with classic thriller elements.
Like in Biriyani (2013), Chennai 600028 (2007) and its sequel Chennai 600028 II: Second Innings (2016), Venkat Prabhu excels with sharp screenplay, character-driven plot, and a robust performance by the cast.
In Greatest of All Time, Prabhu continues his exploration of the thriller genre with combined humour and suspense, and uses witty dialogues and unexpected plot developments to keep the audience on edge throughout.
Read also: Director Venkat Prabhu: The Man Of Timeless Classic Creations
Vijay, who helms the movie all through the while without missing a scene, lets go his super star ego that earlier took the audiences’ intelligence for granted, and recapture his versatility and charismatic screen presence as he did with Leo and Master earlier, in GOAT. He again proves that he can handle complex characters with intense narratives with ease. His performance combining action with emotional depth, that too in two versatile roles, allows the story spread the wings without much distraction.
The double role will remind you of some of Vijay’s most acclaimed performances in the thriller genre, as in Theri (2016) and Mersal (2017) directed by Atlee, which established the actor’s dynamic performance and his ability to engage audiences with a mix of intensity and charm. And the movie might find its purpose outside the entertainment sector as well, that it will elevate the actor’s charisma a bit more as he is aiming big with a political plunge, though the movie does not have much of political messages. If you dig deep, there are two references that carry political references: one is the government agents who live and die for the nation fighting terrorists, and other one is the name of the lead character’s name – Gandhi and the repeated use of ‘father of the nation’ all through the movie. These are helping the movie in many ways, but how the movie is going to help Vijay’s political career, wait and watch.
Read also: Thalapathy Vijay’s Special Message To Fans Ahead Of ‘GOAT’ Release
All the supporting cast, including Prabhu Deva, Prashanth, Sneha, Jayaram, Mohan, Yogi Babu, Ajmal Ameer among others have done a fantastic job to help the movie more effective. Mohan’s character, the other villain (the details about first villain can be biggest spoiler alert) as Chandra Menon is the perfect cast as a revengeful monster. The movie, unlike many other Vijay movies, has powerful female characters, and Sneha’s Anu as the protagonist’s wife is a strong character. With her scenes panning from comedy to drama to tragedy, the yester year actress has got good screen time in the movie and has delivered a powerful performance.
After Captain Miller, Siddhartha Nuni has brilliantly showcased his skills in cinematography, as the camera navigates through diverse geographies and sequences that demand extraordinary finesse. Yuvan Shankar Raja, a Venkat Prabhu regular, has also executed what a Vijay thriller demands, nothing more or nothing less.
Timeline verdict: GOAT is not a Vijay fans’ film. Apart from the lag in the climax, this Venkat Prabhu thriller has all the elements of a GOAT movie, including Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
