Definitely not the greatest Vijay film – Beyond Bollywood

Hardly a novel story, Venkat Prabhu’s film is a cringe-worthy experience for most of its 183 minutes. Apart from certain special effects (like digital de-aging) and Vijay’s trademark charisma, this action, sci-fi, spy thriller is a great disappointment.

Rating:  ⭐️💫 (1.5 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

Want to witness true stardom? Head down South. The Southern Indian film industries boast a rich culture of stardom and hero worship, with temples dedicated to their superstars. So, it’s no surprise that a Tamil film carries the title The Greatest of All Time (2024).

Helmed by Maanaadu (2021) director Venkat Prabhu, we initially assumed this would be a documentary glorifying Thalapathy Vijay. Honestly, we’re not fans of hero worship and expected it to be an elaborate PR spectacle. However, the film’s description revealed it to be a spy action sci-fi thriller. As for the science-fiction element, we’re still looking for it.

Yes, Vijay is a great actor, but the G.O.A.T here is his character M.S. Gandhi, hailed as the greatest secret agent in the history of S.A.T.S (Special Anti-Terrorism Squad). From intel to action, Gandhi has successfully completed 69 missions. The name may be Gandhi, but his work is pure Bose. The film opens with a high-stakes mission in Kenya, where Gandhi and his team must retrieve uranium from a rogue international terrorist on a train. In a twist of fate, Gandhi also encounters Rajiv Menon (Mohan), his former boss who went rogue years ago. The ensuing action ends with the train exploding, leaving all the villains presumed dead.

The action then shifts to Chennai, where Gandhi struggles to balance work and personal life. Unaware of his true profession, his pregnant wife suspects him of having an affair. She confronts him, ropes in his friends Sunil (Prashanth), Nazeer (Jayaram), and Kalyan (Prabhu Deva), and even exposes their lies. Gandhi fabricates another story to pacify her and suggests a second honeymoon. He, his wife, and their five-year-old son Jivan head to Thailand, with Sunil, Nazeer, and Kalyan tagging along.

Gandhi is caught off guard by an unexpected attack from unknown assailants. He narrowly escapes, but his wife goes into labor. While handling the hospital paperwork, he leaves his five-year-old son unattended. When he returns, the child is gone. A frantic search brings devastating news for the family. Though they have a daughter, life is never the same without Jivan.

Fast forward to the present day, Gandhi has left SATS. He is invited by the Indian embassy to an event in Russia. Amidst civil unrest, Gandhi is attacked by an assassin who looks eerily familiar.

Anything more would be a spoiler, but director Venkat Prabhu didn’t bother to hide much in the trailer. The Greatest of All Time has a strong Gemini Man (2019) vibe, but more concerning is that the personal conflict isn’t too dissimilar from his last film, Leo (2023).

So, where’s the novelty? Aside from the visual effects, particularly the digital de-aging, there’s little to justify the sci-fi label. The below-average screenplay and painstaking Hindi dubbing make it challenging to sit through 183 minutes. Prabhu and Vijay have raised the bar in terms of visual appeal, shooting in Russia, Thailand, the United States, Sri Lanka, and various locations in India. The Russian schedule appears to be brief, as filming occurred even during the Russia-Ukraine conflict. While Putin and his administration might welcome an international shoot in St. Petersburg, they likely wouldn’t approve of the unrest depicted in Moscow in this Indian Tamil film. The production design is world-class, but the storytelling is average—no surprise for Indian spy action thrillers. The poor Hindi dubbing harks back to the days when many South Indian films suffered in translation. With an estimated budget of Rs400 crore, surely director Prabhu could have secured better Hindi writers and dubbing artists.

The poor dubbing is not the sole issue. The average screenplay and uninspiring performances exacerbate the problem. Post-interval, the film remains engaging for a while, despite its predictability. However, the final action sequence set against the backdrop of a cricket game in Chepauk doesn’t quite convince. Cricket and cinema are two of the country’s biggest passions, but this blend is unlikely to please the Board of Control for Cricket in India or Indian security and intelligence agencies.

A dubbed version can never fully capture an actor’s performance, and Vijay is somewhat mixed here. At 50, he displays remarkable agility, thanks to his excellent fitness and inherent energy. His flair for dancing and action is unmatched, though some song timings are off. The digital de-aging effectively rolls back the years, making us briefly wonder if Vijay’s real son, Jason Sanjay, is playing Ilaya Thalapathi (young captain). It’s a typical superstar performance aimed at pleasing the masses but is unlikely to satisfy discerning cinephiles.

Choreographer, filmmaker Prabhu Deva displays familiar weaknesses as an actor. His character is predictable from the first frame. It’s surprising how, in a team of secret agents, only Gandhi seems adept at combat. Jayaram and Prashanth hardly make an impression. Femina Miss India 2018 runner-up Meenakshi Chaudhary, who plays Prashanth’s daughter Srinidhi, comes across as a true diva. Noted comic Diamond Babu provides some relief, but it’s not enough to make you forget the overall cringe-worthy experience.

Trisha Krishnan would do anything to share screen space with her eternal crush Vijay. Sadly, the superstar is reduced to a mere dancer. While the dancing is fine, it’s shocking to hear a voice say, “Hey, please send that yellow sari,” at the end of the song. Such comments are disrespectful to any woman.

The background score caters to local tastes but, as often, is an eardrum buster for this reviewer. The action has its over-the-top moments but is the only aspect that works for this film.

Thalapathy Vijay recently announced his foray into politics and stated that his next film, Thalapathy 69, will be his last. While he has been a great actor, The Greatest of All Time is certainly not one of his finest works. We wish The Greatest of All Time success, but hope H. Vinoth can give Vijay a classy farewell with Thalapathy 69.

Watch the video review below.