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Rajinikanth’s KS Ravikumar directed much hyped Lingaa was completed in record time but has arrived almost twenty years too late. It is a predictable old-fashioned entertainer that's a throwback to those mid-80’s mass masala films, and it’s hard to tell if there's anything original to this story at all.

Lingaa is a mixed bag. The star charisma of Rajinikanth is intact but the film is long with a weak storyline that flounders with a long drawn out climax. Rajini films are always well packaged and have powerful supporting cast, most importantly a deadly villain and a story with a foundation.

Lingaa follows the same tried and tested formula of KS Ravikumar with a typical Rajinikanth template. A comic first half leading to an emotionally charged flashback and a long drawn out climax. There are two Rajinikanth’s- Raja Lingeswaran a King who constructed a dam for his people against the machinations of the British and Lingaa his grandson a petty thief who does the unfinished job of his grandfather.

The vintage Rajinikanth is back with his style and dialogue delivery intact. The film is a treat for his die-hard fans who have not seen him in a live action for nearly four years. Among the two heroines Anushka has a better role while Sonakshi is wasted. The villains Jagapathy Babu and some unknown foreigners are the film’s biggest drawback. They do not match up to the hero in a single scene, which makes it lacklustre.

The music of AR Rahman is a big let down. Not even one hummable number and picturisation is very similar to earlier Rajinikanth films. Technically, Lingaa is just average except for the grand visuals of cameraman Rathnavelu, who has done a neat job. The VFX in the climax are tacky and clearly indicates that things were done in a jiffy.

The screenplay of Lingaa skittles from cliché to cliché, packing in every stereotype you can think of. What saves this film from complete disappointment is Rajinikanth the larger-than-life superstar. On the whole, Lingaa is a well-worn, formulaic fare that might appeal to viewers who find comfort in the familiar, and who are still excited by the age-old hackneyed stories about a mass hero turning savior to a village. If it's not entirely unwatchable, you have Rajinikanth to thank!

Verdict: Strictly for Thalaivar fans!