‘The Greatest of All Time’ aka ‘GOAT’ is Thalapathy Vijay’s last film before he fully plunged into politics. Looking at his career, one can understand why ‘GOAT’ is probably the perfect title for Vijay. Director Venkat Prabhu’s spy thriller truly establishes Thalapathy Vijay as the ‘greatest of all time’.

Gandhi (Vijay), along with Sunil (Prashanth), Kalyan (Prabhudeva) and Ajay (Ajmal Ameer) form the Special Anti-Terrorism Squad (SATS) led by Nasir (Jayaram). A fun-loving and efficient team, they get the job done without any trouble. However, when Gandhi takes his pregnant wife (Sneha) and son Jeevan on a mission to Thailand, he suffers a tragic loss, prompting him to look for a less risky job.

Yet, an unexpected emotional surprise awaits him during a work trip to Moscow. Just when he thinks he is living a happy life, he encounters his adversary. As the story progresses, Gandhi rejoins the SATS team to confront the villain.

Director Venkat Prabhu’s tribute film to Vijay is filled with great moments that celebrate the actor. Not the star. The director, who is known for his unconventional storytelling and great comedy timing, has opted for a classic story with two heroes. However, this is perhaps the weakest story in Venkat’s filmography as it hardly offers anything new. Though he has filled it with surprises, twists and turns, the predictable factor ruins the process.

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For instance, take the fight scene in the metro. You see the old Vijay fighting a new villain. Although the villain is masked, you can clearly identify who he is even before the mask is removed. While some surprises are good, others are not. The film lifts whenever Venkat Prabhu uses Vijay’s comic timing, but the effect is brief.

‘GOAT’ has a very weak story, relying more on references than a strong narrative. This, along with its three-hour run-time, tests your patience. However, it is in the last 30 minutes that Venkat Prabhu’s film really comes alive. Twist after twist and cameo after cameo lift the sinking script. This is the phase that lets the audience walk out with a smile on their face.

As an actor, Vijay is adept at playing two different characters on screen. As the young Vijay, he brings his character to life in ‘Azhagiya Tamil Magan’ and you can’t help but enjoy it. The film is also a reminder that Vijay, one of the biggest actors of Tamil cinema, is bidding adieu at his peak.

Venkat Prabhu’s screenplay has references to Vijay’s entry into politics and his previous films and all his key scenes have been brought to life. Vijay has agreed to select a few scripts despite his status, which has led to some memorable moments. For instance, take the scene where the actor hands over the baton to a fellow actor. The exchange of dialogues between them makes for a great dramatic moment.

Actors like Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Sneha, Mohan, Jayaram and Meenakshi Chowdhary have supported Vijay well. The actors from the old era bring back memories with their scenes and it is fun to watch them take digs at each other. The less said about Mohan (who plays Menon, one of the villains), the better.

Apart from the formulaic story, Yuvan Shankar Raja’s music is also a disappointment. The background score and placement of songs hamper the experience.

‘GOAT’ uses de-aging technology. It brings the late actor-politician Vijayakanth alive on screen. However, the AI ​​work does not live up to expectations. With the help of de-aging technology, the makers managed to show young Vijay vs old Vijay quite effectively. However, in the flashback sequences that show young Vijay in his teens, the de-aging work is quite poor.

‘GOAT’ is inconsistent and comes together in the pre-climax and climax sequences. Wait for brilliant cameos and references that will compensate for the shortcomings.