Ek tha tiger landed with mind blowing expectations and distribution tricks ( long holiday weekend ++ bhaijaan movie for Id) that will ensure that it will have the best opening ever. For starters it has Salman playing a secret agent a sure fire recipe to capitalize on his megastardom . The problem is any guy with bespoke suits, witty lines, a semblance of a plot and adrenaline pumping action can do reasonable justice to a super agent movie. But this is not any guy , you are talking about Salman Khan. And this is where Kabir Khan muddles - armed with templates ( the opening action sequence is so Bournian, bondish) , locales and world class cinematographers that should make an ordinary actor look extraordinary - he does the reverse makes an extraordinary star look extremely ordinary.
It's as if he went and bought what is fashionable but forgot to equip it with style. No panache, no edginess and no RAWness( Girlish Karnad as a teddy bear boss of RAW) . Kabir Khan always lacked this- he watered down New York to a college love story rather than take any serious notes on terrorism. And if it's a Yashraj production you have to insert romance , it's almost as if the old man sits in script review sessions and asks ' beta lake scene hai na, UK me shooting hai na, gori rakho gory nahi' . So what you get is a predictable love story that is enjoyable in its courtship but vapid in its denouement.
The movie begins well with a middle eastern chase sequence that delivers like your neighborhood GP's prescription with Salman reverse pedaling a crate to shoot bullets taking the cake. The most enjoyable parts of the movie are the curiousity of the govt colony that Salman stays, or his frustrations of not being able to reveal his true job to get married ( this is a nice touch to show Salmanisms but not exploited enough) and the bond he shares with his boss an affable Girish Karnad. The action shifts to Ireland where Salman is supposed to get details on an Indian scientist ( a terribly wasted Roshan Seth) suspected to sharing anti missile technology( low tech) with Pakistan. Enter Katrina as Zoya who is the caretaker of his house and Salman has to patao her to gain entry. The wooing starts off well - Salmans antics bringing cheer where as Katrina seems very self conscious Or over botoxed in front of her costar. This is where the story meanders into firm Yashraj territory with a lake scene with meteor showers making their mandatory appearances. Also Ranvir shoerey as Salmans compatriot providing good humor to warn him of not falling in love and focus on the mission. More tame ISI agents land up to steal some discs, Salman chases them, stops a tram from devastation with his suit and he falls in love with Katrina who turns out to be an ISI agent and has to choose love over country.
How they escape the eyes of ISI and RAW forms the second half. The second half suffers from weak characterization of Zoya, not enough zing from Ranvir as pursuer or engagement. Salmanisms disappear as Kabir khan prods along not even using Cuba to full effect and then gives a well
Crafted chase that has a wounded Salman jumping from a bike to catch a plane in mid air.
At that time I thought Sabse bada Khiladi's last scenes where Akshay catches a flight from a cycle, SRK's coolness in Don2 and even Sriram Raghavans partial energy in Agent Vinod were much better. What an opportunity Kabir Khan squandered - just like the tangdi kabab that Salman describes so well in a great scene in the movie and Katrina calls it 'tangree' , this action romance secret agent kabab should have been 'tangier', 'juicier', 'meatier' and Salmanner'. It feels like cold salmon in a lot of places well cut, marinated but missing the sizzle of the kabab.
It's as if he went and bought what is fashionable but forgot to equip it with style. No panache, no edginess and no RAWness( Girlish Karnad as a teddy bear boss of RAW) . Kabir Khan always lacked this- he watered down New York to a college love story rather than take any serious notes on terrorism. And if it's a Yashraj production you have to insert romance , it's almost as if the old man sits in script review sessions and asks ' beta lake scene hai na, UK me shooting hai na, gori rakho gory nahi' . So what you get is a predictable love story that is enjoyable in its courtship but vapid in its denouement.
The movie begins well with a middle eastern chase sequence that delivers like your neighborhood GP's prescription with Salman reverse pedaling a crate to shoot bullets taking the cake. The most enjoyable parts of the movie are the curiousity of the govt colony that Salman stays, or his frustrations of not being able to reveal his true job to get married ( this is a nice touch to show Salmanisms but not exploited enough) and the bond he shares with his boss an affable Girish Karnad. The action shifts to Ireland where Salman is supposed to get details on an Indian scientist ( a terribly wasted Roshan Seth) suspected to sharing anti missile technology( low tech) with Pakistan. Enter Katrina as Zoya who is the caretaker of his house and Salman has to patao her to gain entry. The wooing starts off well - Salmans antics bringing cheer where as Katrina seems very self conscious Or over botoxed in front of her costar. This is where the story meanders into firm Yashraj territory with a lake scene with meteor showers making their mandatory appearances. Also Ranvir shoerey as Salmans compatriot providing good humor to warn him of not falling in love and focus on the mission. More tame ISI agents land up to steal some discs, Salman chases them, stops a tram from devastation with his suit and he falls in love with Katrina who turns out to be an ISI agent and has to choose love over country.
How they escape the eyes of ISI and RAW forms the second half. The second half suffers from weak characterization of Zoya, not enough zing from Ranvir as pursuer or engagement. Salmanisms disappear as Kabir khan prods along not even using Cuba to full effect and then gives a well
Crafted chase that has a wounded Salman jumping from a bike to catch a plane in mid air.
At that time I thought Sabse bada Khiladi's last scenes where Akshay catches a flight from a cycle, SRK's coolness in Don2 and even Sriram Raghavans partial energy in Agent Vinod were much better. What an opportunity Kabir Khan squandered - just like the tangdi kabab that Salman describes so well in a great scene in the movie and Katrina calls it 'tangree' , this action romance secret agent kabab should have been 'tangier', 'juicier', 'meatier' and Salmanner'. It feels like cold salmon in a lot of places well cut, marinated but missing the sizzle of the kabab.
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