Race 3 Movie Review: Salman Khan Struts Around Like A Clueless Stuntman

Critic's Rating : 2.5/5
 
Cast : Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Daisy Shah, Bobby Deol, Saqib Saleem, Freddy Daruwala.

Director : Remo D'Souza

Race 3 Story : The Singh family comprises of Shamsher (Anil Kapoor) his step-son Sikandar (Salman Khan), twins Suraj (Saqib Saleem) and Sanjana (Daisy Shah). They run a business of illegal arms and trade with the help of their friend Yash (Bobby Deol). Things get dramatic when Jessica (Jacqueline Fernandez) meets Sikandar and the family ties are strained under each character’s ulterior motives.

Race 3 Review : The Race franchise is known for its excessively stylized characters and high-octane action. These films showcase expensive cars and fancy set pieces, they have everything to please the an action movie buff and James Bond fans. ‘Race 3’ puts the pedal to the metal when it comes to making stylish statements. But as it zooms ahead in style, the substance is left behind in a cloud of dust.

This film is about a rich family dealing with a lot of double crossing and scheming, as you’d expect from a film of this franchise. The Singh family is executing a high stake heist, where they have to steal a hard disk from a bank, so the setup looks like it's going to have a lot of thrills and action. But the generous dose of action never translates into any serious thrills because the story is so flimsy. To say that the film has a wafer thin plot is an understatement.

Unlike the action, the script lacks any real punch as the story does not engage the viewer at all. Trailer of the film had sparked off a bevy of memes on social media and when you watch the film you realise there are more such dialogues like, ‘Our business is our business, none of your business’ and that makes you wonder what the writers were thinking.

What redeems the tissue-thin plot is the larger-than-life action sequences. You have it all - car crashes, explosions, combats, cat-fights and wingsuit diving stunts. Yes, there's lot of smoke and fire, but no real steam - in the story or the performances. Most of the action scenes are in slo-mo, meant to heighten the drama and thrill obviously, but it often ends up making the scene a tedious watch. The best directed parts of the film are the songs, which look like elaborately designed music videos. The movie is mounted on a lavish canvas, and shot on some beautiful locales, but none of that holds your attention for more than a few minutes. It’s a visual delight to see a range of super cars in action, glamorous girls throwing kicks and punches, and of course, fans will relish the sight of Salman Khan and Bobby Deol ripping their shirts off to flaunt their well-greased and chiseled bodies.

There’s a star studded cast on offer so the fans will have plenty of moments to cheer for their favourite stars. Salman Khan leads the pack with the main role, and while he’s great with the action and the style, the character has very little depth. Anil Kapoor plays the father figure of the Singh family with ease. Bobby Deol and Daisy Shah are at their stylish best, too. Jacqueline Fernandez and Saqib Saleem look fantastic as well. ‘Race 3’ will work for Salman fans the most, as bhai kicks and punches with gusto.

But for all its big moments, ‘Race 3’ just does not work up the feeling of suspense and intrigue that made the previous masala movies from the franchise a guilty pleasure. While the film wants to keep you guessing on who will finish the Race first, you are left wondering when you will cross the finish line.

Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom movie review: A new low for the iconic franchise; extinction is the only cure

Rating - 2/5

Director - JA Bayona

Cast - Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rafe Spall, James Cromwell, Justice Smith, Jeff Goldblum

Story - For a film series that was born out of reluctance, the success that the Jurassic Park franchise has seen is nothing short of miraculous. Steven Spielberg didn’t want to make the first film. In fact, he was ashamed of it. He saw ‘dinosaurs chasing jeeps’ mostly as an unwanted distraction from his real job: directing Schindler’s List. “It built a tremendous amount of resentment and anger that I had to do this,” he said in a recent interview, reflecting on 1993, the year he created history by releasing these two landmark movies. But now, 25 years and billions of dollars later, we have our most forceful sign that extinction might be the only cure to save the Jurassic Park series.

When a volcano threatens to erupt on Isla Nublar – home of the Jurassic Park – the governments of the world contemplate whether or not to evacuate its majestic residents. When the impending doom is declared to be ‘an act of God’ it is decided that humanity’s best interest lies in letting the dinosaurs die, and in a way, reverse the hubristic act of man that resurrected them.

But one seemingly benevolent old businessman has an idea. He offers our heroes from the first film – Claire, played by Bryce Dallas Howard, and Owen, played by Chris Pratt, who’s doing his annoying movie star thing again – an opportunity to smuggle 11 species off the island.

Surprise, surprise, the old man – or at least his smug second-in-command – has different plans. The crony intends to sell the rescued dinosaurs to the highest bidder in an almost farcical auction held at his manor-like home.

Raazi Movie Review: Alia Bhatt Struggles With A Realistic Film

Critic's Rating :4/5

Cast: Alia Bhatt, Vicky Kaushal, Soni Razdan, Rajit Kapur

Director: Meghna Gulzar

Raazi Story: Set against the backdrop of the Indo-Pak war in 1971, an Indian girl marries a Pakistani Army officer to spy for her country. 

Raazi Review: ‘Raazi’ is the true story of a Muslim girl Sehmat (Alia Bhatt) - a naïve and inexperienced Kashmiri whose life changes when her father Hidayat Khan (Rajit Kapoor) seals her fate as an Indian spy. She undergoes rigorous training under Indian intelligence agent Khalid Mir (Jaideep Ahlawat) before being married off to Pakistani Army officer Iqbal Syed. On the other side of the border, Sehmat gradually assimilates into Iqbal’s family to uncover vital information while keeping her real motives hidden from them.

Vicky Kaushal’s nuanced turn gives Iqbal a charming sincerity as he tries to balance his attention between Sehmat’s natural appeal, and the love for his country. Iqbal’s father, played by Shishir Sharma, lends a commanding presence to Brigadier Syed as a man committed to his official duties over his family. Back home, Rajit Kapoor makes his mark as Hidayat who reluctantly chooses his daughter’s destiny, placing the devotion of his country above all else. Of course, there’s an undeniable delight in seeing Soni Razdan play mother to her real-life daughter onscreen. Arguably, the film’s most substantial relationship is between Khalid and Sehmat. Jaideep Ahlawat tactfully plays Khalid as a stoic patriot who deliberately restrains his concern for Sehmat. They share an underlying bond of unease mingled with mutual respect that is tangible even when they’re not onscreen together. Director Meghna Gulzar uses this tension to further the intrigue around the interpersonal drama, thrilling us with explosive emotions rather than gun-toting action.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy’s music lends credibility to the 70’s backdrop. The songs evoke patriotism without tipping over into nationalism, primarily enhanced by Gulzar’s lyrics. The production design by Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray along with Maxima Basu Golani's costume design further solidify the film’s authenticity, although a few cinematic liberties in the screenplay might take you out of it at specific points. Nevertheless, Alia Bhatt's stellar performance keeps you invested in ‘Raazi’. Her transition from the gullible girl to a determined woman is subtle. Alia keeps Sehmat’s true alliance hidden just under the surface from her new family, but fortunately, in full view of the audience. Amidst all the compelling performances, this is Alia’s film as she continues to push her boundaries as an actor while challenging our expectations of her. In the same vein, ‘Raazi’ defies the spy genre’s traditional expectations of full-blown action sequences. Instead, Meghna Gulzar’s steady hand gradually ramps up the tension throughout, leading to an explosive final act in this strong dramatic thriller. It also leaves you questioning the repercussions of war on the human psyche.

Veere Di Wedding Movie Review: Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor And The Girls Have A Blast

Critic's Rating: 3.5/5


Cast: Kareena Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhasker, Shikha Talsania

Director: Shashanka Ghosh

Story:Kalindi (Kareena Kapoor Khan), Avni (Sonam Kapoor Ahuja), Sakshi (Swara Bhasker) and Meera (Shikha Talsania) are childhood friends. Kalindi and Rishabh (Sumeet Vyas) are getting married, and the four gal pals come together for their veere’s wedding. But of course, there can be no shaadi without showsha and a lot of drama. This wedding celebration brings out skeletons from the closet, unspoken truths and some harsh realities as well.

Review:Four friends dealing with life, love, marriage and heartbreak isn’t an unheard of concept. But what makes ‘Veere Di Wedding’ a unique prospect is that here the pack of performers, is led by four ladies who make their choices, stand by them and have the guts to live their life the they want. There’s nothing holding back these gutsy girls. They speak their mind with fearless abandon, while they’re talking about sex before marriage, the lack of it post marriage, about orgasms and sex toys. They giggle and laugh over it and analyse their own situations in life with a certain objectivity, which many may or may not agree with. It’s refreshing to see a film present its women characters, in not just a progressive light, but also with umpteen flaws and cracks. It gives them the freedom to make mistakes and move on and that’s the beauty of it. These girls are unabashed using cuss words to express their angst or get high and happy to let their hair down. They don’t feel compelled to explain themselves or justify their actions, and that is one of the highlights of the film.

The story introduces you to the four characters and sheds light on their complexities. Kalindi can’t come to terms with the idea of marriages and the other challenges that come with it. She’s just going with flow because she’s in love. Avni can’t seem to find a soul mate though her nagging mom (Neena Gupta) is desperately trying to find her a suitable matrimonial match. Sakshi is a little too fiery to be tamed by relationships and Meera is married to a firang and they have a young child, but her marriage isn’t a cake walk either.

The best part of Director’s Shashanka Ghosh’s ‘Veere Di Wedding’ is the vibe that these veeres share and their conversational chemistry. They are like any four millennial girls who live their life carefree. But what the story could have done with is a little more depth in each character, which would make the audience feel for them. Here, you understand their complexities but don’t really become a part of their journey. There are some superb laugh-out-loud moments though, and some of the best dialogues are delivered effortlessly. A little more detailing in writing, could have added more heart to the story. While the conversations are engrossing, a lot of time is lost in the girls' chatter as the movie doesn't quite move forward.

Kalindi’s story is at the centre of it all and gradually other characters and their sagas unfold. Sonam, Swara and Shikha rally around with their own set of problems. Kareena excels in her role as a girl trying to find her own answers and coming to terms with the idea of marriage. Sonam Kapoor as the girl desperately searching for love also bares her flaws with nonchalance, giving some cute and funny moments in the film. Shikha as the loud and spirited woman pulls off her role with ease. Swara as a bold and brazen, rich brat adds the right amount of crazy to the ensemble.

All the girls are fabulously dressed and styled in every frame, whether they’re partying, moping, introspecting or just having a good time. While the girls are cracking dialogues with cool confidence, what often disturbs the experience is the background score that constantly underlays the dialogues. The music is good with tracks like ‘Tareefan’ and ‘Bhangra Ta Sajda’ setting the mood for the moments.