Bang Bang Review (original) (raw)

Bang Bang Movie Poster

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars (Two and half stars)

Star Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Katrina Kaif, Danny Denzongpa

Director: Siddharth Anand

What’s Good: The overwhelming stunts and two extremely gorgeous looking people.

What’s Bad: I understand it’s an official remake but the film feeds on the original, not trying anything new, unusual or bold. If you have seen the original, then there is very little for you to enjoy. The film’s thrill quotient is low, hence. The writers did not toil enough in furthering the script, adhering to the original in terms of everything.

Loo break: Some.

Watch or Not?: Bang Bang is everything that Knight and Day was about and nothing even remotely as exciting as the original. It isn’t bland or boring just doesn’t match up to my expectations of the film. Gorgeous stunts, picturesque locales and a paper thin script might create a watchable film but it won’t be a brilliant or memorable watch. Hrithik and Katrina despite giving sincere and earnest performances fail to retain the film’s oomph quotient consistently. It is Siddharth Anand’s lack of vision that has cost the film gravely. Nothing except the script can be blamed for it. If stunts can sustain you for an entire film, then Bang Bang is a steal. Others might need more than just that to satiate themselves.

User Rating:

Harleen (Katrina) is a receptionist at Bank of Shimla. Leading a dull life, she has a more boring life than her grandmother’s. In an attempt to find love, she signs up for a blind date on an Internet dating website. At her date, she meets Rajvir (Hrithik) – gorgeous, sensitive and sweet, by the time she develops a crush on him, he is shooting down people and people hurling bullets at him. Harleen is stuck with him where she can’t return because people think she is an alias of an international criminal. Rajvir has stolen the Kohinoor diamond from London and everyone from the Indian police to the international police to the crimelord smuggler, terrorist Omar (Danny) everyone is on the lookout for him. Harleen reluctantly accompanies him and finds herself brisking from one mess to another. Will they survive this Bang Bang is what the film retells.

Katrina Kaif and Hrithik Roshan in a still from movie ‘Bang Bang’

Bang Bang Review: Script Analysis

I believe the script is as much to be blamed in the lack of energy in the film as the direction. Sujoy Ghosh, Abbas Tyrewala and Suresh Nair did not bother stretching the contours of Knight and Day. They limited the film to Bollywood frills making it a potboiler not above than the regular ones we frequently watch these days. As it is the film’s story in the first place isn’t a work of genius and in their attempt to translate it for Bollywood, the writers have garnished it with judicious helpings of bhai ka pyaar story, estranged family melodrama, nani Ki yaad and a bunch of regular stuff that fails to fit in with the film.

For the whole first hour, the film meanders in speed as a car show. As Hrithik and Katrina slip from one car to another, it is a shoot out fest. The songs and dances are too frequent. In fact I could have easily watched Hrithik dance for the whole while, it would have been more value for money!

I can point out the basic logic lapses as well. In one of the earlier scenes in the film, Hrithik is seen meeting a bunch of people in an open air Dhaba. Later, a CCTV footage of his was sent to the Delhi Headquarters. CCTV in a Dhaba in Shimla, really? Could creative liberty get more ridiculous than this?

If I manage to forgive the endorsement of Mountain Dew, Pizza Hut and Micromax, I will still stand by the fact that I hated the script. It is a blatant, scene by scene, a more desi illustration of Knight and Day. Those oblivious of the original will find this spectacular but frankly the slim story fails to inject emotions, chemistry or anything that will remain with you after the Film is over. This one is a glammed up version of Knight and Day and Siddharth has extracted Hrithik from Dhoom 2, gave him better toys (read guns, pistols and exotic cars) and asked him to go have fun. Anything that makes you like this film, give it to Hrithik and even Katrina and if you get bored blame the writer trio!

Bang Bang Review: Star Performances

Hrithik Roshan might quiver in his emotional scenes but hell when someone is that good looking, it is hard to notice. Roshan fans will spend half the film ogling at his Greek God looks. But as Rajvir, thankfully Hrithik seems to be enjoying himself. He is casual and breezes through his part brilliantly. He is pitch perfect as Rajvir making his character an extension of his image from Dhoom 2, just better.

Katrina Kaif too is fluent in the role of Harleen. She is innocent and charming and does quite well what is expected of her. Though really low on action, I am glad the script did not serve her another measly, thankless part and gives it a shade different from Cameron’s in the original.

Danny Denzongpa is not even half as menacing as you expect the villain to be. He is an absent character from the frame and when he makes an entry in the climax, he is left unused.

The same goes for Javed Jaffrey who is good as long as he is there but barely has much to do.

In a limited cameo, it is Jimmy Shergill who is terrific and such a pleasant surprise.

Bang Bang Review: Direction, Editing and Screenplay

Siddharth Anand’s basic problem is his lack of foresight. He doesn’t think far, in terms of his story or where the film is heading. Though Ek Din is the concept and ‘lack of plan is the plan’ in the story, it sometimes is better to chalk things out before the story goes haywire. There is a certain predictability that plagues the film. It seemed like Anand organized a ramp walk for cars, bullets, pistols, guns and ogle worthy people. If you seek at a very superficial level, all this is enough for you to woot for. But for me, the film had nothing worthwhile. Even comparing this to Dhoom 2 will be demeaning that film, because it was enthralling, got you ecstatic, had its share of nail biting, hair raising, adrenaline rushing cues. Bang Bang is just a plain bore like Katrina’s character in the film.

Even the underwhelming and forgettable music would be meaningless if you take out Hrithik’s dances from it.

Bang Bang Review: The Last Word

Bang Bang is a plain film that is mounted on a breathtaking canvas and remains steady at the superficial level only. Low on logic and more on frills and airs, the best thing about Bang Bang is Hrithik Roshan. He sincerely drives the film with his swagger and hot bod droolworthy looks, with Katrina aiding him with her cutesy innocence. But the lack of inventiveness in Bang Bang irks me. When I am done with ogling at the stunts and stars, I have nothing to remember it by. I am going with 2.5/5.

Bang Bang Trailer

Bang Bang releases on 2nd October, 2014.

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