BANG BANG MOVIE REVIEW

 

The encounter between a mysterious secret agent on a mission and a normal working class woman, and the resulting action packed happenings form the crux of the plot. While a battery with great energy capabilities was the key plot device in the original, here the Kohinoor diamond is of prime importance.

 

Knight and Day is a good choice to be remade in India, as the film was straightforward and worked primarily because of the chemistry between the lead pair and some spellbinding action blocks. With Bollywood also upping the ante over the past few years in the action department, thanks to the deep pockets of production houses and the involvement of skilled stunt personnel, and with the apt casting of Hrithik and Katrina in the lead roles, Bang Bang works to an extent. It follows the glossy action packed template that was present in films like the Don series, Dhoom series, Ek Tha Tiger and recently Kick.

 

'Greek God' Hrithik is in 'superstar mode' and flaunts all that he is celebrated for. His efforts in the action scenes are evident and his much-talked-about chemistry with Katrina Kaif sparkles yet again. We also get to see his dance moves in 'Tu Meri' and the end credits track. Katrina provides the movie with some lighter moments and the leggy lass is an absolute stunner in the song sequences. Their presence is the single biggest reason to see the film and their intimacy, action moves and conversations are the better moments of the film.

 

Danny Denzongpa and Jaaved Jaffrey play the typically loud, suave and dramatic antagonists in the tale. The twist and revelations towards the end would appear like a formality, even for those who may haven't seen the original.

 

We get to see some really pleasing locations in the film like snow-laden Shimla, Dehradun and also exotic spots across Europe in Greece, Prague and London. The cinematographers must have jumped on the opportunity to capture such beautiful visuals on their cameras.

 

As said earlier, the work on the stunts is extensive and involves some suspension of disbelief too, on our parts. There are many chase sequences on road including one on a formula racing car and the much-publicized bike chase with Katrina riding along with Hrithik. The elaborate sequence in the water stands out for the risk involved. A treat for action buffs, definitely. 

 

Among Vishal - Shekhar's songs, most of them are chartbuster material and have been shot fittingly on screen as well. The movie's run time of more than 150 minutes tests our patience particularly in the second half when the film plateaus out.

 

Bang Bang is bound to work better for those who haven't seen Knight and Day. It's a passable outing to kill some time, this long holiday weekend.