Film Review #2

                Dhoom 2: Back In Action is a highly successful Bollywood action movie that was released in 2006. It was directed by Sanjay Gadhvi. Abhishek Bachchan and Hrithik Roshan have ‘top billing’ in the film. Uday Chopra, Bipasha Basu, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan also have very prominent roles. The action sequences are over the top and offer nothing new but the acting is on par and the song and dance numbers are catchy. Dhoom 2 reminds me of films like Die Hard and The Expendables. The plot is almost meaningless and you won’t leave the theater having seen something special. However, you do have the satisfaction of knowing you have seen worse movies. At its core the film is disposable entertainment- meant to be seen once and enjoyed. If you accept the movie for what it is then you will not have any grievances after two-and-a-half hours.

Dhoom’s plot is unpretentious. Detective Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan) is seeking to capture and arrest the elusive Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan) – a master thief with a knack for disguise. Along the way Jai has to deal with the shenanigans of his inept partner Ali (Uday Chopra) as well as old feelings for Shonali (Bipasha Basu), a former classmate who is now the assistant commissioner of the investigation. Oh and by the way, I should mention one thing: Jai is a married man with a baby on the way. Jai, Ali, and Shonali play a game of cat-and-mouse with Mr. A that spans the globe from Mumbai, India to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To aid his search Jai also ‘acquires’ the services of a beautiful thief. Her name is Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai Bachchan) and she has no choice but to help Jai. If she refuses he’ll send her to prison for the previous crimes she has committed. During the game of cat-and-mouse Mr. A and Sunehri develop a relationship. Things don’t stay pleasant for long however. Sunehri has a decision to make. She can set up Mr. A and go back to India ‘scot-free’ or run away and make a new life with the master thief.

Without a doubt, Hrithik Roshan is the heart and soul of the film. I credit so much of the film’s charm to his performance. He plays the antagonist perfectly. Roshan’s character has many layers. As the movie progresses Roshan shows us that Mr. A is more than a handsome, smart thief. The longtime loner opens his heart to Sunehri. Speaking of Sunehri, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has sizzling chemistry with Roshan. The romance portrayed between the two appears authentic. Abhishek Bachchan’s depiction of Jai is nothing new. He’s a rough-around-the-edges detective who seems to always be scowling. Bipasha Basu’s character is regretfully forgettable. Uday Chopra is hilarious as Jai’s partner Ali. Chopra’s comic relief adds balance to Jai’s hardened demeanor, the sensational action sequences, and the romance angle. Overall, my expectations were met.

Dhoom 2 makes good use of special effects and makeup. The thieving Mr. A dons countless disguises that make him appear almost unrecognizable. The director does an amazing job of capturing the beauty of every city they locale during the introductory phases. Music is a huge part of this Bollywood blockbuster. The song and dance sequences alone equate to 30 minutes of film. With this being my first Bollywood experience I must confess that I enjoyed the majority of the songs! In my opinion, the timing for each scene of song and dance was seamless.

If I could only offer my reader’s one decisive factor that would convince them to attend this film I would say, “See it for the style!” Simply put, Dhoom 2 is a guilty pleasure. The entire movie has a swagger to it that cannot be denied. It looks you in the eye and says, “Yeah the storyline is filled with holes. So what? Sit back, relax, and have some fun!” The trailer for the film does the same thing. Have a look to see what I mean.

7 out of 10