Racy Ambitious Complicated Entertainer
RACE is Abbas Mustan's attempt to find the golden touch that they had displayed with Baazigar, Khiladi and Ajnabee. 'Naqab' failed because it was too complicated and this is the same with RACE too. In a bit to give a super hit, AM duo put in too much- the result , a slick but complicated thriller in which everyone double crosses the other.
A story of absolute mistrust between two loving brothers Saif and Akshay Khanna, the thriller starts off with the usual élan of a Abbas Mustan movie and keeps the pace going for the first half an hour. The story builds up with Akshay falling in love with Saif's girlfriend Bipasha. Saif sacrifices his love thinking that his alcoholic brother would quit drinking. Akshay and Bips marry each other as a scheme to usurp the 100 million insurance that they would get if Saif is killed in an accident. Everything goes as per plan but after Saif's death, Katrina playing Saif's secretary , claims that Saif had married her before dying hence the money is hers. What follows thereafter is too complicated with each one backstabbing the other. We will leave the cinema hall absolutely not trusting the director duo for the state of affairs after building up the tempo for a fantastic thriller.
Nevertheless, the touch of the duo is evident in the twists and turns, the business strategies and the backroom operations. Saif has come of age and has started playing different shades and experimenting with films like Omkara, Dil Chahta Hai and this. He adequately plays his role of the elder brother who plays to win. Akshay as the younger brother who seeks revenge against his brother is good at times . Bipasha as the sexy siren, fits the role and has shades of grey. She is glamorous as the model, seductive as the lover and plays her role to her limited best. Katrina looks beautiful and has not much to do except looking good.
Anil Kapoor enters the fray as the fruit loving inspector along with his stupid secretary Sameera Reddy a la Karamchand and kitty. He lends comic credence to the second half with his double entendres and corrupt methods. Anil Kapoor has these days made a mark for himself in these side but important roles.
The locales and cinematography of South Africa and Dubai are breathtaking. The action scenes are also well picturised. Music by Pritam is inspired and is one of the high points of the film. The background music by Salim-Sulaiman is also thrilling and adds to the effect.
All in all , Race seems to be another misled but good attempt by Abbas Mustan. They should concentrate more on simple thrillers like Baazigar and Ajnabee instead of complicating things too much like Naqab and Race. They are still the masters of the game and have the energy and verve to direct thrilling moments like no one else in the industry.
RACE is Abbas Mustan's attempt to find the golden touch that they had displayed with Baazigar, Khiladi and Ajnabee. 'Naqab' failed because it was too complicated and this is the same with RACE too. In a bit to give a super hit, AM duo put in too much- the result , a slick but complicated thriller in which everyone double crosses the other.
A story of absolute mistrust between two loving brothers Saif and Akshay Khanna, the thriller starts off with the usual élan of a Abbas Mustan movie and keeps the pace going for the first half an hour. The story builds up with Akshay falling in love with Saif's girlfriend Bipasha. Saif sacrifices his love thinking that his alcoholic brother would quit drinking. Akshay and Bips marry each other as a scheme to usurp the 100 million insurance that they would get if Saif is killed in an accident. Everything goes as per plan but after Saif's death, Katrina playing Saif's secretary , claims that Saif had married her before dying hence the money is hers. What follows thereafter is too complicated with each one backstabbing the other. We will leave the cinema hall absolutely not trusting the director duo for the state of affairs after building up the tempo for a fantastic thriller.
Nevertheless, the touch of the duo is evident in the twists and turns, the business strategies and the backroom operations. Saif has come of age and has started playing different shades and experimenting with films like Omkara, Dil Chahta Hai and this. He adequately plays his role of the elder brother who plays to win. Akshay as the younger brother who seeks revenge against his brother is good at times . Bipasha as the sexy siren, fits the role and has shades of grey. She is glamorous as the model, seductive as the lover and plays her role to her limited best. Katrina looks beautiful and has not much to do except looking good.
Anil Kapoor enters the fray as the fruit loving inspector along with his stupid secretary Sameera Reddy a la Karamchand and kitty. He lends comic credence to the second half with his double entendres and corrupt methods. Anil Kapoor has these days made a mark for himself in these side but important roles.
The locales and cinematography of South Africa and Dubai are breathtaking. The action scenes are also well picturised. Music by Pritam is inspired and is one of the high points of the film. The background music by Salim-Sulaiman is also thrilling and adds to the effect.
All in all , Race seems to be another misled but good attempt by Abbas Mustan. They should concentrate more on simple thrillers like Baazigar and Ajnabee instead of complicating things too much like Naqab and Race. They are still the masters of the game and have the energy and verve to direct thrilling moments like no one else in the industry.