Ek Tha Tiger (Hindi)

Surprise surprise, I actually enjoyed Ek Tha Tiger, a film that has been criticized by many and yet has managed to break most ticket-sale records. 

Starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif the film doesn't bring about anything new, but under the direction of Kabir Khan and production of Aditya Chopra, it presents a cleaner and straightforward film.

Here are my top 10 reasons why you should watch Ek Tha Tiger;

The Story - While most of the recent Salman Khan films are heavy on action, Ek Tha Tiger is more of a romantic film with intermittent fight sequences. It's the story of a RAW agent, played by Salman, and about him falling in love during a mission and the complications that arise when he "listens to his heart rather than his head". The story might seem simple, and it is, but it manages to entertain because it avoids unnecessary drama and sticks to the basics.

Salman Khan - I am no fan of Salman Khan, and there are some movies of his that I enjoy while others that I despise. Here though he somewhat tones down his larger than life persona a little bit and gives a pretty good performance as a RAW agent.

Katrina Kaif - Although her name should be enough of a reason, Katrna Kaif for a change comes across as very comfortable in the film. She's in her element and doesn't seem out of place or struggling. Could this be because of the nature of the film being international or the presence of Salman Khan, I cannot say. (Those of you who are not into Indian cinema gossip, Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif have long been "linked" together as a couple).

Action - There is a fair bit of action in the film but rather than the slow motion one man killing ten people with one punch kind of action there are more realistic fight sequences. There is also a fair bit of running around and chases that happen in a semi-parkour fashion which once again are beautifully shot and executed. Unfortunately there are also sequences like the one on a tram that are so CGI laden that they shout FAKE from the onset.  

Romance - Say what you may, but there is definite chemistry between Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif and it shows on the screen. It's easy to see that both are extremely comfortable with each other and for a change the romance seems real which adds to the charm of the film.

The Direction - Kabir Khan deserves credit for sticking with the story and presenting a sleek film. Ek Tha Tiger does get slow in the middle, but as stated above the romance feels genuine enough that the couple of "forced" song and dance numbers in the film don't irritate much. Moreover, the so called packaging of the entire film is at par with other Yash Chopra productions.   

Locations - The number one rule of a good spy film is that you need to take the audience around the world to pretty locations. Once again the film succeeds rather well in this category as we are whisked away from India to Ireland to Turkey, to even Cuba. The film also incorporates the local culture and sounds into the music numbers beautifully, showing that there really was a lot of planning and thinking that went into the production.

Songs - Hummable and on most top chart lists, the songs lack longevity. Still with only four songs, yes four is 'only' in an Indian film, they are good enough not to drag the film too much.   

Supporting cast - For a change the supporting cast actually supports the main characters and the film. There are no sidekicks which lack a character arc placed in the film for vulgar comedy. There are no subplots taking the film on a tangent. The primary story remains the same, and every supporting member is simply a part of it. Girish Karnad requires no introduction and Ranvir Shorey steps out of his usual comedy routine to give a pretty good performance.   

Roshan Seth - I know he should be part of the support cast reason given above, but his role, which is unfortunately very small, oozes old world charm so much that it was truly a pleasure to see this underrated legend of cinema act in an out-and-out commercial film like Ek Tha Tiger. 

If you haven't seen Ek Tha Tiger, you might be fooled into thinking that it is like other Salman Khan films (Ready, Bodyguard, or Dabaang). It is anything but that. The film is not without faults. There are enough loopholes that I could fit my plump body through them, but for a change the pros in the film are multitudinous compared to the cons.

Rating 3.5/5

The Bourne Legacy

Was it really important to continue with the Bourne trilogy that has attained a certain fandom over the last decade? Not really. Not considering the main players were all going to change.

The Bourne Legacy is more enjoyable if you look at it as a completely separate film. True, it tries to bank on the name of Bourne by running its story parallel to the third installment of the trilogy, but that is just a ploy to not having to explain the intricacies of the complex story (of the earlier films) and also a way to cash in on the trilogy. The annoying aspect of this, for the audience, is that if Bourne Legacy was totally detached from the earlier films and released under a different name, it would probably be exactly the same movie it is now.

So, Bourne Legacy runs like an average thriller. Having realized that it is not at parity with the earlier films within the first 15 minutes, I was able to enjoy it a whole lot more. It does have a simpler plot and Jeremy Renner's Aaron Cross might not have the same impact as Matt Damon's Jason Bourne, but he does manage to prove himself as a commendable action hero who just might carry the franchise on his shoulders.

Negatives aside, the film does work well as an action thriller. It's not as smart as the Bourne Trilogy, but is intelligent enough to rise above the average run-of-the-mill action film. Edward Norton and Rachel Weisz provide the necessary acting support to Renner's agent on the run and on the lookout for answers about the organization he works for.

The highlight of the film remains the climatic 20 odd minute chase through Manila. If you look at the big picture, the entire film is a chase movie, but the climax surpasses the hour and a half gone by before it. It might not have the big explosions and car crashes that are ever so present in Hollywood action films, but does have a certain in-your-face living-on-the-edge attitude that makes it all the more fun to watch.

The Bourne Legacy fails because by linking itself to the Bourne Trilogy is draws unnecessary comparison. It also ends rather abruptly hinting towards a sequel, which is surely not going to be as highly anticipated as this film. Still, the film makes for an entertaining watch and with a story that is simple to follow it's easier to enjoy it without wrecking the brain too much.     

Rating 3/5

Haywire

Steven Soderbergh (Director) is an acquired taste. I believe it is fair to say that he is one of the most influential experimentalists when it comes to movie making in the west. Just go through his filmography (Traffic, The Girlfriend Experience, Ocean's 11/12/13, Erin Brockovich, Full Frontal, Sex Lies and Videotapes, Out of Sight, Solaris, The Informant) and you can notice a rather splendid variety of genres and film styles. So, when he makes a spy thriller like Haywire, it is quite understandable that some people will either love it while others might not.

Haywire is a complex spy thriller that borderlines as a revenge drama and an all out action flick. Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is a hired assassin who during the course of the film must decode her past assignments and present situation to figure out who is it that has double crossed her and wants her dead. The film moves smoothly between the past and the present, subtly dropping in big names from the film world as supporting characters to the female lead. Ewan McGregor as Kenneth, Mallory's boss, is deviously fiendish. Michael Fassbender can do no wrong nowadays and his portrayal of an assassin is suave and sleek. Channing Tatum for once doesn't stick out as a sore thumb and honestly comes across as quite dignified amongst Hollywood heavyweights like Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas who bring a certain maturity to the entire proceedings.

Steven Soderbergh's filming style is very grounded. It lacks the panache of the Ocean 11 series, but suits well in the context of this film. The fight sequences are realistic; not glamorized, nor shoddy. The story is complex enough for the audience to pay attention, yet simple enough that it can be enjoyed for its action.

Throughout the film I could not help but compare the film to the recently released film Hanna. While Hanna was a film with a much simpler story that relied heavily on its protagonist played by Saoirse Ronan, Haywire has a lot more going for it. The story is much more complex and intriguing. The barrage of stars brings about a surprise and wow factor. The action is much more intense, and most importantly the direction is a lot cleaner.

Haywire might not achieve the same cult status as Kill Bill, but it does have qualities that will make it unforgettable. It's technically brilliant and true to Soderbergh, very experimental at times.

A must see film, Haywire gets a 4/5 Star Rating from me.   

Agent Vinod (Hindi)(2012)

Finally we have a Desi James Bond. Alright, not quite. Nor is he Jason Bourne. He's somewhere right smack in the middle. Saif Ali Khan, with his home production, takes us on a whirlwind tour of the world as his Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent goes about trying to find a nuclear suitcase bomb and diffuse/destroy it before it is used to start a war.

Agent Vinod is a good attempt at the genre. It's not the best as it lacks a lot in execution. The editing is choppy and shoddy at times, which I found to be rather annoying. The dialogue, I'm guessing meant to be funny, is atrocious. Take for example Kareena Kapoor, the only character in the film who has some shades of grey, calling Agent Vinod and telling him that she's been shot in the lungs twice and has had a lot of blood loss and then goes on to divulge some rather important information to him. I mean, seriously. Two shots in the lungs, a lot of blood loss, and you are still having a conversation over the phone. Yes, I know when it comes to saving the world, everything is possible and allowed, but let’s get real a little. There are many other instances where the dialogue just seems cheesy and so out of place.

Thankfully, while the dialogue might be cheesy, the film is not. It's well made with some rather brilliant scenes. A fight scene that takes place in the past and present simultaneously is beautifully executed. Or the scene wherein a sniper is about to attack Agent Vinod and the camera just holds a view from behind our hero for a minute, with nothing happening, and the anticipation builds up the tension gorgeously.

The music and background score surprisingly plays along well with the movie. It's very different and unexpected, but fun. The acting isn't all that bad. Unfortunately, the film is all about Saif Ali Khan, so much so that even Kareena Kapoor despite having a prominent role doesn't get much opportunity to shine. The supporting actors on the other hand do wonders with the little screen time they have, especially Ram Kapoor as Abu Nazer who is hard to recognize and proves to be quite the character actor.

Agent Vinod is a fairly well made film. One that, seeing the ending, can lead Saif into a good movie franchise provided it stays clear of the typical Hindi cinema clichés. It's also probably because of a few superbly executed scenes that I've given it a 3.5/5 star rating and mind you, it is also because of the rather absurdly horrendous dialogue that it falls short of 4 stars.