Don 2 is a classic action/crime thriller that doesn't let go, even for a moment. More importantly, the plot has been finely crafted, with every twist and turn falling into place like a complicated albeit neat little jigsaw. With a canvas that goes on a cross-country ride -- Thailand, Malaysia, Zurich, Berlin -- the film challenges you to hop aboard its high speed scuttle and attentively follow the exploits of its glamorous gangster. One who oscillates between two avatars -- Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible) and James Bond -- without losing out on his desi charisma.
The high point of the film is Shah Rukh's delineation of the character of the Don. The actor interprets him as an arrogant, agile, wicked and wild dare-devil who has the most bizarre schemes up his sleeves. But that's not all. He also has the chutzpah to carry them through. Taking off from the climax of the first film, the gangster resurfaces in Thailand after a suitable time span, creates mayhem and then, in an unprecedented and inexplicable move, surrenders before his old enemies (cop Roma), only to be sent to a Malaysian prison. Get ready for a breath taking prison-break sequence, where our maverick escapes with another old foe, Vardhan ( Boman Irani). The rest of the film is essentially the execution of a meticulous plan where the duo chooses to rob the Germans of their currency plates. Easier said than done, but with the devious Don, rest assured, no mission is an impossible mission. Shah Rukh remains in command and never loses his foothold, neither through the dramatic sequences nor through the action cuts. But of course, didn't we know the actor always loved playing wicked despite his romantic hero image. Remember Darr and Baazigar, two of his unforgettable films?
Action is the other alluring selling point of Farhan Akhtar's film. The chases, the fights, the demolition, destruction, break-ins, escapes have all been done with a finesse that rivals the best of Hollywood. Watch the car chase between Priyanka and Shah Rukh and you'll get the point. It's not only high voltage that drips with passion which makes it seem almost like foreplay. The other notable sequences include the heist, the escape and Shah Rukh's larger-than-life leap from a high-rise while his assassin wrings his hands in dismay.
The film does lack a bit on the emotional quotient and human relationships are hardly given a chance to grow. But just when you think it's all sound and fury, there's a sensuous tango between Roma and the Don as the cop opts to help the gangster she once loved and the gangster is determined to save his junglee billi (wild cat), any which way. A word about the dialogues: brilliant. A word about the music: mediocre (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy). |
