Rating of
2.5/4
Don sequel is fair
sreekirch - wrote on 02/19/12
Farhan’s Don 2 is about heist. It follows a predictable way in delivering the elements of the movie like action scenes which are roughly choreographed, car chase scenes taken from many English movies and plot copied from many English heist movies(Ocean’s Eleven Italian job, Mission Impossible). The idea is taken as 100% copy but the screenplay had its own novelty towards the end. Farhan managed to give a good not so exceptional heist movie in his normal approach. When compared with the previous part this part maintains the twist in the end and also follows a predictable and stale storyline.
Don 2 is about gaining supremacy in Europe after Asia. Don (Sharukh khan) after 5 years, returns to his old friends and foes and gets himself arrested. He now moves to Malaysian central prison and frees Vardhan (Boman Irani). They together arrange a team of certain members and plans to loot the money plates in Germany. Don has his own plans of getting immunity in Europe. The movie begins with Don in a ferry boat arriving with the new look. He looks more dangerous and dashing as ever. The plot sets up in about 45 minutes. The plans begin and heist job starts in the second part. Though the proceedings seemed dull and not so interesting the ending had a good twist that keeps the momentum for the next part to arrive. The plot after being set seemed to take a backseat for about 40 minutes during which lengthy conversations fight scenes escape scenes and jumping scenes were focused. Some irritating humor and also unnecessary romance interludes disturbs the whole scenario. The second half managed to keep interest and showed the heist done in a regular way of capturing hostages and threatening police forces to free don and his men.
Sharukh khan justified his role as don who looks more trendy and dangerous with the evil smile (of course for just 10 minutes). He manages to utter dialogues with ease and violent behavior. He makes everyone go berserk with the smile. But the power of smile is lost since last part. Probably he has aged. Priyanka chopra suddenly becomes a cop and tracks Don and his men. She is emotionally trapped by don during many instances and her revenge story is lost now somewhere. Secondary characters like Om puri and Boman Irani were wasted. They had less scope to perform. Farhan did a decent job in terms of direction. Screenwriting looked dull and lacked a strong script. The back story was effective than the original script. For example Don helps police to capture the thugs and how did police trust don here? In another instance when don is facing everyone without guns they do not manage to attack him. His enemies are also neither attacking him. They are waiting for him to finish his dialogue. This is where movie lost a classic touch and becomes another regular pot boiler partly entertaining.
Presentation wise Don 2 is good. The camera work is hardly effective. Cinematography is good capturing Germany and Malaysia. The heist sequence needed more breathtaking cinematography. Music by Shankar Ehsan and Loy is quite a normal one. The original theme is retained and follows most of the movie. Editing took a nap for about 45 minutes of the movie where the plot lost itself and showed glimpses of romantic interludes, lengthy car chases (we know who will win) roof jumping , thugs fighting and threatening scenes. For example after don manages to escape from a collapsing building he is next shown in police building. How come he came there?. Don’t the other police know Don? Farhan must answer this.
Farhan wanted to give pure popcorn entertainment with glimpses of regular fancy stuffs with overburdened characters and charismatic presence of Sharukh khan. He managed to entertain partly. It opens with great promise. But the plot fizzles out in terms of screenwriting and couple of badly placed songs everything goes wrong. After the movie I thought that it might work because of Sharukh khan and fast paced second part with a good twist. But overall it does not make the mark. I give a score of 2.5/4.
