Agent Vinod Reviews - Page 6

I love Bollywood films to death but I'll be first to admit that we don't do action well. Our forte is romantic comedies and dramas but there is no desi version of Mission Impossible or Men in Black.

Which is precisely why this Friday's release, Agent Vinod, caught my attention. Coming with the hype of a desi Bond flick, I was interested to see what Saif Ali Khan's first production would churn out.

Agent Vinod borrows its name from the 1977 Hindi movie, which itself was inspired by the Bond franchise. After a nuclear suitcase bomb goes missing, Agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) travels through a dozen countries (Uzbekistan, Russia, Morocco, Karachi) across the world to prevent the bomb from reaching enemy hands and threatening lives of innocent Indians. In his pursuit, he joins up with Dr. Ruby Mendes/Iram Parveen Bilal (Kareena Kapoor) to stop the bad guys.

Directed by Sriram Raghavan of Ek Hasina Thi fame, Agent Vinod definitely reminds you of the Bond franchise. The hero is suave, slick and has an undeniable effect on the ladies even while he manages to squeeze out of one deadly situation after another. The film is shot on a lavish scale with a number of hot women (Ann Lee Roberts, Mallika Haydon, Maryam Zakaria) making fleeting appearances. While the gadgets are missing and the action very basic, you do enjoy this quest. Where the movie differs from Bond is that it never takes itself too seriously and the dark humor ads freshness to the proceedings.

While Agent Vinod manages to make a decent attempt at the action thriller genre, it doesn't soar as high as it could have. The excessive runtime and jumping through countries leaves the viewer confused. Also, by choosing to (SPOILER!) leave room for a sequel, the effectiveness of the climax is diluted, thus leaving the viewer with an unsettling feeling.

Saif Ali Khan is believable as our Desi Bond. He's come far from his chocolate boy days of Yeh Dillagi and Kal Ho Naa Ho and looks and acts the part of Agent Vinod. He has a great physique and his comic timing is top-notch as always. Kareena Kapoor does a good job but her role is a supporting one and you wish she got a chance to kick the villains' butts. Nonetheless, she manages to look glamourous, especially in the "Dil Mera Muft" number.

Pritam's music is a highlight of the film, but in an action film like Agent Vinod, it just slows down the proceedings. Chartubuster "I'll Do the Talking Tonight" is greatly edited and "Pungi" only appears in the end credits. However, special points are deserved for the choreography and composition of the "Raabata" number.

Agent Vinod is a solid attempt at the action thriller genre and I have to admit that Saif Ali Khan does well as the Indian Bond. However, you can't help but think this could have been a snappier ride had the editing scissors been used more liberally.

Dollz Rating: 3 stars out of 5