Action Thriller

RACE 3

CAST: Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Jacqueline Fernandez, Bobby Deol

DIRECTION: Remo D’Souza

1 and half stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Race 3’ has got it all. A multi-star cast, big car chases, exotic locations and explo­sive daredevil stunts. But despite all this the film still feels like a poor man’s ‘Fast and Furious’. With a below average screenplay dishing up clichés of old Bollywood masala films, and an equally incapable cast of actors who just stand stupidly and mouth eye-rolling dialogues, the third installment of the ‘Race’ series isn’t an improvement but more a parody of the previous two films. And superstar Salman Khan doesn’t come close to being India’s answer to Vin Diesel. He looks tired, as if he forgot to bring his usual charisma to the sets while shooting. The plot goes like this. Shamsher (Anil Kapoor) is a Middle East-based international arms dealer. He runs his empire like a family business, helped by his nephew Sikander (Salman Khan) and his twin chil­dren Sanjana (Daisy Shah) and Suraj (Saqib Saleem). Shamsher’s affec­tion towards Sikander creates jeal­ousy in Sanjana and Suraj, and in due course that jealousy develops into bitter animosity between them and Sikander. So they connive to use people close to Sikander, like his business associate Yash (Bobby Deol) and a shape-shifting femme fatale by the name of Jessica (Jac­queline Fernandez), to destroy him.

 

There’s also a B plot involving a heist where Shamsher deploys his children and Sikander to rob a hard-disk from a bank’s safety locker. The hard-disk contains something that’s valuable to Shamsher, who intends to use its contents to clear his name and go back to his native hometown, where he’s still a fugitive.

 

‘Race 3’ is directed by Remo D’Souza whose track record in churning out mediocre movies is unbeatable. During this decade the choreographer-turned-director has treated us with such classic duds as ‘FALTU’, ‘Any Body Can Dance’ and ‘A Flying Jatt’. With each movie he’s distanced himself far from sto­rytelling and utilized the produc­er’s money in crafting lavishly cho­reographed dance sequences and action scenes. D’Souza is a gifted choreographer, but his overindul­gence in the song-and-dance routine pulls down the entertainment value. For a film that wants us to take it as a thriller, ‘Race 3’ has too many club songs and far few roller-coaster moments. (Picture Jacqueline Fer­nandez spinning endlessly on a dance pole.)

 

Much money has gone into mak­ing the actors look good but there is no effort to give the characters a clear direction. This is the kind of movie where we see the rich blokes wear tight tuxedoes even in their house. They will not leave any opportunity to say that they are businessmen even if you’re not ask­ing. They spend their days in gym and nights at clubs, but are never seen doing the actual business to support their lifestyle. They are con­flicted, arrogant and easily irritated. No actor does anything remarkable. Salman Khan’s films are known for their catchy dialogues but the best that this film could come up with is, “Our business is our business, none of your business”.

 

‘Race 3’ is a long drag to the fin­ishing line. Even for diehard fans of Salman Khan, it’s worrisome to see their icon offering such a misfire. This is a movie that both he and his fans would surely want to forget as soon as possible.