Movie Review: Don

While Subhash K. Jha has reviewed Don better than I ever can, because first of all, I lack the critiquing skills, and second of all, I havent seen the original to be able to compare, I would still say its quite an okay movie. Not the best movie of the year, but a nice twisting flick.

Don is the story of men and their identities, the power play, the politics and deceit necessary in a career of great risks and returns, and the human instincts of revenge and survival. Of some sexy women who get screwed, some who dont, and the loss of many innocent lives just so their secrets are safe.

I know mnay who were disappointed with the movie - but I remember to note that Farhan akhtar mentioned it was a reinterpretation, not a remake of the movie. It is very slick and stylish, the locations are really nice, but how come these chicks are constantly glamourously dressed? For the first time Priyanka Chopra's legs look sickly skinny to me. Basically, the chicks have no role - its Shah Rukh Khan's movie all the way, and that too by default. Shah Rukh looks as though superstardom suits him - he looks very complacent in fact. His body is good, and his comfort level with his clothes (though I dont like those shirt and tie being in the same shade but with different patterns style much) is fun to watch. His little sounds "heeyyy" etc are a bit overdone, but I dont think he's lost his touch; he's just gotten a bit lazy. The songs seem quite sudden and random, and its a bit offensive that the fighters in the mafia also team up as item girls in the song "Aaj ki raat". I like "Main hoon don" its very glamourously done.

As for Kareena, she has a reall glamourous face, and I thought she looked really good! Of course, teh dress didnt do much for her type of figure - she is muscular rather than thin and her dressed should have played up her physique rather than expecting her to conform to its softer requirements. The dance choreography throughout was not particularly exciting - the movements werent fluid, but rather jarring and just put in to match the beat. Not much grace by anyone throughout, and Isha Koppikar particularly sucked. Her clothes and earrings! Argh! They could have done so much more with her face and body, but she's gotten skinny!

OH GOD!!!! in Khaike Paan banaraswala (not choreographed the way I expecte AT ALL), Priyanka does these expressions that are copied STRAIGHT from aishwarya's signature natkhat flirt expressions in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam! God Priyanka, you're ok as you are, we dont need another Aishwarya!

So on to the story. I wnt talk about it as many of you know about the original story, but let it suffice to say that the story exists basically to prove that "Don ko pakadna mushkil nahin, namumkin hai" about how he is caught and escapes and escapes and pulls some elaborate wool over everyone's eyes and how all are not as they seem in this glittery brittle world and everyone is out for some form of revenge or another. What I didnt like is how every half hour or so, Akhtar would reveal one twist in the plot, rather than everything all at once, really shocking us in the end. It did maintain the pace though, but so made it drag a bit. And Jha is right, the movie does leave one not feeling anything. Its nice to sit through, but there's no ,ajor fear or epiphany or emotion or sadness. Since I judge a movie on the basis of how much it makes me laugh (or cry - ideally both together), I wouldnt rate this one highly. Yes if you like special effects and dont care much about the acting, go see it.

Conclusion: Okay. Would give it a B. Tried to mainain the standard but could do better.