[paralelogram]

Shah Rukh Khan's Don 2, the sequel to the 2006 remake of the Amitabh Bachchan classic, hits the screens on Friday. The lord of the Asian drug world is back to haunt the picturesque streets of Berlin in director Farhan Akhtar’s ambitious action thriller.
IBNLive Movies Editor Rituparna Chatterjee, who watched the film on Thursday, tweets the experience.
Here's the tweet review of one of Shah Rukh Khan's most anticipated films of the year.



10:16 PM: Farhan Akhtar's #Don2 hits the screens on Friday. The lord of the drug world, returns. Watch this space for a #TweetReview. Ready?
10:22 PM: Settling in for the ultimate chase. #Don2 picks up from where Don: The Chase Begins Again left off. #TweetReview
10:26 PM: The signature tune opens the narration. We are familiar with that one. @iamsrk says "I am the King!" Stunning backwaters. #TweetReview #Don2
10:29 PM: 5 mins into the film and the entry of @iamsrk! A gaunt Shah Rukh Khan, leaner, with unkempt long hair and stubble. #TweetReview #Don2
10:32 PM: Action starts immediately. Drug lords gather to take a vote on killing Don. Everyone agrees. But Don has other plans. #TweetReview #Don2
10:36 PM: The core team of @iamsrk @FarOutAkhtar and @ritesh_sid hope to recreate the Don magic this time around. The action so far is great. #Don2
10:41 PM: Intl stunt director Wolfgang Stegemann's work has truly paid off. Hand-to-hand combat as Don tries to escape drug lords is lethal. #Don2
10:43 PM: Back to Malaysia where Om Puri is retiring after 37 years and 186 cases. His big regret: not having caught Don. #Don2 #TweetReview
10:48 PM: Entry of Priyanka Chopra. Roma is about to get the shock of her life. But is she still in love with the Don? Find out on Friday #TweetReview
10:50 PM: "Make me an offer I can't refuse," says Don. He will get death penalty if he can't convince the cops to withdraw all charges. Plot thickens.
10:52 PM: He has ruled the Asian drug world for years and now Don is back for a bigger prize. Europe is his playing ground. #TweetReview #Don2
10:58 PM: The action is great, esp an exciting jailbreak. #Don2 promotions have been low key. The investment in action has paid off. #TweetReview
11:00 PM: Not gold, cash or secret documents. This time the eye is on Euro printing plates. #Don2 sets the pace for future heist movies. #TweetReview
11:05 PM: Boman Irani, devoid of the pretense of being the good cop, is in his elements. If you have seen Don (2006) you will realise how angry he is.
11:08 PM: Lara Dutta's item number, the only song of the film, heralds the rebirth of Don. He is back in Europe, planning an ambitious heist. #Don2
11:12 PM: Planning kicks off, but the pace of the film, gripping till now, slackens.Intrigue and an elaborate blackmailing plan. Entry of Kunal Kapoor
11:16 PM: The complex plot takes Don to Zurich & then to Berlin. All Shah Rukh Khan die-hard fans (are there any other kind?) will not be disappointed
11:18 PM: The suave Don of the 2006 remake was pure evil, this one has more heart. But is he getting repetitive? You will find out Friday #TweetReview
11:20 PM: In many ways this is @iamsrk's film. He has a quiry sense of humour. Even behind bars he never fails to flirt with @priyankachopra #Don2
11:23 PM: A surprise cameo by a superstar takes you off guard. He has a ball dance number but then he is a great dancer as we all know. #TweetReview
11:25 PM: Hacker Sameer Ali aka @kapoorkkunal joins SRK. He is a fan of Don. Aly Khan, Nawaab Shah, Sahil Shroff are new additions to the cast. #Don2
11:28 PM: Shankar Ehsaan Loy's music is underwhelming. The script falters at places. Om Puri and Junglee Billi Roma come across as stiff. #Don2
11:30 PM: The big moment is now! A car chase through a basement parking lot and Berlin streets. In 3D this is mindblowing. #Don2
11:33 PM: A very expensive pile up and Don gets away. "Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi namumkin hai." Will Kunal overcome a twinge of conscience? #Don2
11:35 PM: The film has an international, Mission Impossible feel to it. Superb action. The combat sequences are the high points. #TweetReview #Don2
11:36 PM: But the omnipresence Don of 2006 has mellowed. He now needs a team to get him past a high security locker. Age catching up perhaps? #Don2
11:38 PM: Vardhan on the other hand is deadly. Painful to see Don get beaten up. Hope he has a backup plan to get him away from inside the vault.
11:41 PM: Hope Shah Rukh had fun shooting the 300 feet drop from the top of a building, it's vertigo inducing. #tweetreview #don2
11:43 PM: More than ever the scene is reminiscent of the MI series. Attraction between Priyanka and SRK is awkward. Chopra comes across as petulant.
11:45 PM: A hostage situation inside the bank. Explosives going off everywhere, will Roma & Don get out of this alive? But whose side is Vardhan on?
11:48 PM: There was so much scope for developing the characters. But priority given to action (which is good) perhaps takes away from other aspects.
11:50 PM: Lara Dutta in a short role tries her best to play the vamp. But she is limited by screen time given. A great underwater escape scene. #Don2
11:52 PM: SRK is believable as Don, but this time around he is more vulnerable to female charm. "Agar tumhe kuchh ho gaya toh?" worried Don asks Roma.
11:54 PM: The storyline is not new, but the surprising change of heart is. Impalusible perhaps? But who knows what goes on in the mind of Don? #Don2
11:57 PM: Shah Rukh is wicked, but this time he is also more humane. You decide on Friday if you like the ending. #Don2 #TweetReview
12:00 AM: This film desperately needs humour. Taut at times and slackening in the second half, #Don2 is a constantly accelerating ride. #TweetReview
12:02 AM: Climax builds up with emotional sparring in between Roma and Don. He wants to walk out a free man. And she can't decide whether to trust him
12:03 AM: A very surprising twist. Watch out for this one on Friday. Decides the film. #TweetReview #Don2
12:05 AM: This is one wild world tour with crazy stunts, knee-jerk car chases, plunging from building and final unveiling of what Don is in real sense
12:06 AM: In the end Farhan Akhtar has delivered an engaging film, if you don't mind it dragging endlessly at some parts. #TweetReview #Don2
12:08 AM: Priyanka Chopra is not convincing as Roma and Boman is more menacing than @iamsrk. It's a mixed bag this time. Looks ripe for a sequel again
12:11 AM: The @iamsrk fans will love him in this one. That much is for sure. #TweetReview #Don2

[Annewsded]

Story:



After ditching the cops five years ago, by becoming an indisputable don of Asian underworld, the story of Don (Shah Rukh Khan) goes ahead, initially by surrendering to cops Malik (Om Puri) and Roma (Priyanka Chopra) in Malaysia, with a certain motive. His aim is to steal the money making plates from a bank, whose source can only be traced through a safety deposit box in Switzerland, preserved by Singhania (Rajesh Khattar), who was killed in the prequel Don. The only man, who can take him to the deposit box now, is Vardhan (Boman Irani) who is in the Malaysian jail. As soon as he sets himself and Vardhan free, he gets on a mission to conquer the European underworld with an aim to fetch the plates from the bank. Now, how will Don accomplish his task with the help of Sameer Ali (Kunal Kapoor), Jabbar (Nawab Shah) and his sweetheart Lara (Lara Dutta), is the rest of the story.

Story Treatment:



Shah Rukh Khan compels one to leave the bitter memories of Ra. One behind and experience an exhilarating ride with Don 2. Hollywood style crisp action sequences and different avatars of SRK, prisoner and eventually ultra-classy Don, keep the spectator busy. The story picks up pace in the post interval portions with tremendous suspense value related to Kunal Kapoor. The vulnerable love sequence between SRK and Priyanka also commands for appreciation in terms of how it brings the necessary twist in the story, which can be called the forte of Farhan Akhtar as a story-writer.

Star Cast:

The unmatchable charisma of Shah Rukh Khan with ultra-stylish dialogue delivery makes Don 2, worth a watch for one and all. Priyanka Chopra is at her best towards the climax, switching lanes between a helpless lover and a revengeful cop. Lara Dutta plays her part well in the special appearance. Boman Irani is at ease with his character and plays it with a 'no room for flaws' mechanism. Kunal Kapoor gives a fine performance as an integral part. Alyy Khan as Vice-President of the bank looks classy and does justice to his role. Nawab Khan too is good.

Direction:



Farhan Akhtar, yet again shows his brilliance as a director. Barring few loopholes which can be neglected (like- Vardhan (Boman) despite of being in the hitlist of police gets an easy entry into the bank is highly indigestible), Don 2 impresses at various stages. The theft sequence is shot amazingly with no room for technical goof-ups, especially the way SRK escapes the inside chamber with plates in his bag.

Music/ Cinematography/ Dialogues/Editing:

Music has a lesser role to play in Don 2 with just a title song in the film and a promotional one in the climax. Cinematography is mind-boggling and matches up to the standards of Hollywood. Ditto for editing, which complements the camera moves and further strengthens the narration. Dialogues, as mentioned earlier, are classy and impactful.

3 Ups and 3 Downs:

Shah Rukh Khan, direction, cinematography, dialogues and the editing are the strong points. Lack of songs, subtracting down the Bollywood masala element from the film, which was prevalent in Don, a sluggish screenplay in first half, are the weak points.



On the whole, Don 2 is a perfect combination of style with substance. Definitely a one-time watch for one and all and treat for SRK fans.

[scewDeasp]

How ironic but, everyone in India has been chewing on Ra.One and Shahrukh Khan ever since it hit the screens in October, and most people even wrote Shahrukh Khan off saying that he’s reaching the twilight of his stardom. But tell you what, “The king is back” – and this time he looks unstoppable. Don 2, Farhan Akhtar’s sequel to his own remake of Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Don’ has the “Baadshah of Bollywood” back in the shoes of the “Bad Guy” – remember it was his performances in negative roles during the early part of his career that got everybody to notice Shahrukh. 5 years after his outing as Don, SRK is back with a bang, once again!

If one remembers well, when Don came out five years ago, it didn’t open to such a good response although it eventually ended up being a hit. Enacting a legendary character that was made so popular by the Big B and trying to remake the very popular original were huge risks. Farhan Akhtar though, added his own mark and style with a super twist in the climax to the original and SRK did the rest. So, Farhan had to make sure that the sequel also carries forward the style and the twists. One has to agree that Farhan Akhtar has pulled it off!

The story of Don 2 starts with where the first part ends, with Don narrating his story of how he’s become the king of the Asian drug market. Now Don has his eyes set on the European market but, the European drug lords do not want Don’s domination over them and try to have him killed. Don escapes the attempt, and devises his own plan to get rid of the European bosses. Farhan Akhtar made sure that the story had all the twists and thrills of a thriller on the lines of MI, Bourne and Bond. The film is a perfect thriller, and the audience are sure to have a blast.

If Shahrukh Khan is the one responsible for pulling you to the theatres, believe me, you are not going to be disappointed. He is a pure joy to watch on the screen. He just gets into the skin of the character and carries of all the various looks in the film with extreme finesse. His one liners, the way he walks, talks and laughs as Don – simply brilliant. Shahrukh exudes such panache while playing the bad guy that he makes us feel it is in fact good to be bad. Not only Sharukh Khan’s fans are in for a treat but, movie going audience are just going to love what this charismatic Supertsar is going to offer.

Priyanka Chopra does not have a big role to play but she does her bit well. The same goes to Lara Dutta but she does her bit decently. Boman Irani is back as Vardhan, and as always he delivers a brilliant performance. Om Puri is retained as Malik, but the veteran does not have a lot of scope for performance. Kunal Kapoor is alright. Hrithik Roshan makes a guest appearance, and I would not want to reveal as to why he comes, because that would be a spoiler. His tango with Priyanka Chopra is good.

The film belongs to Farhan Akhtar as much as it does to Shahrukh Khan. Farhan, who is also the writer of the film has done yet another marvellous job. His dialogues are simple yet cheesy and are sure going to tickle your funny bone. The first half sets the pace for the film and the second half just kicks off from there. Music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is alright, although there is only one song in the film. This was to make sure that there were no hindrances in the screenplay. Action sequences have been very stylishly choreographed. The camera work is fabulous and the editing is crisp. As is the case with all Farhan Akhtar’s films, the production values are outstanding.

This Christmas weekend, movie loving junta are sure to have a blast, thanks to Don 2 . “The King is Back”! Go for it.

[hictchewisa]

Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Om Puri and Boman Irani
Director: Farhan Akhtar
In his interviews leading up to the release of Don 2, director Farhan Akhtar has repeatedly said that viewers seeking anything other than pure thrills and entertainment from this film are likely to be disappointed. Going in with strictly those expectations, I'm sorry to report I still came away feeling cheated.
For the film's plot - which basically involves our flamboyant criminal protagonist (Shah Rukh Khan) assembling a team to pull off a seemingly impossible heist in Berlin - the makers borrow ideas from some fine capers like Ocean's Eleven and the Mission Impossible movies. Still what they deliver in the end is a clunky and spectacularly boring film that is neither smart nor particularly fun.
Sequel to the 2006 film, which was itself a remake of the 1978 Amitabh Bachchan starrer, Don 2 suffers from lazy writing. This is the kind of film in which a most-wanted international criminal can roam around a prison unsupervised, so he can smuggle deadly chemicals into the premises, and poison the inmates' dinner.
There are ample car chases, explosions, and plot twists; there's a globetrotting adventure that kicks off in Thailand, moves to Malaysia, then unravels in Europe. But what's missing is the slightest hint of urgency or nail-biting tension. Take that freefall sequence from a Berlin skyscraper; it's shot stylishly and gracefully, but without any of the messy unpredictability it could've done with. Remember that edge-of-the-seat Burj sequence in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol?
For what's intended as a slick action thriller, Don 2 moves at an unforgivably slow pace. The heist-planning sequences are tedious and repetitive, and involve more talk than action. To be entirely honest, the action itself has a been-there-seen-that feel to it, and some set pieces aren't even competently plagiarized. A scene in which an A-list star makes an uncredited cameo defeats the very intention of the scene, given that the audience is in on the trick from the word go.
Looking leaner, meaner and less androgynous than he did in the earlier film, Shah Rukh Khan is expectedly the driving force of Don 2. With a ****y swagger and a mischievous smile, the actor delivers cheesy dialogue that belongs in a school play. The bedrock of a good heist film is the interaction between its team, but Shah Rukh towers above his comrades, giving them precious little to do. Boman Irani returns as Don's nemesis Vardhan, who has been enlisted to help him on the new job. Lara Dutta is his fetching moll, Kunal Kapoor a hacker handpicked for the assignment, and Aly Khan an influential banker blackmailed into volunteering his services.
Priyanka Chopra, on the other side of the moral divide, is Interpol officer Roma, who has some unfinished business with Don. Their scenes together offer some of the film's most unintentionally comical moments, and while Priyanka looks the part of the ass-kicking tough-chick, the script seldom lets her fly with it.
Don 2 is nicely shot, and there are moments where Shah Rukh Khan is riveting. But that's not enough to hold your interest for well over two hours...even the actor's most loyal fans will find themselves yawning. I'm going with a generous two out of five for director Farhan Akhtar's Don 2. Although packed with fast cars and bikes, this is one slow ride.


Rating: 2 / 5