Hindi cinema has often been criticized for its too casual approach and overdependence on stars, particularly in the last two decades of the new millennium. And RACE 3 can easily be added to the list coming as a huge disappointment as another festival release.
In fact, it’s a lot more than just plain disappointment as it openly challenges the intelligence level of its viewers, daringly asking them to make it a hit too, answering the brutal criticism all over or the harsh critics.
So where the result will be out soon, let me give you a fair idea of how RACE 3 seriously tortures the audience expecting a thoroughly entertaining film from the renowned team.
(Mild Spoilers Ahead)
It begins with loud music and a long unimpressive sequence between Anil Kapoor (a corrupt international arms dealer) and his young trade opponent. The background score fails to create any initial excitement neither in the opening scene nor in the titles (or later in the film) and the first 30 minutes are all lost in mere introductions of its various characters (with a strange voice over). The next half an hour just has the get-together kind of sequences with the family background and some individual flashbacks thrown in along 2-3 unbearable Hinglish songs. And then after a few revealing twists we have the intermission, giving almost nothing to the ticket buyers in its boring, awful first half ruining the bright possibilities.
Post intermission, the makers tries to create some excitement with a sub-plot of blackmailing the politicians and a heist in an international bank to be performed by the family-team. Shockingly the supposedly big heist gets over within five minutes during another club-song like a kids act and then we have an utterly foolish action-chase sequence forcing us to look around in amazement. The foolishness frankly reaches another level altogether when we soon have another weird party song with every character singing and dancing together making way for a tiringly long and silly explosive climax, shamelessly declaring a part four coming next from the blessed creative makers.
But that is not all, as here we also have Salman flying in the air with his special suit, easily finding his way (through the sky) reaching the destination. Plus in the second half, surprisingly the language too changes to Bhojpuri in many key sequences (as a horrible addition made by the writer/director). Further, a funny cat-fight sequence is there between the two leading ladies and as usual the shirts are taken off by both Salman and Bobby in the end, performing a sacred filmy ritual of every Salman Khan film. Besides it’s the terribly written dialogues that honestly reveal a lot about the thought-process behind such projects made so irresponsibly.
For instance, sample the brilliantly penned lines such as,
“Na Tumhen Haq Hai Na Adhikaar”,
“Issey Dil Nahin DELL Kholkar Dikhao (reffering to DELL Computers),
“Us Dhyanchand Ne Ispe Dhyaan Hi Nahin Diya”,
“I am feeling like Shit”,
“I am sick of this Sikku” and many more.
Trying every trick of the trade reminding you of Rohit Shetty's car-blasts to Fast and Furious series served as a musical (with all unrequired and poor songs coming one after another), RACE 3 neither has any likeable form nor energetic spirit to be straight. However it is completely different case if you are just interested in glossy visuals, eye-catching cinematography, mindless action and the star Salman Khan ignoring everything else.
A largely dull film in terms of performances, even Salman looks like having a single emotion or expression throughout the painfully long duration (also having an ‘ugly goatee’ in a scene, not suiting him at all). Plus what can be said about the pale cast ensemble placed around him including Bobby Deol (making a comeback), doing nothing exceptional at all contrary to the early trade reports. A forgettable Freddy Daruwala and Daisy Shah keep trying to look confident (just for nothing) and Saqib Saleem sounds awkward in his every single scene (with the over-use of word ‘bro’ in his almost every dialogue). Jacqueline as usual looks stunning in her cool attires and dances but that is all what she has to offer in her confusingly written role given a silly filmy twist in the end. Above all its just Anil Kapoor who does complete justice to his assigned role, but I personally enjoyed the cameo of Rajesh Sharma the most in the entire 160 minutes brining in some genuine freshness.
The basic issue with RACE 3 is that it’s a thriller directed by a choreographer-turned-director who still remains interested in dances, songs and party tracks more than the storyline or script. As a director Remo Dsouza simply ruins the reputation or charm associated with the RACE franchise and presents it as mish-mash of everything he could think of in terms of fake entertainment. Probably he thought putting unconvincing twists and turns at regular intervals is only what needs to be done in the third part of RACE and nothing else. Perhaps he never studied how Abbas-Mastaan actually paced their (inspired indianised) films keeping them at least interesting and entertaining, if not outstanding at times.
In short, having an inferior story progression, mediocre tracks, unexciting background score and hilarious dialogues supported by all uninspiring performances, RACE 3 is a sheer waste of a potential opportunity that is even tough to watch till the end (as witnessed in the theater where a few dared to left before the climax).
If truth be told, it’s because of these kinds of biggies only, that Hindi films are repeatedly made fun of, by both the new and old generation knowing their cinema well. Anyway the film has already been bought by Amazon Prime Video at a high price and would soon be there in the next 6-8 weeks, depending upon how it fares at the box office. So instead of watching it in the theater, you can easily watch it then (in case you cannot miss it for your own reasons).
Rating : 1 / 5
(Note : Since last two years Salman Khan has been thankfully verbal about the unfair ticket prices, mentioning the idea of low cost movie theaters before his every release. However the multiplexes do keep increasing the prices for almost every major film as per their set, exploitive routine including Salman's films ....... carelessly mocking at the star and his issue brought forward.
So as usual, this time too, the ticket prices were raised from a moderate 10% to more by the multiplexes. And if we deduct one star from the rating raising the voice against the same, then nothing gets left there, giving a clear indication about the film and its strictly avoidable content.)
