Tuesday 20 December 2011

Murder 2 (2011)

At a glance:
Sequel only in name, Bhatt family product Murder 2 has little to do with the Emraan Hashmi and Mallika Sherawat starrer sevens years ago in 2004. While that one was said to be lifted off Hollywood’s Unfaithful (2002), this one is said to be loosely-based on South Korea’s The Chaser (2008) and there is truth in this, comin from a reviewer who has now coincidentally seen both movies. Dabblin with some Christian elements just like the Seoul thriller, Murder 2 is an unabashed showcase of Emraan Hashmi’s (pic) broodin good looks and the bodily delight of the Ceylonese beauty queen that is Jacqueline Fernandez (pic), packaged within a story that will remind you of gory thrillers like Seven (1995) and Hannibal (2001). She is more of a looker than Bipasha Basu (whom she replaced as the lead) but she’ll have to improve her dancin as she accepts more roles. Both leads do quietly well and carry the movie along its charged, superficial eroticism.
Bad news on the doorstep:
While admittedly dark and entirely humourless, Murder 2 is lackin in any real depth and reflection – but as a Bollywood entertainer in the thriller genre, it does what it says on the tin, thanks to the deranged villain character played by Prashant Narayanan. This performance, though and not particularly original, is mildly compellin, and provides some semblance of substance to the otherwise MTV proceedings in Goa.
Perennial wonderment:
Are Bollywood sex sirens shaven?
Reminds me of:
The grindhouse feel of watchin the midnight show alone at TGV Capsquare, Kuala Lumpur.
Amacam joker, berapa bintang lu mau kasi?
Two and a half for the effort. The soundtrack is solid fare that has more endurance than the movie proper and will win fans. Watch out for Yana Gupta in a special appearance in the openin track, Aa Zara, somethin so sexy that apparently they couldn't use it for TV promo.