Agent Vinod

I mean, seriously, HOW could SO many people downright LOATHE this film? Yes, it's a departure from director Sriram Raghavan's past work. Yes, Kareena's character Iram is (the only character) badly written. Yes, Vinod may rely too much on luck at times, but that's the thing, isn't it?

It's a MOVIE, a DREAM of the director, where ANYTHING can happen. And, to that respect, Agent Vinod is actually logical, and makes sense, something rare in Indian action flicks, since most are just rip-offs of South Indian actioners, with a single hero sending 20-30 baddies flying with one, hand movement, or whatever it is.

The action is frantically energetic, but still controlled and realistic. Agent Vinod has many great gunfights, and feels a lot like an action- espionage video game more than a film. Which isn't bad.

Nonetheless, Agent Vinod has great characters, and a nice plot, within all that action. Saif Ali Khan is sharp as RAW agent Vinod, and the supporting cast just add even more to the entire film by their performances as the numerous villains of Agent Vinod. Ram Kapoor and Adil Hussain, especially, are great.

There are only a few problems I had with Agent Vinod. The underwritten and unnecessary female part of Kareena, leading to lack of the Saif- Kareena chemistry (which seemed to be the only thing that the dumb people watching this film cared about), and the songs are mediocre, I guess. Otherwise, you've got a pretty bombastic, explosive, yet smart espionage thriller that SHOULD have been the flagship Indian secret agent bonanza at the box office, if only the consumers would have cared less for masala, and more for good cinema, that's wholly entertaining as well as smart.

AGENT VINOD is a film which has a 15 minutes introduction scene of Saif in the beginning. The film could have been easily brought to 20-25 minutes shorter as the story doesn't have much in it. It's a film that has been made on such a huge canvas that pulls the bar of expectations but what we get on screen is far behind of the hype that the film has generated. The director takes the film over the top because in each of his sequence, one can notice that the film is trying to be clever, but it's actually not! The writers are to be blamed for the half-baked role written for Kareena Kapoor. Her character more so becomes a caricature, thanks to filmy dialogues and poor direction. Also, the screenplay writers fail to maintain rhythm of the film because every scene is followed by some random action and chase scene. Pritam's music is just OK but it's not original. The cinematographer doesn't give any such views which will please the eyes. Sriram Raghavan fails to execute the film because his aesthetics and nuances, this film clearly lacks. It's a lazy attempt and hence it should have been handled well by the director. Saif Ali Khan is fantastic as he delivers most to perfection. He infuses life in the film. Kareena Kapoor is saddled by badly sketched role. It's just a fail..... an epic fail....

One of my friends said that Agent Vinod is the remake of old Agent Vinod (Available on YouTube). I was not convinced, but when I came out of the theater I started believing it. Really? Sriram Raghavan? After Ek Hasina Thi and Johny Gaddar, Agent Vinod? I still can't believe that Saif and Sriram come up with this utterly disorganized film.

Agent Vinod is something that Saif wanted to do with Kurbaan,(Thank god they haven't repeated any love making act, may be Saif wanted to concentrate more on acting skills.) The main problem of the film is screenplay. Screenplay throws out sequences without any explanation.You can't connect with this film. It feels like writers were stoned and when they were high they started writing Agent Vinod. This film shows you glimpse of 12 or more countries with irrelevant characters that supposed to be most wanted criminals.Every character is flat and shallow. I can't even say 'underwritten'. There are ton of questions that could really make you sick and dizzy. Couple of dialogues is witty but you heard it in first trailer itself. Sriram tried different things like to relate the sequence with Charlie Chaplin's films and to synchronies the fight sequence with silent song but it doesn't hold your attention because your mind continuously tries to figure out what the hell is going on.

Too many characters but no one gets enough time to act. Saif is confused, he tries to carry the film but the plot (?) is so weak that I would have watched Don 2 again. Why the hell did editor freeze some random frames? To make an impression on viewer's mind?

The good thing about agent Vinod is that it's not in 3D. This is not an action movie, it just a movie where someone kills someone, that's it. The most idiotic thing about the film is that a bullet is sufficient to kill Vinod but then, again we have to face lame action moves. Why was there Rajat Kapoor and Gulshan Grover? They come and go, they do nothing.But why did even writers come up with those characters.

Agent Vinod is not an intelligent, smart film and it doesn't come up with anything new. This spy has license to boredom.

Big and on large scale advertisement of movie increased expectations. So I went to go first day first show. But movie was not up to mark. Actually this movie is for a separate category of viewer not for all. Director Sriram tried to make it in compare to Hollywood movies. No doubt action is cool. But connect all the story was a big work in which director is failed. in one fight seen an old fight was mixed in that my friend asked me whether there is two Saif Ali khan in movie. like this in many time viewer were not able to connect the scenes. in small time many cities of world is used but that was not necessary. Kareena kapoor's role was confusing. She herself didn't know from which side she is working from British, Pakistani or India. But one thing movie is fast, don't give time to be bore actually you are so confused in correlating all events that you didn't get time to think about leaving the hall. Mujra song is hot. New girl Maryam Zakaria took all credit for this. My eyes didn't see Kareena in that song. But song of Malika Hyden is cut. which is bad. It was a good song with great dance. But as movie was long so in editing the song was reduced. bad for movie. But it was a nice try. as I told before action is cool. in the end got some interest when bomb came to Delhi. it was really a nice part and some surprise. In whole if you have spare time then you can watch. But no reason to go to see specaily.

If movie-making were to be likened to cookery, how do you best describe the recipe for 'Agent Vinod'? Take 2 cups of 1970's James Bond DVD ready-mix with 1 cup of Jason Bourne and mix them well and let it cook on a bollywood drama flame. Now add finely chopped Pakistan spice and heaps of terror-plot masala with item-songs to taste. Cook it till distributors are pleased. Garnish with glamor. Serves many!

Well, one might say that this is not the first time that Bollywood has drawn inspiration from the West. But the question is: What was the point in making this film? Seems like "Saifeena", err, Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor wanted another movie together! Well who knows! After all, it was the Nawab's own Illuminati Films producing it.

'Agent Vinod' packs in too much for a storyline. Predictably, it begins with an Af-Pak plot against India and a portable nuke. When his colleague (Ravi Kishan) dies after transmitting a message about a mysterious '242', Vinod (Saif) is sent in.

Over the next couple of hours, the audience gets sneak peek into international locations as Agent Vinod offers you the cheapest spectator tickets to Russia, Latvia, Morocco and Somalia, erstwhile untouched by Bollywood.

About the movie, never mind the numerous characters and plot twists. All that one can know after watching this movie is that Hindi seems to be the lingua franca of all slime balls around the world, including tiny countries in Europe. Interesting, huh!

While the main plot rolls on, there is Kareena Kapoor who plays doctor to Kazaan (Prem Chopra), one of the baddies. Soon, we learn that she is a Pakistani doctor called Iram who was wrongly implicated in an attack and presumed dead. Obviously, as in any film, Vinod & Iram get romantic and she soon joins him in his mission, which, for some strange reason requires her to perform a Mujra before high-profile baddies!

There is no need to bother about details as long as one knows that it had too many characters. After some time, one stops to care about them and what they are after. And all the while, you know what the climax is going to look like and how it would end.

Coming to the acting department, Saif may have evolved as an actor. But, barring a stunt or two, he offers nothing new. Kareena sleepwalks through her role. But, Adil Hussain stands out as the menacing Colonel. And then you have staple villains Gulshan Grover and Shahbaz Khan. And, Iranian-Swedish actress Maryam Zakaria peps up the oomph quotient. The rest is all about slick action.

Just like in James Bond, there is action, a crazed destructive plot, power mongers, one lone agent to save the world and some pretty faces. While the Bond inspiration is mostly limited to the earlier era or the golden age among 007 flicks, there is one element from the recent flicks, with a reference to a villainous conglomerate 'Zeus Group' not unlike Bond's 'Quantum'. And, no cool gadgetry from Q-department.

What spoils the show for 'Agent Vinod' is that the plot is way too confused. It is as if someone independently shot different segments in varied locations and sat down at the editing table to put them together. A tighter script could have surely helped.

True, 'Agent Vinod' has its flaws and the lead character is no James Bond. But still, it is not a movie you would regret watching. For one, benchmarking this with James Bond or Jason Bourne doesn't make sense these days. After all, Bond has lost the panache and Bourne feels the same, no matter which part of the series you are watching.

So, if you are a huge fan of Kareena or Saif or have nothing to do to kill time, 'Agent Vinod' is not bad for a pastime flick. Just don't expect too much from it!