FASTER than Usain Bolt, more charming than Rudolph Valentino and able to leap from building rooftops gracefully.
Salman Khan does these and more, including stripping off to show off his torso and wiggling his hips to dance music.
However, his two most impressive feats are stopping a runaway electric tram with only his jacket, and becoming Evil Knievel to jump into an aircraft that's just taken off.
Salman plays Indian spy Tiger, who's never taken a day off in 12 years and hasn't had time for romance.
His next assignment takes him to Ireland to keep an eye on a professor (Roshan Seth, who appeared in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom), who may be leaking missile secrets to Pakistan.
His first introduction to the professor's assistant, Zoya (Katrina Kaif), is by way of her lithe body and wiggly buttocks. Which tough guy could resist that?
To cut a long story short, Tiger falls for Zoya, who is revealed to be a Pakistani spy. The movie purports to show him killing her, but I knew that this flick wouldn't dare to portray our dear hero as a heartless killer.
The two run off together but not before triggering an international manhunt from the two countries. They attempt to lie low in Havana but those Cuban robbers just can't stay away from a handsome Indian couple.
When Tiger's boss asks him why he ran off, he says that he's now choosing his heart over his mind. Dear viewers, this is an eye-opener.
The movie wants us to believe that love will conquer all and even makes a case that Romeo and Juliet will bring two spy agencies that hate each other to the table to tackle a common enemy.
This was my first Salman movie, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by his clownish antics, cute dialogue, non-stop roller-coaster action and his chemistry with Katrina. The final part must be because the two used to date each other.
Katrina shows that she's no shrinking violet as her character beats the hell out of some baddies.
I also liked the travelogue feel of the movie, which takes viewers to New Delhi, Ireland, Istanbul and Havana.
The dance scenes in Ireland and Cuba are colorful and full of verve, and they reflect the cultures of the countries. For example, there's a salsa beat to the music in Cuba. For this, credit goes to director Kabir Khan.
However, the movie's interminable length, implausible action and cheesy love theme will get you down.
Love transcends boundaries, but it can only get you so far with viewers.
** Movie Magic With Jeff Lee (blogspot and Facebook)
