Bang Bang is one of the highest grossing films of Bollywood. It features Bollywood stars Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. A remake of the American hit Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, this action film is directed by a filmmaker who specializes in romances: Siddharth Anand, to whom we owe Salaam Namaste and Bachna Ae Haseeno.
The film was first offered to Shahid Kapoor, who turned it down to avoid any comparison with Tom Cruise, his idol. Ironically, Bang Bang was released on the same day as Shahid's big film: Haider. Bang Bang was a box office hit while Haider received critical acclaim.
I watched Bang Bang without great expectations, with at least the hope of having a nice time watching a fast-paced action film. It was definitely already too much!
Jai (Hrithik Roshan) has stolen the 'Koh-i Nor', a diamond mounted on the crown of the British royal family. Because yes, he is a badass! With this coveted jewel, he taunts the bad guys and smashes their faces in no time! While trying to escape from some crooks, he pretends to be the date of the beautiful Harleen (Katrina Kaif), who is unaware of the appearance of her suitor, found on a dating site.
Since in his race, he has time to court her and concoct a little dance for her, Harleen falls under his spell. No kidding! At the same time, he is built like an athlete, has beautiful clear eyes and knows how to talk banalities. So it was a foregone conclusion!
This review will be short, direct and incisive, while Bang Bang is absolutely not!
I really liked Dhoom 2. Indeed, it is flashy cinema with a purely lucrative objective. Indeed, it is hollow in terms of storyline and in terms of originality, we'll pass! But it was a nice entertainment that didn't take itself seriously. The work lacked neither humor nor good nature. I loved the songs, Jai's grumpy character, Ali's craziness and the alchemy between Aryan and Sunehri.
Above all, the entire cast gave their all and played their characters with involvement, even if I found Aishwarya a little less convincing than usual. For me, Dhoom 2 was a rather successful action film. It used all the codes of the genre (slow motion, oiled torsos, improbable action scenes, gadgets) with intention but also with irony.
And that's where the problem lies in Bang Bang. Not once did I laugh, smile or feel amused by a situation. Siddharth Anand's film pretentiously takes itself for what it is not: a sharp and well-crafted action film. Because it is far from Don, a Hindi thriller wonderfully directed and written by Farhan Akhtar. It is also not close to Dhoom 2, the humor and dynamism being sorely lacking.
Bang Bang is an aberrantly mediocre cinematic experience, made all the more infuriating by its enormous budget.
To have a good time at the movies, I don't necessarily need a very sophisticated script or actors with transcendent acting. But I like to be stimulated visually, musically and emotionally. The simplest story can pierce my heart thanks to the investment of its cast, the quality of its music and the beauty of its images.
I liked Dhoom 2 for all that, I got caught up in it without asking myself any questions because even if the film was an amalgam of all the Hollywood action films of the last two decades, the production of the work was impeccable. Dhoom 2 was a neat film, never messy in its writing or in its approach. Above all, Dhoom 2 was honest in what it sold us. It never sought to deceive the viewer, but only wanted to entertain them.
With Bang Bang, it's impossible to find your way around. Is it a thriller? A mass action film? A rhythmic romance? While the work proudly attempts to be all of these things at once, it is not. Siddharth Anand's film never manages to be surprising, funny, and even less romantic! We have the feeling that the filmmaker wanted to create a potpourri of what works at the box office. Financially, he succeeded in his bet because Bang Bang was a hit when it was released. But at what price? To discredit himself?
However, I really like Siddharth Anand. He is definitely one of my favorite filmmakers.
We owe him the excellent Salaam Namaste as well as the likeable Tara Rum Pum, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Anjaana Anjaani. If all his films are not memorable, they have the merit of being sincere and lively, never long-winded or stodgy.
When he embarked on the Bang Bang project, I told myself that he would be able to bring this lightness and this fantasy that are generally lacking in American action films. But Bang Bang is ultimately an excessive, flashy and stuffy film. It is probably one of those films that will age so badly that their flashy style and pretentious aesthetic will be mocked in a few years.
The real disappointment of the film is called Hrithik Roshan.
Winner of 6 Filmfare Awards and nominated 9 other times, I expected more commitment and verve from this talented actor. He will also be considered in the Best Actor category for Bang Bang. And quite frankly, I did not understand how Duggu had his place among the lucky nominees, nestled between Shahid Kapoor (selected for Haider) and Aamir Khan (nominated for PK).
Because Duggu's performance is not memorable! He seems to give the minimum of his potential in this film, for which he nevertheless received a record fee of 30 crore rupees. I was left speechless by his flat and disinterested performance. He apes himself and seems to reheat in the microwave his facial expressions dating from the filming of Dhoom 2.
Except that since 2006, the wind has changed and cinema is now tending towards more subtlety and originality. In Bang Bang, I didn't recognize the brilliant Hrithik from Koi Mil Gaya, Guzaarish and Agneepath.
And at the risk of surprising you, the only acceptable reason to watch the film is Katrina Kaif. The British actress has often been the subject of mockery and derogatory remarks from the industry. Her shortcomings in Hindi, her proximity to Salman Khan and her initial acting difficulties have made her one of the most maligned actresses in Bollywood.
However, Katrina has merit and has managed to establish herself among the most 'bankable' actresses in all of India, with commercial successes such as Ek Tha Tiger and Dhoom 3. She is also the sun of Bang Bang!
Lively and funny, Katrina shines in this film, which does not, however, show her off to her best advantage.
And this is how we recognize a great actor. He will always manage to exist, whether in a leading or secondary role, in an arthouse film or in a commercial production, in an intelligible work or in a plodding dud. If Bang Bang is far from being her most successful project, it allows us to highlight the young woman's progress, by proving that she is capable of ousting an actor of the caliber of Hrithik Roshan, so that we ultimately only remember her.
The music here is by the Vishal-Shekhar duo. The song "Tu Meri" is very energetic but does not particularly remain in the memory. The ballad "Meherbaan", sung by Ash King, Shilpa Rao and Shekhar Ravjiani is listenable without displeasure but terribly lacks relief.
The real surprise comes from "Uff", which benefits from the old-fashioned tone of Harshdeep Kaur, in a duet with the excellent Benny Dayal. The title track is also very enjoyable, and especially showcases the dancing talents of Hrithik Roshan, who takes advantage of this sound to pay homage to the king of pop: Michael Jackson.
In conclusion
I didn't manage to get into Bang Bang! After watching it, I mostly felt like I had wasted my time, the only positive aspects I could remember were Katrina Kaif's performance and the film's soundtrack. Siddharth Anand has accustomed us to much better and with much less budget. Proof that money doesn't buy happiness (for moviegoers).
