Don 2: The King is Back - The Critics Reviews

Piyali Dasgupta of NDTV: "Post the RA.One disaster, a lot of hopes ride upon SRK to prove he is a bankable box office star and Don 2 works hard to re-establish the fact that SRK can scale walls, blow up cars, look and act menacing despite the irritating laugh (seriously, he doesn't lose that). But SRK fails to deliver the action, looking unbelievable.3D is a waste, so don't fret if you haven't booked for a 3D show. In fact, don't fret if you haven't booked a show at all.The King is yet to return. Meanwhile since Hrithik's cameo is the highpoint of the film, I'll go with 2.5 stars, for the film."

Rating:** 1/2

Nikhat Kazmi of the Times of India: "Don 2 is a classic action/crime thriller that doesn't let go, even for a moment. More importantly, the plot has been finely crafted, with every twist and turn falling into place like a complicated albeit neat little jigsaw.The high point of the film is Shah Rukh's delineation of the character of the Don. The film does lack a bit on the emotional quotient and human relationships are hardly given a chance to grow. A word about the dialogues: brilliant. A word about the music: mediocre (Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy)."

Rating: ****

Aseem Chhabra of Rediff: "For an action film with the central plot setting us up for a robbery inside a major bank, Don 2's pacing is very slow. For a suspense thriller, Don 2 has no edge-of-the-seat moments. A lot of Akhtar's new film is full of such cool elements with sequences set in sumptuous foreign locations. But then, as with many good intentioned, and technically well crafted Bollywood films, Don 2, fails in the key test. Akhtar is definitely one of the smartest filmmakers in Bollywood, but this time he presents us a story, plot and script that is dull, almost boring. When we are not seeing Khan's swagger, or hearing the hip upbeat background score by Shankar Ehsaan Loy, Don 2 starts to lose steam. Part of the problem is that despite its action segments, Don 2 is also a Bollywood film and so romance has to be a part of the plot. Khan's charming presence aside, Don 2 is packed with uninspired performances by a large supporting cast."

Rating: **1/2

Kohmal Nahta of Koimoi: "On the whole, Don 2 may not give the discerning audience a great high but it will be loved by those who like style, intrigue, suspense and attitude. It will score at the box-office and yield good profits to Reliance Entertainment (worldwide distributors). The producers, of course, have already made a huge profit by selling the worldwide rights and also by getting heavy subsidy from the German government. Business in big cities and multiplexes will be far better than in smaller towns and single-screen cinemas. The film will work wonders in the Overseas circuit."

Rating: ****1/2

oneindia: "Overall, Don 2 is a perfect entertainment package for this Christmas. After Ra.One, this movie holds a mirror to changing trends in Indian cinema. Don't miss to watch SRK's dazzling stunts."

Rating: ***1/2

Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama: "On the whole, DON 2 rides on star power and brand value. The film has a bland first hour, but the second half takes the film to another level. There's no denying that a cohesive script would've made a world of a difference to the film, but the tremendous hype, star power and the lucrative period [Christmas and New Year celebrations] will make its investors reap a harvest."

Rating: ***1/2

dailybhaskar: "Shah Rukh Khan, direction, cinematography, dialogues and the editing are the strong points. Lack of songs, subtracting down the Bollywood masala element from the film, which was prevalent in Don, a sluggish screenplay in first half, are the weak points."

"On the whole, Don 2 is a perfect combination of style with substance. Definitely a one-time watch for one and all and treat for SRK fans."

rating: ***

Aniruddha Guha of DNA: "Shah Rukh Khan makes Don 2 work - In Don 2, Akhtar manages to blend elements from various H’wood films, mostly Ocean’s Eleven and Die Hard, with a bit of Mission Impossible thrown in. No points for originality. No points for writing either. If Akhtar’s film lulls you to sleep initially, in spite of some slick editing, it’s because the writing (Akhtar, Ameet Mehta, Amrish Shah) falters. The situations are alarmingly unimaginative. What keeps Don 2 alive, then, is its pulsating action. It helps the pace quicken as the film progresses, including a thrilling chase sequence and a wonderfully choreographed-and-shot pre-climax sequence. The film, however, is nothing more than an attempt to cash in; to set opening weekend records. Thankfully, Shah Rukh Khan is in form. Sadly, with a director who showed much promise with his first film, Don 2 should have been more than just another big-ticket Friday film that rests solely on the shoulders of its lead actor. The filmmaker’s voice, then, has been muted."

"Watch Don 2 for some kick-ass action. And Shah Rukh Khan."

Rating: ***

Zee News: "The film’s plot isn’t original. It borrows from some of the most classic Hollywood thrillers like Ocean’s Eleven, Mission Impossible and Die Hard. Written by Farhan Akhtar, Ameet Mehta, Amrish Shah, the plot lacks freshness and is weak. But where the story falters, mind blowing action sequences make up for the loss."

"The film has some amazing stunts and chase sequences."

"The film belongs to Shah Rukh. So much so that a stellar cast comprising of Priyanka Chopra, Kunal Kapoor, Boman Irani and Om Puri fade in the background. Shah Rukh gives Don a completely different avatar. He has his smirk in place, he is cocky and he is evil. It is definitely refreshing to watch SRK play a negative character after ages with such ease. Remember Baazigar? Yes, SRK in Don plays the negative character with the same conviction and makes it look like no big deal. He almost glorifies negativity."

"Watch the film for some awesome action sequences. And watch it for the King. He is truly back."

Rating: ***

samaylive: "You must book your show for the movie on the Christmas eve. For its brilliant script and action sequences, the movie deserves Four Star rating."

Rating: ****

BollySpice:"All in all Don 2 is a smashing finale to an already interesting line up of films released this year. It’s a slickly edited, edge of the seat, cool, sassy and well made product with a gripping plot to boot. Here’s hoping they decide to make a third installment as there’s definitely potential to explore more of Don’s wicked antics, watch him outwit the good guys again and recite his by now (in)famous line ‘Don ko pakadna mushkil hi nahi…’"

Rating: ****

Divanee: "Verdict? With the holiday weekend, there is no real reason for “Don 2″ to not pull in massive crowds and beautifully cap off 2011. Take your family to this one. Heck, go by yourself, if you have to. Because ultimately, it’s a must-watch and a sign of how far Hindi cinema has come today."

Parda Phash:"The movie is not at all like other Indian sequels such as Dhoom 2 or Raaz 2 but is a pure next level with story stretching to a new high. The movie has been shot in 2D and 3D is also well justified. The movie pooled in 37 crore rupees even before it hit the silver screens. Farhan Akhtar has marked expertise proving his clutch over direction and bestows us with yet another cool and slick attempt with Jason West blessing us with his cinematography. The movie is impressive and better than its predecessor in every aspect."

Rating: ****

David Dewitt of The New York Times: " “Don 2” is more comic book than that, except most comics have nods to emotional depth. Don is a superenigma, an anti-hero way too extraordinarily capable to take seriously, which is fine when he’s doing something interesting (the big heist has twists, stunts and suspense aplenty) and simply auto-action when he’s not (all those car chases and, heck, the first third of the film)."

"The director, Farhan Akhtar, seems out to create a spectacular, international entertainment with “Don 2,” in a mix of Hindi and English and a dollop of German. And thanks to the unpretentious humor, he is mostly successful, though audiences will have to forgive the bland performances. Not the actors’ fault, really; when a cocky chuckle (Mr. Khan) or determined lips (Ms. Chopra) are your only character bits, you don’t have much character to explore. Only Kunal Kapoor, as a more sympathetic colleague of Don’s, has human moments. They’re almost out of place; subtlety is one language this playful film doesn’t speak."

Rajeev Masand: "Don 2 is nicely shot, and there are moments where Shah Rukh Khan is riveting. But that’s not enough to hold your interest for well over two hours…even the actor’s most loyal fans will find themselves yawning. I’m going with a generous two out of five for director Farhan Akhtar’s Don 2. Although packed with fast cars and bikes, this is one slow ride."

Rating: **

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