Agent Vindo review: Khan’s Vinod fails to impress

STAR CAST: SAID ALI KHAN, KAREENA KAPOOR  PREM CHOPRA RAM KAPOOR ADIL HUSSAIN SHAHBAAZ KHAN

DIRECTOR SRIRAM RAGHAVAN

REELS 19

RATING **

Do stylised editing, supersonic paced screenplay, umpteen twists – not to mention some breath taking stunts- make a great film? Sadly, while all of the above may translate into an out-of-breath experience for the viewer, it doesn’t- at least not inchhote nawab’s first production the talented director Sriram Raghavan’s latest offering Agent Vinod. And hence Khan’s Vinod fails to impress.

Supposed to be a spy thriller, this Saif Ali Khan Kareena Kapoor starrer has aseries of seemingly unconnected events across the world that lead to –you guessed it right- terrorism.

But don’t be too optimistic, the secret agent in this globe- trotting thriller undertakes a mission to discover why his colleague was murdered, and in trying to unearth numerous answers, gallivants around several not just cities, but countries. Hence Agent Vinod traverses Morocco, Latvia, Karachi, New Delhi and Mumbai with the alacrity of a Swift while unraveling many sub plots.

Real life couple – both Kareena and Saif -, try to infuse as much energy into their rather convoluted characters as the script requires. But the viewers are panting and gasping for a semblance of a plausible, coherent storyline that leaves them somewhat less confused.

Of course one would give a thumbs up to Raghavan- who made the immensely watchable brilliant film Johnny Gaddar (Neil Nitin Mukesh’s debut pitted against the formidable Dhram paaji) as also the edge of the seat thriller Ek Haseena Thi, but this one probably had too much at stake for the Khan, who it seems tries desperately to prove a point to the other Khans (Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir) that he too can deliver. Alas…he leaves a lot to be desired. While his heavily American drawl for once, may work to his advantage, his wooden face delivers little. C’mon Saif, even thrillers have plots where actors need to emote!