New York-Review

Starring: John Abraham, Katrina Kaif, Neil Nitin Mukesh, Irrfan Khan. Direction: Kabir Khan Music: Pritam Chakraborty, Pankaj Awasthi, Julius Packiam. Production: Yash Raj Films Yash Raj’s biggie has finally graced the screens. From the time the trailers hit the expectations soared high and the song ‘Yeh Junoon’s’ constant presence in all the music channels only helped upping the hype quotient. Kabir Khan did a half-baked Kabul express but he showed lot of promise, and John paired up with Katrina Kaif for the first time and add in the latest heart throb Neil Nitin Mukesh and ‘New York’ has become a sure shot big opener. Will Bollywood’s dry run finally stop with ‘New York’? The movie is a good attempt in making a post holocaust thriller about Terrorism, love and friendship. But somewhere Kabir just misses it and we feel lost than being intrigued. The movie starts with Omar (Neil) being arrested by the FBI and put under detention due to illegal carriage of explosives. Omar cries out his innocence to Roshan

(Irrfan) who is an FBI agent. Roshan informs him that his old friend Sam (John Abraham) is a terrorist and he would need him to infiltrate his team by going back into his life and get the details for them and promises his freedom in return. Omar rubbishes the statement of him or Sam being a terrorist, but Roshan seems so sure. Will Omar decide to become the ears and eyes of the FBI and try to infiltrate his own friends? Check ‘New York’ to find the answers, in a theatre near you.

The story moves at tremendous pace in the first half and is very entertaining but just like Kabir’s first movie, the second half is a little bit of a put off. The screenplay by Sandeep Srivastava is to be blamed and if he had made a few tweaks here and there, New York would have gained the potential to be a supreme product. But that doesn’t mean that the movie is not good but it surely had the potential to be great. But the story idea by Aditya Chopra is really good and so are the dialogues penned by Sandeep again, most of the one liners from everyone especially Irrfan is really good. The detention scenes look half baked and something which should have made you feel for the people involved in such torture, you end up getting bored by the repeated shots. The climax again is stupid and doesn’t do justice to the beautiful idea.

Technically the movie is great as like any other Yash Raj productions. But inspite of that, Cinematography by Aseem Mishra was far from perfect. Some amazing water shots when Neil is swimming, when John’s office employee falls from the top of the building, or the amazing opening shots saves his reputation to an extent but not completely. Editing Rameshwar S Bhagat is terrific in the first half and is good in the second. Background music by Julias Packiam is of international quality and all the songs from Pritam sounded refreshing with the visuals.

What makes this movie tick is the amazing acting by almost the entire crew; the movie belongs to Neil Nitin Mukesh, as the talented actor carries the movie on his shoulder and impresses everyone. Katrina Kaif is brilliant as Maya, and looked gorgeous too. Finally her acting prowess is being utilized properly. John Abraham was given the most difficult role to play and he impresses most of the times, sometimes his wooden expression doesn’t help in emoting anything. Irrfan khan as the FBI agent is a complete pro; he acts when needed and lets his eyes do the rest, amazing.

Overall the movie has a superb cast who has given their best and has a story which is brilliant too. The movie lacks in the execution part but that too only in the second half, if not this movie could have easily been the best movie this year, now it’s just another Yash Raj production which impresses.


Courtesy:www.behindwoods.com