Action-thriller film "Race 2" is the first big release of the year 2013. The sequel to the 2008 film "Race" features ensemble cast including Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez and Ameesha Patel.
Like the prequel, "Race 2" also opened to mixed reviews from critics.
Here is what critics have to say:
Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama said: "Let me state at the very outset that RACE 2 doesn't entirely meet the monstrous expectations. Abbas-Mustan, coupled with screenwriter Shiraz Ahmed, have put together a motion picture that's stylish and engaging, with an international look and feel. The first hour is dedicated to the vengeance aspect, while the latter half focuses on the heist, which takes the graph of the film down. More on that later!
"RACE 2 starts off from where RACE concluded. Ranveer [Saif Ali Khan] decides to avenge the death of his fiancée Sonia [Bipasha Basu] and for that he travels to Turkey, where he encounters some new people in this journey [John Abraham, Deepika Padukone, Jacqueline Fernandez, Ameesha Patel], besides some people he had encountered earlier [Anil Kapoor].
"On the whole, RACE 2 has a rocking first half, glam and glitz, great looking men and women, spectacular locales, extravagant making, adrenaline pumping action and of course, a solid brand that's gonna make moviegoers flock the cineplexes initially, but the film lacks the sustaining power thanks to its uneven second half. The writing isn't watertight, the film lacks a hit score, the climax is far from effective and overall, RACE 2 pales in comparison to RACE."
Roshni Devi of Koimoi.com said: "After fighting it out on the streets, Armaan Mallik (John Abraham) has now become a casino king, with his step sister Elena (Deepika Padukone), who handles his affairs as well. Dangling on his arm is the sexy pickpocket Omisha (Jacqueline Fernandez). When one of his partners (Rajesh Khattar) gets conned by Ranvir Singh (Saif Ali Khan), Armaan doesn't waste time in allying up to him. And neither does his sister. Though Armaan tries to con Ranvir in his game, the latter agrees to partner with him in one big heist.
"The screenplay, by Shiraz Ahmad, is all fluff. It's a revenge story with a twist in almost every ten minutes. Everyone knows what the other person is planning. There's a lot of backstabbing, cheating and lies going around. It may be enough to get you interested, but it gets tiring after a while. Logic, of course, has no place in this filmmaker's world.
"Watch Race 2 only if you want to sit through two-and-a-half hours of no-brainer twists, compensated only by the booty show on screen."
Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV said: "A significant chunk of Mumbai filmdom's creative output has changed for the better since the year 2008, the first quarter of which saw the release of Race, a Hollywood rip-off that had Bollywood critics run for cover.
"Race 2 is a glitzy, action-packed entertainer. Scratch the surface - in fact, that is all there is to the film - and what you are left with is superficial style bereft of logic and substance. Race 2 proves how difficult it can be for a producer to let go of an idea that yielded a box-office bonanza the first time around. The makers of this film obviously haven't heard of, or do not believe in, the law of diminishing returns.
"Is Race 2 on your mind? Get rid of it pronto. This is a wreck of a movie strictly for action junkies who might be looking for a feverish two-and-a-half-hour ride that is far more giddy than heady."
Nabanita of One India said: "Bollywood's 'Men In White' directorial duo Abbas-Mustan, who have mastered the art of churning out classic thrillers are back with a bang. And, their latest action-packed thriller Race 2, bears all those familiar trademarks of a heady cocktail of betrayal, high-octane action, feisty women combined with twists that will take audiences on adventure-filled roller coaster ride.
"Saif Ali Khan has reprised his role of Ranveer Singh in Race 2. Saif is marvellous all through and his suave, sophisticated, bearded look suits him very much. He makes the best of impression amongst all. Deepika Padukone looks very hot, but lacks expressions and fails to emote. Jacqueline Fernandez too is not impressive as far as acting goes. Amisha Patel is average. In fact, the girls are nothing more than mere glam dolls in the film. John Abraham has made his entry, but seems average. Anil Kapoor is impressive and his comic timings are very good.
"On the whole, the makers of Race 2 have made sure to keep the audience entertained so far. We hope to see more action, deep secrets and mind-boggling twists further."
