Race -- My Review

Finally saw Race. Though I knew most of the story and the climax by reading the reviews, many of the twists still caught me by surprise. I think that's the film's USP. The film doesn't impress in other departments.

Bipasha looked hot and acted well. Katrina and Sameera were disasters.

Saif looked good in the stills but was wooden in the movie. He deosn't have a single good scene. Anil couldn't pull of his comic role.

Rediff is right. Akshaye has the lead role in the movie.

Surprisingly, I thought Akshaye looked good in the first half when he was a bit chubby. That suited the role of the alcoholic he was playing. When he lost weight in the second half, his hairpiece didn't suit him anymore and that spoilt his look.

The problem with Akshaye's role is everything about the character is revealed within the first half hour. From then on, all the surprises belong to other characters and Rajeev moves from one situation to another never taking control.

Akshaye was really good in the first bit. Once we knew his plans and he got into this territory when he was simultaneously shouting at Saif and playacting for us the audience, Akshaye missed the cue really badly. The "suicide" scene is the worst scene of his career. Fortunately, he recovers in the second half but from then on his role is just passive and petulant. It doesn't help that Rajeev makes some really stupid blunders.

On the whole, I think Akshaye was plain bad in the latter part of the first half. He overacted there and couldn't pull of the dissimulation bit but he as quite fine in rest of the movie.

His dancing just got goofier and his wardrobe worse, if that's possible.

It's clear he'd worked out hard for the shirtless scene. He was awesome. He should stop being lazy and work out all the year round, not just for one occasional scene.

He had some nice chemistry with both Bips n Kat; he had some great sleazy hot scenes with his ladies, first time ever. He's gettin there. A great kiss scene in you next one, Akshoo? Wish there'd been a hot song for him and Kat though.

Though it an awful piece of dialog, it was so delightfully corny to hear him scream "Come to Daddy" to Kat. I think that's the part I enjoyed most in the movie!

All in all, I think he was much better in other Abbas-Mustan movies, performance wise. But Race is a hit; it's the first time he's worked out n stopped being shy on screen, he's got the lead role sure to be relished by the audience n the critics, so that's not quite bad in the end.