Film critic-turned-filmmaker Karan Anshuman shows flashes of wit and potential in his occasionally clever nods to classic films. But saddled with a script that’s neither funny nor biting enough, he delivers a film that barely takes off.

Director Antoine Fuqua shoots the boxing scenes in long takes and gives us full body shots that look painfully real. What a shame that it’s all in service of a plot that’s utterly predictable from start to finish. Melodramatic and manipulative, this is no Raging Bull.

It’s an improvement on most of Sandler’s recent comedies. But that’s faint praise.

This fifth chapter in the saga is all sound and fury, with none of the character depth or emotional impact of Cameron’s terrific first two films.

Guddu Rangeela has flashes of the originality we saw in Kapoor’s earlier films Jolly LLB and particularly Phas Gaye Re Obama. But it’s weighed down by a lousy script that squanders all potential.

If only director Remo D’Souza had curbed his enthusiasm and trimmed this film by a good half hour, it wouldn’t feel like such a slog. Despite all the high-energy up on screen, you feel drained after 155 minutes of non-stop song and dance. Sure anybody can dance, but it takes more work to keep an audience consistently engaged.

The film drags on incessantly, a bunch of unimpressive songs stretching out the running time. When the lights come back on in the end, you’ll want to run for the exit. It’s a big fat bore.

…rests on the broad shoulders of Dwayne Johnson, who works hard to try to keep the film afloat despite the awful script. It’s him, and the more-than-decent VFX that save the film from becoming a complete disaster.

Much of the film dazzles, but I found myself longing for some soul.

From the clumsy plotting and a manipulative back-story featuring a visibly disinterested Kareena Kapoor, to the been-there-seen-that action scenes and the uninspired score, there’s little to recommend in this movie. At best, Akshay Kumar lays on the charm in a few well-timed sequences. But it’s too small a reward in exchange for sitting through this boring film.
Not surprisingly, your migraine’s back too!