eBolly's Movie Reviews - -
The Killer
- by Viral Bhayani
The biggest drawback of the film is the pace which does not live up to expectation. But it is only because of Irfan Khan who single handily takes this film forward. If The Killer sounds like Collateral, it’s because it is inspired by the vigorous Hollywood thriller. From the Bhatt camp, the obvious casting would be Emraan Hashmi as the chatterbox cabbie and Irrfan Khan as the heavy-lidded killer with a laconic manner and sharp sense of humour.
Synopsis:
Some moments when lived through, will change you forever. Nikhil Joshi (Emraan Hashmi) is a young Indian who has gone to Dubai, and dreams of making it big out there. At present however, he is a taxi driver, and is madly in love with a bar girl Ria (Nisha Kothari). So smitten is he, that he is willing to do anything for his love - even DIE.
However, life has other plans for him when one night, a suave businessman Vikram (Irrfan Khan), hails his cab. Joshi discovers that this pleasant passenger has an agenda of his own and a rather sinister one at that. Vikram holds Joshi hostage in a bizarre plot to bump off various people who would testify against the dreaded don Jabbar, who is at risk of being deported to India to face charges against him.
As Nikhil helplessly becomes witness to one killing after another, he finds his life and dreams crumbling around him. Faced with the prospect of losing everything he has been working towards, he finally takes control of the steering wheel of his life. He stops dreaming and starts acting, as he begins to pit his wits against the assassin.
Will Nikhil succeed in getting the better of The Killer or will this night force him to lose everything that he has - his Love and his Life?
Verdict:
Problem is that the directors don’t make us care enough for the cabbie, but portray the killer as funny and magnetic in a sinister way.
Because of the performances of the two guys, the film is tolerable, but not the must-see kind.
The scene in which Nikhil has to pose as Vikram and go into Jabbar’s is done without any intensity and completely disappointing.
Nisha Kothari is just added to get the glam quotient of the film. Otherwise she is quite passable and ineffective actress.
The music by Sajid Wajid is fine but nothing worth raving.
The Killer may not be the best ride but once you are in the cab – the ride is not that bad.