Agent Vinod
wogma rating: Watch if you have nothing better to do (?)
An almost 3-hour long, slick chase sequence that gets exasperating by the end. The climax itself is first unintentionally hilarious and then infuriating. A suave hero you couldn't care for, a pretty damsel-in-distress who exists only to add stress to the hero's life and ours - this situation saved by a brilliant (albeit choppy) background score and a couple of uber-cool action sequences.
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Agent Vinod - Preview
"Sharaabi hai, laundibaaz hai.
Aur ek burai hai..."
(He's an alcoholic, he's a womanizer, he suffers one more vice...)
And you want to answer "James Bond"! as the voiceover educates you about the protagonist.
But, I didn't remember any "Bond" feel while watching the first trailer of Agent Vinod. In fact, I was appropriately thrilled by how the trailer gave nothing away and yet piqued interest. Right from Kareena Kapoor's misshaped face in close up captured by a wide-angle, to the theme music.
The second trailer though which has the above mentioned voiceover, had a thick "Bond" edge to it and you marvel more at the above trailer for resisting, "Vinod, Agent Vinod" as one of Saif Ali Khan's names - whatever he might say to deny it, it was promptly contradicted in the same video.
Thankfully though, it looks like a good enough thriller. Even if it has the said feel, it doesn't come across as wannabe at all. Not to mention the "9 countries looking for him" part also gives it a heavy, very Indian, Don feel too!
Anyway, when we watch writer/director, Sriram Raghavan's work, we are looking for the mind-twisting and engaging content along with some class styling. The smart dialogue serves as the right start. And I am so glad it is sparse in the promos, that leaves more for the actual film.
The only hitch then is, the music. The way the songs are picturized (there is a lip-sync even!) tell you that Raghavan has departed from his own style. I had loved the way the songs were done in Johnny Gaddar. Here, the fusion of mujra, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan style music and bits of the Don theme sound really cool, but I am wary of how it'll impact the flow of the film. Similarly, I am hoping against hope that 'pungi' won't be a part of the movie itself. Imagine a suave Pierce Brosnan breaking into dance, even if it is only to distract the surveillance security!
Further anxiety builds as I see Saif-Kareena chemistry build or I here notes from 'ra ra rasputin' mixed with Serbian folk even if it is done really well and the setting is the most stunning combination of color and lights. I just don't want the story to suffer or me to be distracted from it for a minute in a Sriram Raghavan product. While I get my anxiousness in control, I just think I'll go have another whiff of Ek Hasina Thi...
Music Reviews:
Milliblog - A 200-worder from the otherwise 100-word review blog, including - "Pritam lets his wildly enjoyable music do the talking in Agent Vinod!"
Music Aloud - "7.5/10"
dunkdaft - "Most of the time he hits the right chords. And that too, inline with the movie. Agent Vinod is again such an example."
Bollyspice - "3/5"
Apun Ka Choice - "3.5/5"
Bollywood Hungama - "3/5"
Happy Sing - " Agent Vinod is much more than what I'd expect from a thriller's soundtrack "
- meeta, a part of the audience
How often have you seen the Indian audience bank their hopes on the director instead of the stars? From my parents to my readers, the voices have turned excited as soon as they realized Agent Vinod is by the Johnny Gaddar guy. And it's not like the stars Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are disliked or scoffed at. Hence, you resist the disappointment with the director/writer as you jeer, mock-cheer, tch-tch-tch and ultimately slap your forehead in despair as Agent Vinod progresses towards regression. You can sense director, Sriram Raghavan's discomfort with the extra money - just like a person who is uneasy among hoity-toity, snotty people, would be at a page-3 event.
For all you know, Raghavan's original story, like his earlier ones, might have been set between Mumbai, Pune, Goa and Delhi. But, well, what would he do with all the extra money? So, let's make the RDX into a nuclear bomb and voila, you have Morrocco, London, the works. We still have money left. Hmmm...songs, let's do songs. A lavish 'mujra' and a scintillating mix of color and light in a Gothic set should do the trick.
Sure, you could call it the pressures of commercializing a product. But, I'd like to give Raghavan a little more credit than that. I think he's smart enough to know that he doesn't need to commercialize his product. He is the brand. But, oh well. Who said an intelligent person has to be confident about handling money?
The sign that things might not be all right show from the first sequence. A quote from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly cuts into a scene which feels like it is right out of that film. Is it a spoof? Is it a tribute? No, it's a desert in Afghanistan. Should you smile at the reference, should you engage with a tortured RAW agent? Thankfully, this is soon followed by a slickly choreographed action sequence.
But the confused genres show up again before you can feel reassured that you have some mind-blowing action to look forward to. Like any half-decent thriller, Agent Vinod fools you, leads you on, makes you feel smart about yourself by having characters smile that weird smile which tells you they are upto something, throws in your face a tattoo or a musical instrument-cum-weapon you ought to remember. But at each juncture, Agent Vinod leaves a loophole waiting to be answered. Whatever made sense, left the house at interval.
The last 30 minutes feels like another film that started after the first one had the most ridiculous finish. The climax of this climax made me angry. Did they even realize what they were implying an agent from India's intelligence agency did?! People who know nothing about national security would come up with a solution like this after being a few drinks down.
That besides and saving a few wise-cracks, the writing had way too many distractions, be it story, screenplay or characters. For example, with every film referenced, from Don to the original Agent Vinod to Charlie Chaplin, you are taken away from the mystery Agent Vinod is trying to solve. So eager is Sriram Raghavan to make his reverent tributes that he didn't realize how they are deviating from the genre. (Oh, how I'd loved the way he paid his respect to Anand in Johnny Gaddar!)
Then, throughout the film, characters are introduced either to be killed or they turn out to be an undercover terrorist/agent. I'd love for a psychoanalyst to analyze Agent Vinod (Saif Ali Khan) - he's confused about a childhood memory; he switches between being an aware human with a gut-feeling and an insensitive man's man. But then, that would mean the psychoanalyst and I would be spending more time on the character than the writers.
Similarly, Irma (Kareena Kapoor) is introduced as a doctor who is an aide to a terrorist but takes refuge as soon as she sees a capable man around. The way she became a pitiable woman at the drop of a hat, there was an instant when I doubted myself. I wondered whether I'd misunderstood that she was supposed to be either an international agent or a terrorist.
The chemistry between the Agent Vinod and Irma was dropped down to pillow talk between Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. No people, no need to get excited. It's the kind of pillow talk that can put you to bed.
No single character has a stay long enough to make an impact or engage except for Adil Hussain who had an elegant terror about him. Ravi Kissen and Ram Kapoor had fun-type quirky characters, while Prem Chopra was an annoying caricature. For the kind of terrorist he is proposed to be, he seemed weirdly compliant. Others like B P Singh and Mariyam had too annoying an accent and delivery style to consider anything else. And there are a few blink-and-miss cameos too.
I realize that I'm tipping heavy on the story and characterization in an action film. But that has a lot to with this being a Sriram Raghavan product. I know he has a smart style of narrating his story, but what troubles me is that this is like any other action film, especially since you have a wide range of Hollywood franchises to choose from. Also, somehow when Agent Vinod does it, it doesn't look as real as a Bond, Hunt or Bourne. It might have to do with the impression that MI6 is more capable than RAW.
Throughout the film, I marveled at the different sound that the film had and how my feet tapped to the background score continuously. But, did it add to the story's character? It felt like the background music was on a different trip altogether. Similarly, sure, the camerawork, editing and some of the action sequences were state-of-art but they seemed like a different department not necessarily congruent with the story. Parts added together, certainly. But did they make the film whole?
Again, the songs, 'Raabta' did a 'khoya khoya chand' from Shaitan. And I can't thank the decision-makers enough for not having 'Pungi' as a part of the film, but I'd have liked to say nicer things about what they did do rather than what they didn't.
- meeta, a part of the audience
Thumbs up, by Amodini, Amodini's Movie Reviews : ...There were some things very well done in this film – impressive hand-to-hand fighting sequences, some nicely done chases, a smattering of red herrings in the story and a pretty nice sound-track. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Subhash K Jha, Bollywood Hungama : ...No, he isn't rude. Just honest. Life doesn't just go on. It goes on uncaring about those moments of tearful stock-taking which moviegoers would like to think of as the essence of life. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, Bollywood Hungama : ...The editing [Pooja Ladha Surti] is razor-sharp at most times, but could've been spruced up during those portions. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Shruthi Raju, fullhyd.com : ...But it's really the performances that save the movie all the way. Those, and some witty one-liners that only Saif could have said.... full review
Thumbs up, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...The premise of the plot when revealed in the end may appear frail to some. Viewed in totality, it is a smart move. One that most will find logic to. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Karan Anshuman, Mumbai Mirror : ...This is the paradox that Raghavan battles, trying to create space for his vision by pushing back the walls of what is essentially a cramped boxy Bollywood-meets-Bond genre. ... full review
Thumbs up, by Lidia Ostepeev, Planet Bollywood : ...The editing is amazingly smooth in view of the convoluted plot. ... full review
Thumbs up, by K N Gupta, SmasHits.com : ...RD Burman's music provide nice music. There are several other attractive features like Raj Kapoor songs, the nightclub and bikini-clad woman in a pool.... full review
Thumbs up, by Sudhish Kamath, The Hindu : ...And Agent Vinod is a fairly good start to a franchise, even if extremely inconsistent and long.... full review
So-So, by Naresh Kumar Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...Agent Vinod is the sleekest thing to have happened to Bollywood in a long while... full review
So-So, by Prateeksha Khot, Bolly Spice : ...Dialogues are witty; Saif gets some very smart punch lines and one-liners, but sadly these are not peppered much throughout the film.... full review
So-So, by Nandita Dutta, DearCinema : ...as the film mounts on style and technique, the characters and the story seem increasingly devoid of depth... full review
So-So, by Akansha Naval-Shetye, DNA : ...The rest of the star cast is impressive including Ram Kapoor in his Russian avatar and Adil Hussain as the no-nonsense Colonel.... full review
So-So, by Blessy Chettiar, DNA : ...ooja Ladha Surti’s editing is slick, but the length is repulsive... full review
So-So, by Rachit Gupta, Filmfare : ...While the leads don’t quite hit the bull’s eye, the film fires high octane on all cylinders. The fast paced action and slick camera work make it seem like a Mission Impossible film. ... full review
So-So, by Anupama Chopra, Hindustan Times : ...Agent Vinod is also attempting to be too many things — a slick thriller to match Hollywood but also a cheeky homage to cheesy Bollywood movies. So the film has gloss and fast-paced action but the villains are a throwback to the 1980s — after all, how seriously can you take Gulshan Grover in a white suit or Prem Chopra with a ponytail or Shahbaz Khan with one glass eye?... full review
So-So, by Kaveree Bamzai, india today : ...He makes the time honoured mistake of succumbing to the considerable charms of his lead pair and makes it mawkish. So mawkish that it induces sniggers.... full review
So-So, by Madhureeta Mukherjee, indiatimes : ...'Agent Vinod' is slick and visually stylized, but loses steam at times. ... full review
So-So, by Gaurav Malani, indiatimes : ...Thankfully the romance track between Saif and Kareena isn't overblown. Their camaraderie is buildup amidst the central plot and the narrative never strays from its core genre.... full review
So-So, by Shaheen Parkar, MiD DAY : ...Saif puts in an earnest effort in his role though at times Kareena does seems a tad disinterested no wonder she has proclaimed she would rather shun action flicks.... full review
So-So, Movie Talkies : ...credit is due to the background score and also to Raghavan's directorial genius as he tips his hat to everyone from Bud Spencer to the original 'Agent Vinod' actor Mahendra Sandhu to spaghetti Western 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly'. ... full review
So-So, by Mansha Rastogi, Now Running.com : ...There appears a desperate attempt to weave songs in the film and it can be seen in its tattered form as the Mujra shapes in the film in a typically Bollywoodish manner. ... full review
So-So, by Raja Sen, Rediff : ...Agent Vinod wants to be funny, and while there is the occasional burst of wit, it's exhaustingly rare.... full review
So-So, by Reel Reptile, Upper Stall : ...Loopholes apart, Raghavan does have some unparalleled moments of brilliance and you grin hopefully when you see a couple of superbly-choreographed fights sequences over retro music that only this filmmaker can conceive (a la Shaitan, but much, much better).... full review
Thumbs down, by Anna Vetticad, annavetticadgoes2themovies : ...methinks indifference is sometimes worse than anger, and that one word sums up my reaction to this film. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...With this unrepentant worship at the altar of Sergio Leone (the film opens with a quote from The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly), Raghavan announces himself as a prankster, his film as a prank.... full review
Thumbs down, by Bobby Sing, Bobby Talks Cinema.com : ...today we have a mediocre AGENT VINOD coming from the gifted director Sriram Raghavan mainly because the man didn’t receive the expected response for his first two extremely well made movies in the rare genre of Crime-Spy-Thrillers. As a result, he changed paths and went on to add all the famous must have Bollywood ingredients in his third venture, bowing down to the public-demand and the star status of the two well established stars in his movie, resulting in an unexpectedly poor film.... full review
Thumbs down, by Charu A Mahesh, Buzz in Town : ...Aadil Hussain (Vidya Balan’s husband in Ishqiya) as a villain is good and so is Ram Kapoor, who looks really ugly with that wig, while corny Prem Chopra is a treat to watch!... full review
Thumbs down, by Khalid Mohamed, Deccan Chronicle : ...Come on guys, all these smart-alecky nods to childhood favourites, is overdone and by-now uncool. Grow up, cut to the chase. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Mehul Suri, Desi Martini : ...Saif Ali Khan does much justice to his character. Unfortunately the writing of the character is very inconsistent and it seems like a cross between many Hollywood spy-type heroes.... full review
Thumbs down, by Danish Bagdadi, Desi Martini : ...Kareena Kapoor tags along for the arm candy and to ask and be asked inane questions from time to time.... full review
Thumbs down, by Manu Agrawal, Desi Martini : ...The flick does get exciting twice - once in the pre-title sequence and another time during the climax which precedes the long drawn ending. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Ameetbhuvan, Desi Martini : ...Saif Ali Khan is earnest in a role that demands him to look good and behave like the royal he is in real life.... full review
Thumbs down, by Smita, Desi Martini : ...Kareena is all plump pink flesh in a tight red gown. All she does is make doe eyes at whoever happens to be in front of her. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Rony D'costa, Desi Martini : ...By casting Prem Chopra and Gulshan Grover as caricature of themselves we cant get serious about the plot even if we want to... full review
Thumbs down, by Kshitij, Desi Martini : ...With a shoestring budget he made the brilliant Ek Hasina Thi & has gone exactly the opposite this time around.... full review
Thumbs down, by Aniruddha Guha, DNA : ...Bond-meets-Bourne-meets-TinTin is how Saif Ali Khan described Agent Vinod in his interviews in the lead-up to the film’s release (he left out the fourth more obvious element - ‘Bollywood’). ... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Deosthalee, Film Impressions : ...Raghavan uses Hindi film references cleverly and pays homage to the kitschy visual quality of Vijay Anand's cinema like he did in his earlier, far superior, Johnny Gaddaar. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Deepa Gahlot, Film Impressions : ...It’s very well shot, and you get a touristy view of several countries, but with a plot so muddled and direction so heavy-handed, the film ends up with more boring bits than bursts of entertainment. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Manisha Lakhe, Film Orbit : ...This movie is a prime example of the problem of plenty. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Divya Solgama, Gomolo.in : ...Story is very short and one liner also resembles a low budget flop film called ‘Azaan’.... full review
Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...The action in the film is choreographed slickly, but you can't help feeling a tad let down.... full review
Thumbs down, by Fatema Kagalwala, India Entertainment : ...So while you enjoy the Charlie Chaplin joke or smile at Don references, you continue to search for that sparkling intelligence and innocuous manner of narrating a scene that transforms the banal into brilliant in his previous films – Ek Hasina Thi and Johnny Gaddar.... full review
Thumbs down, by Shubhra Gupta, indian express : ...Saif Ali Khan (or his body double) executes some eye-catching stunts but gets lost in the look-at-me-playing-the-suave-spy endeavour. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Mrigank Dhaniwala, koimoi : ...Agent Vinod is a bold experiment gone wrong; certainly not something that entertains in its entirety.... full review
Thumbs down, by Udita Jhunjhunwala, Live Mint : ...the biggest let-down is the set action pieces—they don’t wow you nor do you feel the adrenalin rush of a hair-raising car chase or a shootout in the desert. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Reuters : ...The second half drags on interminably, defeating the very purpose of a spy thriller and by the time the credits roll, you are just glad it’s over. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Ruchi Mehta, Roochster : ...Saif (producer) and Kareena are honeymooning all over the world at the expense of the film ... full review
Thumbs down, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...A Charlie Chaplin reference in the middle of a serious, possibly fatal chase could have made for delicious irony, but falls flat. ... full review
Thumbs down, by Swati Rohatgi, STARDUST : ...Music in more cases than one seems forcefully inserted in the storyline with the help of loosely knit links.... full review
Thumbs down, by Pratim D Gupta, The Telegraph : ...Dear Raghavan Sir, you started by quoting Sergio Leone. Allow us to end with William Shakespeare. True that “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” but a Bond or a Bourne movie by another name, in another country, with another wrapping doesn’t spell that solid.... full review
Thumbs down, by Kunal Guha, yahoo! India : ...While severe interrogations and dodging a million bullets can be exhausting, what seems to hurt them the most is assuming any recognizable facial expression. Perhaps special agents are trained to be poker faced... full review
zeyaur181: Agent vinod - AN INSPIRATION FROM bond movies⁰Saif ali khan actually carried himself very well.⁰A nice movie...
VR_madhu: Jus watched agent vinod... a gud interesting one...time killer... Saif has done a gud job..now time for nap!! Yaaaaawnin...
vinitshah_93: Dnt knw why people saying #agent vinod not a nce mvie.. Really liked the mvie..Gr8 wrk by all!!
vijeethshetty: I quite liked Agent Vinod, very well made movie.. Didnt find it dragging despite of the length.. Full marks to Saif & Raghavan
vickygulati2: good movie agent vinod guess
VarunSBhat: Agent Vinod is a good movie :)
upenpratap: agent vinod :_ awsm muvi must watch....*****
TheTobyQ: Agent Vinod a must watch, Saif at his best
theevilp: Agent Vinod was FANTASTIC!
TejalKocha: Agent Vinod a different with a class not like the typical masala movie.....liked it.....! ★★★....
tanyakalra1: agent vinod is best movie..........
tanmayshah89: 'Agent Vinod', nice movie...at least there is someone in bollywood who isn't copying anyone....
TactifierJatan: Agent vinod is fab movie great action scenes loved dat movie!!!!!!
smiley4g: weekend jhakas bitaya agent vinod aur bidya no no its vidya bagchi k sath.
sIzZlInGDOn: JUS WATCHED AGENT VINOD AWESOme movie :DD LOVE THE MUJRA OF beBO :D
shwetakaushik25: Kareena is looking great Agent Vinod Rockssss
SecretInAMirror: Am I the only one who liked Agent Vinod?
sanjukta: I don't know what's there to not like about Agent Vinod
sahu21abinash: WATCHED AGENT VINOD HMMMMMMcool movie i liked it>>
ruchahasabnis: Saw Agent Vinod last nit. D movie is really nice... Gr8 screenplay n camera work
Rohit8804: Saw Agent Vinod, really entertaining,much better than many cheesy Bond movies, Saifu did a good job making this film.
Riddhi_A: He's the Suave Agent Vinod!<3<3 Beginning action tooo good!B-) Go watchh it! #agentvinod
raviosd143: Awesome agent vinod! Bond of india
Ravikundanjain: What d hell has happened to critics!!⁰Agent Vinod is just so superb!! Just loved it!! Great effort by Saif..!! Best movie in 2012 so far..!!
Raspcherry: Just came out of agent Vinod. Was good. Some inconsistencys possibly due to bad editing but great movie over all
raj1112: And let me admit it. I thought Agent Vinod was super fun.
r1kartik: Much better than what i had expected. Worth a dekko for certain. Watch out 4 some great action sequences AGENT VINOD http://kartikr.blogspot.in/2012/03/agent-vinod-2012.html
princeofwgl: Agent Vinod is a wonderful movie..
PreetSonpal: AGENT VINOD ROCKS..!!!!
parasrishi: Agent Vinod is Awesome!! Loved it. :D
NidhiBidhi: Good job Agent Vinod...anyone who doesn't like this movie...go blow on ur Pungi... @ZoomTV #zoOmTV
mumbai_life: Agent Vinod rocks......kareena is sizzling
mental_Aunty: Watch Bourne series over and over again rather than Agent Vinod.
marulakick: Agent Vinod isn't that bad...i liked it!
mahvishg86: Agent vinod also pretty awsome kareena looked hot
LOVLEEN_SINGH: Agent Vinod........humne paisa vasoool kr Lia,,,,Yeahhh 8.5/10...a good movie indeed (Checked in at PVR Cinemas) http://www.facebook.com/pages/PVR-Cinemas/192738640766237
KhanSalman4Ever: Agent Vinod was great. Full of action. Kareena Kapoor was just fab!!;-)
KareenaMieke29: Damnnnnn!!!! Agent Vinod was amazing!!! LOVED IT!!! and i absolutely loved Bebo´s character! But i wish she didnt die :(
IT_Kabootar: Agent Vinod is good.DONT REJECT IT.ITS A ONE TIME WATCH FOR SURE!
imSnjv: Watch #Ajent vinod ..such a power booster movie...lovd d performence of saif n kareena...4 stars to it....bst action movie so far...:-)
iamkhalid: Saw Agent Vinod Really Enjoyed, Good Movie... Saif & Kareena were Superb. It's Hollywood kind of Action Movie made In India ;) @SaifUpdates
HiralSays__: I liked Agent Vinod after interval.
hbkmohammad: The Indian Bond....!!! Killer Entertainer.....!!! Agent Vinod....!!! ★☆★☆★
Harley_Viva: Super-hit!!!! Agent Vinod!!!! Bravo Saif Ali Khan!!!! :)
gkmia007: Agent vinod was super exellent! Saifeena set the screen on fire! And kareena was superb fell inlove with her all over again ! Well done bebo
gheuntaak: Watch Agent Vinod. Its a wonderful movie. Congratulations to Saif and Shreeram Raghavan.
freemasonpal: Agent Vinod rocks.....don't give it a miss !!!!!!
FarhaanEngar: Agent Vinod, good one.
DipikaThawani: FDFS aftr ages....agent vinod..worth watchin:-D
crncbachlr: Agent Vinod is the best spy film that we made till date..iam not comparing it with bond films
callsanjeetkuma: today i saw agent vinod its ver y thrilling movies. . .
beautysaum: kareena said she hate doing stunts..bt see hr in AGENT VINOD....shez so superb in it.."Agent Vinod"...a wholesm entertainmnt...gr8 2 watch!!
Asif_Jamshed: Agent Vinod is Kickass. Must Watch.
Anjugupt: I loved the movie "Agent Vinod" Saif Rocks
akash_3093: AGENT VINOD awesome movie.......a Hollywood class movie....
AjeetabhChauhan: Agent Vinod is good. Entertaining .
AemenShahab: Watch #Ajent vinod ..such a power booster movie...lovd d performence of saif n kareena...4 stars to it....bst action movie so far...:-)
ADM6063ASHA: ****/***** 4 out of 5 srars for agent vinod.
thecoolsanta: Just watch Agent Vinod... First Half was sleek and catchi.. second half was dragging, lenthy. Unable to hold u to ur seat. I give 2.5 star..
SudhishKamath: Agent Vinod: Needs to find its footing between real & unreal, serious & fun, action & dialogue. Even MI is trying. Inconsistent but fun 6/10
sps_bunny: Just saw Agent Vinod..... 3 on 5.....
shwetskw: 1st day 1st show.. Agent Vinod.. dragged too much.. ho hum.. an oki toki watch!
SayaliMarathe: Agent Vinod One time must watch !!!
rhvijay89: Agent Vinod - It's an Action film, shot very well.First Half ws boring nd a gud 2nd half, makes it a Avg to below Avg Fare nd Kareena ws Hot
princebds: Agent Vinod is not such a bad film after all... the action is first for a bollywood mv...
PashaKhwaja: Saw agent vinod ok ok movie
nvenkatr: Agent Vinod is shaken, stirred and pacy to the T. Sadly its no Johnny Gadaar in terms of writing. Expecting a xrossover with Don soon!
nitin_sameer: Watched agent vinod .. Over all a averg movie ... Should have some fast track ..
mrinvicible: Not so impressed with mr.vinod..still AV stands out as one of the most slick indian spy films..expectin better films from u sriram raghavan
Kohsheen: Agent Vinod.. Not bad a watch .
jeffyjosek: Agent Vinod - Liked the Russian and Delhi episodes, entertaining and thrilling. Rest lost both.
DrDamodhar: Vinod' s Agency is ok ok, one time watch RT Agent Vinod...
Deepakgupta573: agent vinod is an average movie......
AyushBarca: Agent Vinod 2.5/5
Atiyak: So Agent vinod is not that bad!! A good effort..some good direction and in love with the background score! Franco uncle u rock!:-)
ashishdlawaniya: AGENT VINOD 3/5..
apurvnagpal: Agent Vinod : my review : enjoyable more for its sense of humour than the action / plot http://apurvbollywood.blogspot.in/2012/03/agent-vinod.html
Anneeliks2tweet: Agent vinod was okay not tht great move...saif came hot in the movie as usual..but movie was too long
yourpackaging20: "Agent Vinod" cured my sleeping disorder. Slept peacefully thru the entire movie! :-)
yemnyem: Agent Vinod has left me brain dead.
wussycat_richie: Ridiculous movie, Agent Vinod...painfully long with several loose ends
vyogi15: Don't c agent Vinod.... if want then c any episode of CID ...which give some satisfaction...
Vivekkl: agent vinod too long a film to be liked..
vishnu_db9: But boy was Agent Vinod excruciatingly awful, Kareena's skills were just a topping. Well, that's Bollywood.. axenic uncontaminated shit!
vishalk82: Agent Vinod! haath chalaya, laath chalaya, bandook chalaya, gaadi chalaya, helicopter bhi chalaya, lekin afsos yeh film nahi chala payega
VIOLETT: Saw agent vinod. Saif, go die!
vikky_bohra: Agent Vinod #epicfail
vegebrains: All those people who, by mistake, haven't watched Agent Vinod. Don't make that mistake.
vansh_kapur: Agent vinod =waste of time
UrbanSage: "There are good, bad and ugly movies. And then we have agent vinod. Disgustingly pathetic." Review by - @abbasthedawood
tweet_aman: Illogical, irrational, senseless, absurd, inane, harebrained, ridiculous, ludicrous, preposterous. This is Agent Vinod for you #AgentVinod
ThisThat_Etc: While watchng Agent Vinod thr comes a moment whr every1 in d theatr wants to b Kareena Kapoor;d scene whr she repeatdly slaps Saif Ali Khan!
ThePuccaCritic: #AgentVinod comes out as an avoidable film #review http://thepuccacritic.blogspot.in/2012/03/agent-vinod.html
TheFookFace: #AgentVinod turns out to be pungi-bajaod. Sloppy work. My review http://blastatrumpet.wordpress.com/2012/03/23/agent-vinod-review/ Read/share/RT or do all of the 3 options.
thatdarkcoffee: +100 RT"@chicmagnet: Agent Vinod #worldsshortestjoke"
terrymardi: If you have any self respect. Please don't watch Agent Vinod. I now see why India is laughing AT it not WITH it. #Worldsshortestjoke
sushil: Agent Vinod is certified as U/A by Censor Board. It should have been U/B : Universal Bore. Has style. But no grip in the movie
surjo_mukh: 007 comparison with Agent Vinod..is it fair.?? Wtf ..anyways AV a below average flick!
SuperTusshh: #PeopleIwishtomeet Saif Ali Khan..Agent Vinod ne Dimaag ki Pav-bhaji kar daali..Please return my 500 bucks :-(
sunil_koul5830: was thinking the agent vinod will be better than the bond movies but unfortunately....
sumanta48: Watched Agent Vinod ! Wat a bull shit ! 3 hrs of mind-less action, simple story line made complex..full bakwas ! Waste of money !!
sudheer1438: Agent vinod damn boring movie :(
sri50: Agent Vinod- 2.25/5- Boring. Sleep inducing Bond type movie. No credible story line leisurely paced. Fabulous new never seen b4 locations.
sree2weets: Anything which comes with high expectations and flops finally can be called " Agent Vinod Kambli"
snahmad_: Agent Vinod; bakwaas enough to cause actual riots inside the theatre
Siddiotic: James bond is to Agent Vinod what "This is Sparta" is to "This is Sanpada".
secretshreyes: agent Vinod = too much stuff... which was nt required...
sayshardik: Agent vinod #WorldsShortestJoke
satyajithpinku: My #agentVinod Review http://www.hitorphat.in/2012/03/agent-vinod-absolutely-absurd.html
santoshkunwar: Agent Vinod ne bjayi darshako ki pungi :-p
samirrzaveri: boring vinod***
samarthdhroov: Flop show of Agent Vinod.....!! Farhan akhtar is the thriller man... he know the technique !! nothing in front of Don2 in any aspect !
Rujuta94: Agent Vinod is one long and annoying film! x_x
rishika625: Don't bother with Agent Vinod. Youtube Pyar Ki Pungi instead. #bollywooddud.
rakeshkhabiya: Such a pity. Agent Vinod could have been a far better movie.
rahulsingh18: Guys with name VINOD will surely curse saif for their rest of d life..he has in a way outraged their modsty... :-D
raghavbehani: Agent Vinod is a torture. Worst ever background music. Only Saif was good, everything else sucked!
r20g88: Agent Vinod A must NOT watch movie....
princekrishan: Ajent vinod what a fucking movie it is...such a wastage of time
poojabajaj1: 'Agent Vinod' has missed one hindi basic lesson 'nakal me bhi akal ki jarurat hoti hai.
parakramrana: But Kahaani is a Must watch. what a mind blowing film. Salute to Vidya for her performance. Kahaani gets 4/5 & Agent Vinod gets 1.5/5!
pakshalsanghvi: Why did I go for agent vinod
Olivia015: Agent Vinod - just a one time watch and that too if you have nothing better to do....
nice_indian: watched agent vinod.....AB MERE JINEY KI ICHCHA KHATAM HO CHUKI HAIN. :-|
NellyBurtado: I might have given up on Agent Vinod, but I'm Not Giving Up On Love ;)
NeetiGhildiyal: Agent Vinod - The Most Pathetic Movie.....EVER!!
NeelArora92: The best compliment Agent Vinod must have got is that it is High budget CID. #AgentVinod
navyou111: Went to watch Agent Vinod yesterday. Verdict: Shit.
nalinv: Agent Vinod - managee to give me a few laughs coz the screenplay was screwed up
myreelview: AGENT VINOD movie review: Not all guns blazing!: Director Sriram Raghavan loses the plot by trying too hard and ... http://bit.ly/GQ9v7Y
MyNameIsAnky: Agent vinod k PUNGI baj gayi
MurphyisLawyer: 'vinod' besides being a name also means 'joke' in Marathi..this is what Saif was referring to when the film was made #AgentVinod
MoviesDM: #AgentVinod: Even with a grand star cast, AV fails to deliver thanks to its pathetic script and poor editing. http://bit.ly/GJeVWH
Mighty_Loser: Agent Vinod is "Bond-meets-Bourne-meets-TinTin-meets-Bollywood", The result is a hard-to-digest mishmash #agentvinod
mesushovan: Agent Vinod lost his last chance to save Saif as a hero for a solo hit. Go and watch it, as Ra.Two: Computer game on big screen. #Bollywood
mehersoni: Saw Agent Vinod *facepalm* #Ohgodwhy
md_minhaj: Watched 'Agent Vinod'.. it was really horrible.. slow boring movie with bad old type background music.. totally underwhelming.
Mayank2110: Kareena Kapoor should stick to SRK and Salman, other khans just ruin her films, 'Ek Main Aur Ek Tu' and 'Agent Vinod' sad excuse for movies.
MasalaOmellete: I will go ahead and say it. Agent Vinod is probably the most disappointing movie I will watch this year. Just one memorable moment.
manipalblog: "Agent Vinod" is everything that you wouldn't want an agent to be like. Summarizing the movie as a cheap and... http://fb.me/1doguiaTF
MalaMoOppan: Agent Vinod is an utter flop movie... Produce nw started a new business named " Vinod Agency " ... :p
mahima2507: Saw agent vinod over the wkend.. Another dissapointment.. A slap to James Bond, and Jason Bourne.. its bin so long since i saw a gud movie
MahiirK: Agent Vinod what a sick movie!! #Odeon
maahin: Um..... Hmmmmmmmm. Wasn't very impressed with Agent Vinod.
LizaSaha: Highly disappointed with Agent Vinod. Sriram Raghavan's Ek Hasina Thi remains one of my most admired bollywood movies.
kirengantti: # Agent Vinod disappoints
kewalramani_s: #ThingsMorePromisingThanLFC Agent Vinod, err, maybe no!
kavilajil: Agent Vinod KLPD ...
jatin_red: Agent vinod should be beaten so badly that he turns into PATIENT VINOD #Agent Vinod
jaffer48: Agent Vinod: NO LOGIC, weak story line,No proper use of characters specially Bebo's-- 1.5/5
IshqSufiyana: The only Good thing about Agent Vinod is Kareena's Cleavege !
iJefin: finished with Agent Vinod... Waste of money n time..
HazirJawab: Thanks for RT ☎ "@Laugh_Riot: There is No "Agent Vinod" in "Kahani" and There is No "Kahani" in ''Agent Vinod". RT @HazirJawab"
harikiran84: OO Mera Agent-Vinod, OO Meri Sriram-Raghvan; Humko Hype Se Majnu Bana Kar; Kahan Chal dia Kahan Chal dia; Humari Pungi Bajakar !!!
gupsachin: Short summary - Avoid Agent Vinod.
gkhamba: Agent Vinod is like every other government agent. Boring, bloated and doesn't achieve anything.
girijanair: Agent Vinod a poor poor poor attempt to become the Indian SPY...Pungi baj jaayegi...bakwaas...
gaganchaudhry: Agent Vinod :Good direction, nice locations, nice music but NO STORY! can be avoided. My personal feeling #BAKWAAS
dushver: The trick is to go with an open mind and without reading reviews. Even doing so Agent Vinod was a disappointment.
diplomaticds: Agent Vinod - complete utter trash ! Sorri to those I know who are involved in it but m always honest !
Dillivala: I am sure even Bhojpuri version of James bond would be better than Agent Vinod
depakand: saw Agent Vinod, The Most Pathetic Movie.....EVER!!, plzz dont go any near to the theater wre it runs....
Darshita_MUFC: I successfully completed the Mission to watch Agent Vinod #IShouldBeRewarded
Crotchingtiger: #OutrageMovies Agent Vinod #nochangerequired
Chintan2446826: Guys pls dnt waste ur money for seeing agent vinod... its damn boring
charubhalla: u won't like Agent Vinod even if u watch it with kareena and saif sitting beside u.....
BhAvIk__JoShI: Agent vinod..style over substance..typical bombblast stuff,items are good,and most cast is wasted
bengalurean: Producers & director of the movie agent vinod should be sentenced to life for robbing people of their valuable time and money. #agentvinod
ayeshaazeem5: Sorry Saif but #Agent Vinod ki Tu #PUNGI buj gaye......
arshadparande: #agent vinod...how sum1 can waste their money to make movie lyk dis...
arpanrathod: What will ' #AgentVinod ' be called if it starred Amitabh Bachchan??. . . . .'INSURANCE AGENT VINOD...!'' #lrlr
appy70890: Agent vinod was such a boring movie.. No story, just he was traveling different countries, he was Travel agent vinod
anshulz: Saif should be thankful that Agent Vinod wasn't banned in the remaining 11 countries. :P
AnjaliMenon17: Wasted my money over Agent Vinod yesterday. #epicfail
AMEETDHOKE: Agent vinod-third class...........bore ho gaya
aliakbart: Agent Vinod is so fuckall.
aksrpai: +1 @Abhilash_C ONLY thing clear from Agent Vinod is that he was trying to diffuse some bomb. #Fail
AkhilDhanania: Agent Vinod is a sucking muvi...plzz don't watch it fr free even..!!
aimfaisal: my dear saif ali khan aapne kya soch ke agent vinod banayi hai? #saddestmovieever
Abhilash_C: ONLY thing clear from Agent Vinod is that he was trying to diffuse some bomb. #Fail
1blogin: Review: ‘Agent Vinod’ - All style, no substance:Rating 2/5 - OneBlog http://bit.ly/GIMzgQ
This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.
Plot Summary
Agent Vinod finds a clue that is as open-ended as '242'. That's it. What is it? The people who want to get to it sound dangerous. Nuclear war type dangerous. Agent Vinod has to save the world.
What Worked
- After watching the film I loved the trailers even more than before because of how they mislead.
- The titles - as with any Sriram Raghavan film!
- The fact that 'Pungi' wasn't a part of the film.
- The fact that they left Vinod's sexuality ambiguous.
- The auto-ride in Delhi.
What did not
- Why did Kareena Kapoor smile at the interval?! It was surely no place for Irma to.
- How does the deonator get into that book?!
- Why doesn't Agent Vinod's boss not take a look into the contents of the USB stick he gets from the Colonel? And the Agent just takes it upon himself to take action. And such ridiculously controversial action at that!?
- Agent Vinod and Irma's backstories! Ugh!! What was that?
Parental Guidance:
- Violence: Loads and loads of it. Murders, bombs, gun-fights, fist-fights and the whole lot.
- Language: Clean.
- Nudity & Sexual content: Skimpily clad women and cleavage. One scene with an obnoxious man trying to get Kareena Kapoor in bed with him. But not too explicit.
- Concept: Agent Vinod is chasing terrorist activity from around the world.
- General Look and Feel: Bright and slick.
![[Facebook page of Agent Vinod]](/static/images/icons/facebook_small.png){kind=icon}
![[YouTube channel of Agent Vinod]](/static/images/icons/youtube_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Wikipedia page of Agent Vinod]](/static/images/icons/wiki_small.png){kind=icon}
![[IMDB Page of Agent Vinod]](/static/images/icons/imdb_small.png){kind=icon}
![[Ravi Kishan twitter account]](/static/images/icons/twitter_small.png){kind=icon}
Comments (19)
@Anuj :) *fingers crossed*
Wait, wait, the Johny Gaddar guy is directing this! That changes my preconceived notions about this one. Might actually turn out to be good.
@Rahul Yeepp! Johnny Gaddar and Ek Haseena Thi
Ek Haseena Thi as well! Now I have preconceived notions about this film being good.
When you say Sriram Raghavana, I am reminded of not only Jhonny Gaddar but also Ek Haseena Thi. Unable to believe the film could be so bad. So much money had been poured into this. Also it took years to make.
@Hariharan Ek Haseena Thi my parents haven't seen. We have to accept that as good as it was, it didn't get too far on word of mouth.
@g-2 thanks. I'm glad you noticed :D But really :( for the film :(
Gayi bhains paani mein!
@Rahul tcha! I know...
@g-2 ha ha ha. I had seen an interview on their official YouTube channel which (making of pungi, i think) which seemed to imply that it is a part of the film. Thus the relief. :D
I was not expecting anything from this movie. I like few songs and thankfully I don't have to watch the movie for it.
Meetu is it really and another let down, i haven't watched it . Actually i am a big fan of kareena and thus i can't miss to catch it in theatre.
I don't want this film to be in the same league of Tashan and Kurbaan :(
A few dialogues are a treat to the ears and throw in the much needed punch that lacks in the script.
Meetu i finally watched the movie , i couldn't bear the amateurish script , irritating background and the quirky perfomance with needless characters coming in every now then. The movie is a wannable bourne bond films if only a powerful script persits. Lastly i am being less impartial and add that we still want to see your movie KAREENA .
nice and detailed. Few others reviews I had read also shared similar opinion
@guddu oh well, next film... :D
@Anuj maybe, hopefully not. :( Let's wait for more from him.
@Bindu yeah, I hope so too. Everyone is allowed mistakes, right? Do watch 'Ek Hasina Thi' meanwhile.
@Nishant, @Anurag wow! really? 'To each his own' at play as always.
Boy Howdy, that was a thing that happened, wasn't it? I'm sure Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor had fun during their working vacation all over Europe, the Middle East and Southern Asia - too bad they didn't think to include a story that wasn't so full of character and plot holes that you could barely follow who was screwing over who.
I'd say your review was spot-on, Meetu - this feels like a remake-in-name-only of a silly but enjoyable older movie, that exponentially piled on the silliness while losing many of its enjoyable qualities. Sure, it was fun watching Saif Ali Khan behaving like a goof - but it kind of made no sense that he did in the situations where he did. This was a case of the plot twists driving the characters, rather than the characters driving the plot twists.
Next to this, the SRK Don looks like a model of thoughtful intelligence, and Tashan - well, Tashan looks like its Brother-in-Arms! Since "Illuminati Films" is Saif Ali Khan's production company (as I see from a quick Google search), I'm guessing it's he who loves all the Spaghetti Western riffs, whether they fit or not.
@TimELiebe are you going to watch Go Goa Gone then?
@Meetu - saw Goa Goa Gone on your recommendation, and you were right, we loved it!
@TimELiebe ;)
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