Raaz - The Mystery Continues

wogma rating: Add to that never-watched 'To Watch' list ^(?)

quick review:

The age-old tug-of-war between blind faith and rationality continues. It horrifies, and gets you on the edge. But like all horror movies it also makes 140 minutes seem like much, much longer. Maybe I didn't enjoy it as much because I don't subscribe to the belief they endorse. But because there's some attempt to elaborate rather than skim, the watch wasn't a complete waste.

Director: Mohit Suri

Cast: Kangna Ranaut, Emraan Hashmi, Adhyayan Suman

Running time: 140 minutes

Genres: Thriller

More Movie Info

Raaz - The Mystery Continues - Preview

NOT A REVIEW - Just waiting to see if the Bhatt camp manages to keep interest alive for 150 minutes...

The promos have very mundane text interspersed with whooshes and Kangna's screams and scary face appropriately. Looks like the average Joe-horror-thriller to me.

But, even if the Vishesh Films-Mohit Suri combination doesn't strike gold or even hit all the right chords with me, they are pretty fresh in the way the visuals are approached and the story is told. They generally stick to the dark side of life. Add horror to the mix and it could be very interesting indeed. Even if horror is not my favorite genre.

The official site for some reason is yelling at me - "tum ashudh ho, sudd chuke ho" (you are impure, you've rotted)...huh? why me? What did I do? :) So, there's some supernatural stuff involved. Going more into non-fan area.

Anyway, though the Bhatt family doesn't care too much for the masala formula, they have their own formula. So, I forecast - • An awesome opening sequence • one distraught species of the female kind, throughout • because she's the lady in distress, she needs to undress at least twice, and there's a bathtub involved somewhere • and not wanting to risk the audience losing interest, she'll be kept skimpily clad the rest of the time • aah...and since this is Kangna, her character will require her to catwalk and guzzle bottles of whiskey • she'll triple the size of her...eyes every once in a while to showcase her acting prowess • that's for the female lead - the male will follow her, sulk, try to help in random order • there'll be some awesome music to break the monotony • and a darkish climax

tada!

And believe me, as sarcastic as this all sounds, I do believe it has potential to be very interesting. Because what we are ready for, bothers us less. My real concern this time is its length - 2 and a half hours is a bit much these days - very difficult to be ready for...

- meeta, a part of the audience

God resides within us, we just need to check. OR

God is dead, it doesn't really matter how we behave. OR

God exists and he is happy/unhappy based on what we do/don't do. OR

God exists but won't help us unless we help ourselves. OR

Whatever!!? Who cares?

Each of the above value systems and more are represented by one or more characters in Raaz. Makes for interesting debate? Yes, but loses direction too, since it'd take some real skill to articulate things when you are taking on so many points of view.

Sure, there is a definite side that the movie ultimately takes, but some of the beliefs portrayed are scary. Not because of the appropriately used background music and sound design, or the jump-in-your-seat horrific visuals. But, because they are just so inhuman. I doubt all the makers subscribe to that way of life. But, I guess they do believe that the idea of inhumanity sells. And you know what the irony is? One of the characters is shown in bad light because he "sells" stories based on his campaign against superstition.

Anyway, getting out of all the theo-talk, so many types of characters ultimately leads to mega-confusion and also leaves each one of them pretty uni-dimensional. More so because pre-interval the characters and their situations take their own time to develop. And suddenly post-interval a host of new characters are introduced and obviously each one of them is vying for attention.

The plot that develops in the second half along with its sub-plots is interesting but the resolution is far from satisfactory. Usually unexplained issues increase the intrigue and I like them because they keep me thinking even after I've left the hall. But Raaz's climax feels like, "so much hoo-hah for this?" When they provide you with each line to join dots and leave one out so blatantly, it comes off more as a loophole than a 'point to ponder about'.

Mohit Suri, like always got me curious with the intense opening sequence. But it instantly infuriated me because of this piece I read a couple of days ago. How could they ask for any censor certificate other than 'A'?! I'd hate to see any child watching some of the visuals in the movie. Not to get very excited peoples, these are not X-rated visuals - these are just the kind that make you squirm and wait for the scene to get over.

However, there's Kangna Ranaut. So, there's enough skin-show too. She does well with her screaming scenes. What's interesting is that while I don't feel for her character, she does make me pray that I'm never in her position. I didn't identify with her character. But it made me go, "hell, I don't want to see the things she's seeing!" The director-actor duo seem to have done well together, because we've seen her do similar stuff earlier. She does look ravishing on the ramp too - but that too we've seen earlier.

Adhyayan needs to start at the basics - let's work on dialogue delivery to start with, get me interested as an audience. And till then DO NOT dance, please. Emraan Hashmi always makes a sincere effort. Since, the requirement for expressions is only bewilderment and care, he can't do much. But, at least he now has bagged the two.

An opening title card preaches Sant Kabir's doha asking us to look within ourselves before pointing fingers. The protagonist learns that the hard way. But the connection between what she goes through and why is very flimsy. Not to mention, what the movie tries to convey is the opposite of what I believe in. Yet, I also believe in respect for the opposite view. So, while I didn't agree with the stand taken, I didn't mind watching it and getting a wee bit terrified along with it too.

- meeta, a part of the audience

33 reviewers^(?) - 17 yays 12 so-so 4 nays

Warning: clicking on "full review" will take you to an external website that could contain spoilers.

Thumbs up, Bolly Spice : ...While Halloween is not anywhere in sight, this one is a good reason to cause your girl to cling to you or vice versa.... full review

Thumbs up, by Daliya Ghose, Bollywood Mantra : ...Raaz wraps up well and is quite interesting. It grabs the audience interest throughout.... full review

Thumbs up, by Anand Vaishnav, Buzz18 : ...Mohit ventures into master RGV's territory by creating shock value with camera angles and sound effects... full review

Thumbs up, by Phylis J Iqbal, desi hits : ...The movie manages to keep the interest of the viewer despite the flaws and it is overall a thrilling film.... full review

Thumbs up, fullhyd.com : ...ackie Shroff in a brief role has nothing much to do, but the music, like with that of most Bhatt productions, can grow on you.... full review

Thumbs up, by Taran Adarsh, IndiaFM : ...While the beginning and the middle of the film is engrossing, it's the end that could've been better thought of.... full review

Thumbs up, indiatimes : ... With some soulful music, 'Raaz - The Mystery Continues' is an experience of sorts... full review

Thumbs up, Indicine : ...Movies like Phoonk and 1920 couldn’t scare me, but Raaz 2 at times did, especially some of the scenes involving Kangana!... full review

Thumbs up, by Harshita Kohli, indya.com : ...RTMC will help turn the tide of Bollywood which has been going through a lean phase since the start of the year.... full review

Thumbs up, Movie Talkies : ...The Bhatts live up to their promise and deliver an interesting film in 'Raaz-The Mystery Continues.'... full review

Thumbs up, musicNmovies.info : ...Cinematography and Editing is the pinnacle of the movie.... full review

Thumbs up, by Ashok Nayak, Now Running.com : ...The script of Raaz - The Mystery continues is solid and very interesting but not without flaws.... full review

Thumbs up, by Sampurn, real bollywoood : ...Full marks to Mohit Suri for making that one kick-ass horror thriller which can easily put on par with Hollywood’s best in terms of plot, setting, technique and acting.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nithya Ramani, Rediff : ...Kangana puts in a great performance, one, I admit, I didn't know she was capable of.... full review

Thumbs up, SmasHits.com : ...Raaz - The Mystery Continues' is rich in horror though it has other positive plus points, too.... full review

Thumbs up, by Nikhat Kazmi, Times of India : ...Watch it for the chemistry between the Gangster pair and for a couple of goosebumps, here and there... full review

So-So, by noyon jyoti parasara, AOL INDIA : ...Raaz TMC is rather a revenge saga of a ghost, which at the max has got some amount of thrill.... full review

So-So, by N K Deoshi, Apun Ka Choice : ...Adhyayan Suman just doesn’t have any screen presence and he needs to see a good hair dresser, pronto.... full review

So-So, by Baradwaj Rangan, Blogical Conclusion, The New Sunday Express : ...Raaz delivers a reasonably high quotient of boo! moments.... full review

So-So, by Sanjay Ram, Business of Cinema : ...RTMC is well crafted no doubt and kudos to Suri for that. The truth is that the film relies on the craftsmanship of Suri and the crew rather than having a strong story to tell... full review

So-So, by Aniruddha Guha, DNA : ...Having gripped you for half its screen time, the film falters towards the end. As the suspense unfolds, you start to lose connect with the characters and the finale leaves you completely unmoved.... full review

So-So, by Amit R Agarwal, merinews : ...Cinematography by Ravi Walia, very stylish – the colour correction is amazing and gives the film the desired spooky feel.... full review

So-So, by Tushar Joshi, MiD DAY : ...Using sound and the age-old jack-in-the-box effect, Suri disappoints you with lack of ingenuity.... full review

So-So, by Anupama Chopra, NDTV : ... An avenging activist ghost in an environmentally friendly film inspired by a Kabir doha. This is surely a Bollywood first.... full review

So-So, by Subhash K Jha, Now Running.com : ...Admittedly, the horror-fest in "Raaz" is created with more finesse than the other fear flicks that have invaded the large-screen in recent years.... full review

So-So, by Sudhir Nair, Passion for Cinema : ...The movie seems to peak and is doing very well only to fall apart when the big Raaz is opened up.... full review

So-So, by aakash gandhi, Planet Bollywood : ...The execution lacks the edge-of-your-seat drive you look for in a thriller. Suri relies heavily on traditional scare tactics that appear wooden and ineffective.... full review

So-So, by Sonia Chopra, Sify Movies : ...Hashmi gives a spirited performance. Adhyayan Suman is far better in this film than his disastrous debut Haal-e-Dil.... full review

Thumbs down, by Martin D'Souza, Glamsham.com : ...You leave the theatre wondering what the mystery was all about!... full review

Thumbs down, by Khalid Mohamed, Hindustan Times : ...To be honest you’re in agony throughout Mohit Suri’s Raaz... full review

Thumbs down, by Rajeev Masand, IBN Live : ...Directed by Mohit Suri, Raaz: The Mystery Continues is a painfully pointless picture in the guise of a spine-chilling spook-fest.... full review

Thumbs down, The World As I See It : ...Dont go for this movie, even if you are bored to death and have nothing better to do!... full review

Twitter reviews for this movie are not available.

2 readers - 1 yays 0 so-so 1 nays

Yay! Thumbs Up, by Pakistani music : nice work done

Nay! Thumbs Down, by i want a boyfriend

This page has additional observations, other than the ones noted in the main review.

Plot Summary

Nandita (Kangna Ranaut) has horrifying visions which look like some supernatural system is at play. Her boyfriend, Yash (Adhyayan Suman) won't hear of it because he doesn't believe in such mumbo-jumbo and actually has a reality TV show which exposes such blind faith. Blind faith Vs. rationality - let the game begin!

Parental Guidance:

Violence: Again, how dare they try for a U/A certificate!? This one is certainly inappropriate for kids.
Language: Loads of gory bloodshed, wrist slits, etc
Nudity & Sexual content: one liplock and one tub scene
Concept: The dead avenging their death by possessing bodies of people alive.
General Look and Feel: Dark, keeps you on the edge and is scary.