Murder 2. One wonder what it takes to call a film a sequel if they simply change everything except a star and since there is a murder they say it is a sequel? For what? To get an initial like Phir Hera Pheri & Raaz 2? Murder 2 is no sequel. The genre is different, the characters, Cast except one, the place it happens, the director - literally almost everything - is different. In fact the villain (?) of Murder is the Hero of Murder 2, (also the fate of the villain too reversed in some way), means it is equal to have a black couple having a white baby. So, that is done. Let us now look Murder 2 as an independent film.
A serial killer of woman is on the loose. In the Christmas New Year season where most tourists barge to beach city of Goa, many women are missing, including foreign nationals. City police have no clue whatsoever. When one of the flesh trader lost 4 of his ’girls’, he hires an ex cop, Arjun (Emraan Hashmi) to trap the culprit. A trap is been set but without the knowledge of Arjun and the life of the girl is in danger. Arjun is desperately trying to save the girl, Reshma (Sulagna Panigrahi) where he feels he is responsible for her fate. Arjun meets the villain and identify him in the midnight on a road and on his attempt to capture him both of them lands in police station. Arjun have a bad reputation and the officers don’t believe him to begin with. To their surprise but, the villain admit and confess all his crime. The story begins.
Murder 2 is contrasting in nature, in every department. That is good and bad, it depends how you look at it.
Let us begin with the story. The story is interesting in most of the time but at times we feel get bored. It is written well at some places but not so good at other places where the logic takes a back seat and conclusion of convenience takes place. The same goes with Direction and pace of the movie. The first 25 to 30 minutes of the movie were as lazy as the sunlight in summer days where the writer, director and editor competes each other to make the proceedings slow, spending more than required time to establish characters and situations and including what is avoidable. When I was about to write off the movie as such comes the rocking, smash hitting, shocking and well executed scenes one after another to makes the interval all interesting. The second half took a slow beginning again without direction reflecting the protagonist’s situation, but the pace got increased after some 10 or 15 minutes and sooner we have a hard hitting horror cum suspense thriller effect. The pre climax was more gripping than the original climax to makes it as a decent watch.
The performance too is a mix bag. Emraan Hashmi did an ok job but no additional point will be adds to his performance list; this is not Emraan’s best performance but an average Emraan show. Jacqueline Fernandez failed to express the emotions whatever required in scenes and at the end got sidelined. Wait, don’t write off the film’s performance as such, I told you; it is contrasting again. Watchout for excellent performance by two actors now. Prashant Narayan steals the show and more! In all scenes where he is part is simply lively. And to say ’only from his introduction the movie got its life’ is the truth. Then, arrives another surprise in the form of Sulagna Panigrahi, a beautiful face with a will and skill to act. Together the focus of the movie got changed for the merry of audience with added points for performance.
Now, how can it be different for Cinematography? There too the contrast exists! If one says it is shot by two directors and two cinematographers, I can buy it easily where the quality of cinematography was entirely different in different parts. So, we can say it is inconsistent, a rarity for a Bhatt camp movie. Then, take relief in the fact that cinematography is excellent in scenes which does matter the most.
Music is one department where the contrast is not that evident like others. Unless one compare it to the prequel songs, music is quite good. It has the hangover of earlier movie songs, but maintains the typical Bhatt camp stamp everywhere. Then, it is a compliment and a de-facto a reason for repetition.
Having said all, Murder 2 is a suspense thriller with some horror value in it (thanks for the gruesome and shocking scenes). There is blood and black everywhere. The movie is contrasting in nature in most of the departments; it means there is excellence at many places though skips at some other places. With some corrections, it had the potential to become one of the best suspense thrillers. As such it is a good watch, not a must watch. Completely no for soft hearted people and children (as the scenes are bound to revisit the viewer in their dreams) it is a good treat for people who love suspense thrillers and horror films!