Tiger (Salman Khan) is a man who has dedicated his entire life to his country – which is why, when a mission crops up, the Indian government is quick to send him to suss out information from a suspect scientist. However, this mission pans out a little differently: he runs into Zoya (Katrina Kaif), the part-time housekeeper of said scientist. In an attempt to woo Zoya to get closer to completing his mission, Tiger ends up being the smitten one instead – leaving him with a difficult decision: duty or love?

Ek Tha Tiger fever has been running high, and the chances of it breaking records is practically guaranteed. But is this going to be the film that both critics and the audience will finally agree on? Read our Pros and Cons list to find out – we keep it spoiler-free, promise!

Pros

+ The action scenes. Superbly directed and well-executed, the stunts are by far the highlight of this film. Salman Khan sets the tone of things to come with a first-rate opening sequence, and even Katrina Kaif gets in on the action a little later in the film. This is her attempt to answer all those people who think her job is just to stand around and look pretty. We already told you she’s been training hard, so if she’s done the stunts herself, then she deserves huge props.

+ It has an across-the-board appeal. Ek Tha Tiger somehow manages to tread the fine line between commercial and sensible cinema – while it’s certainly not the most realistic film out there (you’ve got your share of Physics-defying stunts after all), the film manages not to go into all-out masala mode. This means that while the film is a crowd-pleaser and will pull in the seeti bajao-ing mass, it cannot be firmly fixed in the “brainless entertainer” category.

+ It’s well-packaged. Super action sequences, multiple picturesque locations, stunning cinematography and great direction all make for a visual treat of a film.

Cons

– The acting. Maybe it’s preposterous of me to disparage the guy who is the main crowd-puller in this film, but I think it’s obvious by now that Salman Khan’s mass appeal and his acting talents are two separate and distinct qualities. Here’s the thing: you can pick up almost any actor (Hrithik Roshan, perhaps?) and you’ll probably have someone who can act the role better, dance better, and who even looks fitter (despite one obligatory shirtless scene, Salman does look pretty unfit the entire movie). But you’ll also know, right off the bat, that the film wouldn’t do as well with any other actor – such is Salman Khan’s appeal, I guess. As for Katrina, she’s a mixed bag – she surprises in her action sequences, but is fairly typical in her other scenes. Still, it’s one film she’ll be proud she did, if only because she could showcase a different side of her for portions of it.

– It’s predictable. I’ve heard people refer to this film as a “thriller”, but it isn’t much of one – you can figure out the path the film will take without much difficulty. There’s major focus on the romance element, which steers the film onto a fairly typical route (head-versus-heart debate etc). With less concentration on the romance, Ek Tha Tiger would have been a completely different, more action-packed film, and considering the action is the highlight of the film, that wouldn’t have been a bad idea.

Verdict

Acting and story aside, at the end of the day if you judge a film merely on the parameter of whether it was entertaining or not, then Ek Tha Tiger is a definite watch. It’s got action, romance, a dash of comedy, and two of the biggest superstars in the industry today – all come together to make a flick that’s fun, not too heavy, and a great way to spend a few hours. Go watch!