'Dum Maaro Dum' is a decent watch though one strongly believes that if only the momentum as created at the beginning would have sustained till the end, this keenly antcipated film could have been a new chapter in the genre of suspense thrillers.
At the very onset you realise that Sippy was pretty clear about the direction he wanted 'Dum Maaro Dum' to take. The cards are laid out well with Abhishek Bachchan bringing on the angry young man avtar that his illustrious dad had patented in the 70s. So one gets to see the hero, a villain [Aditya Pancholi - pretty much modelled on the lines of Ajit and Prem Nath] and smuggling of 'maal', in this case - drugs.
You do become a part of all the action, especially around the time when Prateik finds himself caught after being mislead into being a career of drugs. Even though another lead protagonist, Rana Daggubati, stays on to be a silent spectator for most of the times, especially when his girlfriend (Bipasha Basu) too strays a distance away, you are gripped into the storyline courtesy Abhishek who is pretty much in form here.
The second half does tend to go a little haywire at a place or two, especially when the drama shifts to Rana-Bipasha story that threatens to kill the ultra strong build up that was put together by Rohan and his team during the first half. Still, in every interaction that Abhishek has with Aditya and the other thrilling moments that come at regular intervals, 'Dum Maaro Dum' does get back on track.
However what happens during the last 20 minutes is what pulls back 'Dum Maaro Dum' in a big way. Revealation of suspense is bound to see extreme reactions coming it's way as it just a little too convenient. That too could have been okay but the biggest sacrilege that the writer makes is to totally sideline Abhishek Bachchan's character which leaves one with a sense of emptiness.
If one puts aside the (anti) climax, 'Dum Maaro Dum' still has good things to offer at least during the first half. The series of events that lead to Prateik being arrested (the one involving a bag), the interaction between Abhishek and the Minister, 'Thayn Thayn' which actually takes forward an important sequence - each of the sequences make you totally engrossed in the narrative.
Unfortunately though the second half is marred by some mediocre sequences. Aditya Pancholi is defeated a little too conveniently, Vidya Balan's (playing Abhishek's dead wife) repeated 'spirit' act doesn't make you emotional while the hunt for the main villain eventually leads to nowhere.
Technically though the film is top notch with Goa being captured like never before. Background score is top notch and the narrative pattern (especially in the first half) reminds one of films like 'Snatch' and 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels'. Dialogues are terrific for most part of the film, especially the ones mouthed by Abhishek.
Abhishek seems effortless in his cop act and it is due to his character being so powerful that you want him to finish off the episode as well. Pancholi returns after a hiatus (if one ignores his 'Striker' act) and leaves a solid impact. Bipasha is good though just like 'Aakrosh', here too she finds herself in troubled shores. Rana Daggubati has a good screen presence and a great physique. He plays the vulnerable part well though in future one would want to see more varied range of expressions from him. Prateik Babbar is in a role that could have been handed over to any other junior character artist.
One watches 'Dum Maaro Dum' with huge expectations. You look forward to something cutting edge, exciting and stylish with a different storyline which is a complete edge of the seat entertainer. Well, by the time interval point flashes, you get all of this and more. However it is the concluding reels of the film that make you feel the drama slipping away and leaving you a lot more thirsty than what you would have bargained for.
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