Tiger 3 Movie Review: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif film sparks to life only intermittently

Tiger 3 story: Tiger (Salman Khan) and his partner Zoya (Katrina Kaif) face a harrowing personal threat when a vengeful terrorist, Aatish Rehman (Emraan Hashmi) from Pakistan, issues an ultimatum— they must comply with his demands or risk losing their son to a brutal fate.

Tiger 3 review: ‘Tiger 3’ continues the saga of YRF's spy universe, with the same old premise of a highly motivated terrorist harboring an utterly misplaced idea of patriotism. Shridhar Raghavan’s story serves as a canvas for director Maneesh Sharma to put up a high-octane action show that weaves the elements of duty, personal sacrifice, and patriotism.

Bhai fans can rejoice, as he looks fresh and back in perfect form. He goes all outperforming dare-devil stunts that not only defy death and gravity but also logic. Nonetheless, it’s a full-blown visual spectacle.

The narrative is packed with constant thrills and plot twists, many of them predictable but snackable too. Anay Goswamy’s breathtaking cinematography deftly captures the scale of this globe-trotting espionage saga that seamlessly travesses across Europe, Russia, Istanbul, India, and Pakistan.

Emraan Hashmi shines as the ruthless antagonist, Aatish, despite a very cliched characterisation that lacks conviction. While the film leans on familiar spy genre elements, inspired by Hollywood hits and many Bollywood blockbusters, it ensures there’s no dearth of adrenaline-pumping action sequences.

This time though, the film’s leading lady Katrina Kaif gets a well-defined character arc with a convincing backstory, a solid motive, and context. Katrina pulls off an action-heavy role with ease, kicking some serious butt. Her fight scene in Towel with Asian American actress Michelle Lee is nicely done.

Despite its expected storyline and reliance on established spy movie tropes, 'Tiger 3' navigates a delicate balance between showcasing patriotism and overdramatising it. The timely cameo by Shahrukh Khan as Pathaan is integrated seamlessly into the story. It’s sure to hit home with the fans of both the Khans.

This time around, Pritam’s music falls short of leaving a lasting impact. The writing tends to portray Pakistan as the perennial antagonist without delving into nuanced motivations and the complex geo-political landscape of the continent.

The dialogues lack the punch to evoke constant applause and seetis from Bhai fans. Despite such heavy dependence on VFX, ‘Tiger 3’ lacks the required finesse in many scenes, much like its jarring background score (by Tanuj Tiku). The swift pacing makes up for many flaws, with a taut edit by Rameshwar S. Bhagat.

But overall, 'Tiger 3' qualifies as a good addition to the franchise with enough ammo for mass entertainment.