Dhoom

It's just as well I saw Dhoom 2 first or I'd never have bothered on the basis of this film.

Although I nearly didn't make it through to the second half of the film, it was interesting to see the elements that made it into the sequel. Unfortunately, some of the irritating elements of the film made it into the sequel too!

Negative:

(1) Jai Dixit (Abhishek Bachchan)'s wife, what is the point of these scenes or this character -- I suppose every Bollywood film needs a pretty heroine, but at least give her something interesting to do

(2) the sidekick Ali (Uday Chopra), how annoying can one man be? I couldn't stand the puerile humour he brings to the film -- but he's more annoying in dhoom 2 (the one element in which the sequel is worse!)

(3) poor quality stunts, it was like watching a Bond film starring my least favourite Bond (Roger Moore), especially the speedboat scenes

(4) ridiculously poor marksmanship (e. g. failing to him a motorbike or rider driving straight towards you) followed by a great crack shot (e. g. hitting a gun out of someone's hand froma great distance whilst manouvering a speedboat at great speed); it's always annoying, in so many films, perhaps hardly worth mentioning

Positives:

(1) Abhishek is excellent, and despite hating Ali, I enjoy the relationship Abhishek's character has with him.

(2) John Abraham, as Kabir the thief, is compelling in all his scenes -- there just didn't seem to be a fair amount of them

Also I found the gang scenario much less interesting than the apprentice/love-interest scenario of Dhoom 2.

Finally, the music is awful, the dancing worse, a rare case where I was irritated by songs in an Indian film.

Overall, I say don't bother, and watch Dhoom 2, which is slick, fun, humorous, action-packed