Luck (I) (2009) User Reviews

This is an average movie

[sumanbarthakursmailbox · 5/10 · 19 December 2009]

Now here's the thing about action films. Most of them aren't particularly smart, but you're willing to overlook that if they make for a dramatic and thrilling experience. The problem with Luck is that it's neither smart nor spectacular. Sanjay Dutt stars as Musa, a gambling kingpin who's made a fortune in human betting. His faithful henchman Tamang (played by Danny Denzongpa) is entrusted the job of travelling the world and recruiting the luckiest people he can find to participate in a Fear Factor-style series of dangerous challenges, while loaded gamblers place bets on them. Lured by the promise of a fat cash prize to the one who survives all challenges, a motley bunch of misfits – including Imran Khan, Mithun Chakraborty, Ravi Kissen, Shruti Haasan, Chitrashi Rawat, and a handful of your staple foreign extras from Colaba Causeway – volunteer to jump off helicopters and enter shark-infested waters. Borrowing his premise and key scenes quite liberally from a handful of films including Spanish thriller Intacto, French cult-favorite 13 Tzameti and Hollywood B-movie The Condemned, writer-director Soham Shah delivers a mangled mess of a picture that fails to engage because the characters are all stereotypes and you really couldn't care less if they lost their lives in those dangerous stunts.To be honest, I can think of many reasons why Luck is a dumb film, and chief among them is the fact that there's more bak-bak than dishoom-dishoom, even though it pretends to be an action-adventure. What's worse, every single character in Luck speaks alike, rattling off metaphors, using the third-person and generally dishing out the kind of filmi punchlines that went out in the eighties. The incredibly gifted Danny Denzongpa is saddled with the film's corniest lines including my personal favourite, a dialogue he delivers to a morose Imran Khan. It's priceless, and the film is packed with such gems. The action scenes are all designed to look so cool, there's no nail-biting tension or even a hint of realism when the characters risk their lives in those dare-devil stunts. In all fairness, only one sequence grabs your attention – the film's opening set-piece in which Sanjay Dutt and a handful of others run blindfolded across railway tracks, dodging oncoming trains is a scene to behold. Constructed from a screenplay that relies too heavily on coincidences to take the narrative forward, Luck is ultimately a tiring watch. Of the cast, only Ravi Kissen succeeds in making a real flesh-and-blood character out of his loosely written part, and Mithun Chakraborty and Chitrashi Rawat do the best they can with their half-baked roles. Imran Khan can't rise above the flawed material which doesn't allow him scope to do more than arch his brows, and camera-friendly newcomer Shruti Haasan delivers dialogue with deadpan expressions. Yet it must be said that at least each of them tries. Unlike Sanjay Dutt, who sleepwalks through his scenes again, without making the slightest visible effort to contribute anything of consequence to the film. Luck is often unintentionally hilarious for the clunky dialogue, and particularly for the ridiculous climax scene which is unquestionably the silliest you've seen in years. Indeed only a stroke of good fortune could save this one.

Russian Roulette With The Luckless Souls

[Pratik112 · 5/10 · 29 July 2009]

It was something that I had not expected at all and therefore was rather taken back by its contents. A Mafia kingpin is obsessed by gambling not in the usual way but with peoples lives and he finds those who are in need of money and puts them through tasks, which can result to be very costly if they decide to leave or aren't able to complete.

Starring Mithun Chakraborthy, Sanjay Dutt, Imran Kham, Ravi Kishan, Danny Denzongpa and Chitrashi Rawat. Shruti Hasan, daughter of Kamal Haasan, is introduced in this, while Rati Agnihotri makes a special appearance. This is directed by Soham Shah and Salim – Suleiman provide the music score.

This is Imran Khan's third film in which he is in action for the second time, the previous being "Kidnap" and he is good in some scenes but unfortunately, his character of a person who needs money, goes from convincing to unconvincing as the movie progresses. Shruti Haasan, making her debut in this, has shown signs of potential talent and also has the looks as well and given some time, she will accelerate in this career. But the two actors who were conspicuous throughout are Sanjay Dutt and Danny Denzongpa but the same cannot be said for Mithun Chakraborthy as his was rather on the weak side and felt that much more could have been done to his character but was not.

Director and writer Soham Shah has tried to introduce a new type concept with its theme of gambling and having the characters play Russian roulette and has added on some stunts, which are not anything new but do look spectacular and nothing else. But somehow, the film does manage to keep the audience stick to their seat and yet it fails to click as no one who is in the right frame of mind would play Russian roulette with their lives even if they need money.

This film just does not appeal or click but is just about watchable but unfortunately is a flop.

LUCK = Matrix * Kaante * Deathrace

[quaker-9 · 6/10 · 29 July 2009]

LUCK is a stylish movie with good dialogues and like all other movies which depict high-end action even LUCK had to compromise a little on common sense and logic. I totally disliked KAAL, the same witer-director Soham's 2005 disaster movie! LUCK as a movie could have surely captured a cult-following, but it lacked a constant adrenalin flow.

A few ideas in this movie might look similar to that in Kaante..like the first job assigned to Imran Khan and the concept of gathering a gang for a special task. What similarities to Deathrace? No need to mention if you have seen Deathrace (any old/new) Matrix 1, because Danny in this movie was the Morpheus and Imraan was the Neo. (like many other wanna-be/could-be Neos)

Sanjay Dutt as usual carries of the Underworld shade very well (though he mentions that he is a Busineessman who does "Pure Business" and not a Mafia DON in the movie). Sanjay Dutt sports a new beard style in every new hardcore Mafia movie, Kaante/Plan/etc. etc. I would like to see what is his new beard style since he is done with almost all !! You will get to see him doing his typical "I don't know" type-move when he opens up both of his arms wide and moves his neck and gives a "I-don't-know-anything" facial expression.

Also there are a few unintentional funny scenes : - When Danny helps Imraan get out of the ATM trouble near Fountain and later on after driving for so long drops him there again !! ?? - Where US Embassy in Bombay is located at VT ?? (atleast as per the movie) - Where Imraan Khan can get 3 stamps of "REJECTED", always then and there on the spot on his passport.

I watched this today morning @ Jaipur(India) and I could see localites whistling and clapping on Mithun's performance.. very opposite from a Metro like Bombay.

LUCK is a good watch if you want to get an experience of jumping from a building/airplane/running-burning-train and can't do it, but instead are ready to compromise 2.5 hrs for a similar lukewarm feeling.

LUCK is so BAD..that it should be re-named as " YUCK " :\

[reubenthegreat88 · 1/10 · 10 August 2009]

What's it all about?

A bunch of very 'lucky people' participate in a survival game orchestrated by mafia boss, Karim Moosa (Sanjay Dutt), who is on a mission to establish and lead the human-betting business. Instead of 'survival of the fittest', it's 'survival of the luckiest' here. So you have Ram Mehra (Imran Khan), Major Jawar Pratap Singh (Mithun Chakraborty), serial killer Raghav (Ravi Kissen), sixteen-year old Shortcut (Chitrashi Rawat) and Natasha (Shruti Hassan) relying solely on luck to win this bizarre game of life and death.

Direction & Screenplay

Writer-director, Soham Shah, needs hardcore lessons in script-writing. Shah's story and character development skills are zilch and funnily enough, he always ends up writing the silliest climax imaginable. If Kaal was a nightmare, then Luck is the mother of all nightmares. There were no gargantuan expectations from Shah but it was very disappointing to see Renzil D'Silva's name in the screenplay credits. Isn't he the same guy who wrote Aks and Rang De Basanti?

Performances

Another huge disappointment is in store for those who are expecting Shruti Hassan to match her father's (Kamal Hassan) acting abilities. Alas, the young lady's debut is as thanda as it can get. Shruti's flat dialogue delivery and lack of expression is a big turn-off. Oh, and the bikini-scene is total nonsense. But wait, it doesn't mean that she's devoid of talent. Shruti is a gifted musician and she sings her version of Luck Aazma with much aplomb. Imran Khan is another misfit who looks completely uncomfortable throughout the film. He should stick to rom-coms for now; I'm sure there's plenty of time to experiment later. Bhojpuri bhaiyya, Ravi Kissen, and Chitrashi Rawat are entertaining in their silly roles. Sanjay Dutt and Danny Denzongpa bore you to death with their endless lectures about luck and all that, and there's some more guaranteed boredom with Mithun's cheesy catchphrase, 'Koi Shaque?', last heard in J.P. Dutta's Ghulami.

Music

Salim-Sulaiman's compositions are above average but music in an action-thriller is unnecessary. A robust background score would be more appropriate. Amar Mohile does a good job, aptly supported by Hari Dwarak's impressive sound design.

Stunts

A film like Luck needs a good dose of high-octane stunts but Allan Amin's action lacks punch. Full marks for the opening train sequence, however, the underwater and parachute scenes are not very convincing. Spielberg's Jaws did a better job with the sharks and that was way back in 1975. The climax involving a speeding train, a plane and some explosions is a joke, not because of the stunts but because of the actors who are performing them and the Aazma Luck track that accompanies the entire sequence. Do save a few laughs as there is much more in store for you, thanks to Imran, Ravi and Shruti.

FINAL VERDICT

Luck is a big turkey and it's worse than Soham Shah's mediocre debut, Kaal. Bad luck Soham.

I go with 1* Star for the film LUCK is so BAD..that it should be re-named as " YUCK " :\

On similar lines of Dhoom 2, Race. But bad Luck here - Koi Shaq?

[AvinashPatalay · 11 September 2009]

Luck starts off a good note. The style, action and execution is heavily inspired from Dhoom 2 and Race. Sadly its ends up as an overdose of it. The storyline is good and indeed had the potential to join the league of yet another stylised thriller.

For starters, the "game show/betting" should have been given more screen time for the concept to sink into the audience. Too much time was devoted for Imran Khan's background and too little for a few.

π Imran Khan:: Attempting for a chocolate-hero-to-action-hero makeover too-much-too-fast. Chaacha Chowdhary's inputs required desperately.

π Shruti Haasan:: Lookswise has an uncanny resemblance to Sonali Bendre. In terms of launchpad, Luck is no-doubt a very bad choice in every aspect. Be it too much of skin show or entry into the storyline just before interval. Kamal Hasan's tag/ genes can be too much of weight to bear and it shows. In terms of performance it feels that she is delivering more than warranted. Nonetheless, has a great screen presence.

π Sanjay Dutt:: Sometime ago, he wanted to attempt sequel to Kaante and perhaps the idea has eventually translated into Luck. There are too many similarities as well - for instance the entire assemble in Kaante is orchestrated by Sanjay Dutt. Anyways, in Luck there was no meat to his character.

π Chitraashi:: The character got dwarfed amongst the biggies.

π Mithun:: His track was a straight-lift from "Major" Kaante. Koi Shaq?

π Ravi Kishen:: Desperate attempt to copy Anthony Hopkins, albeit failed one.

π Danny:: Passable.

π Rati & Rupa Ganguly hardly had any presence.

Mr. Renzil D'Silva (Rang De Basanti), you were absolute let-down.

Soham, it obvious that you failed to learn "all-that-it-takes" from the master.

PS:: There is no normal sentence in the movie, every character barks "dialogues".

Poor luckless souls !!

[ThironthoramDude · 3/10 · 27 July 2009]

Please don't mistake the title for the fate of any of the characters, from the movie 'Luck'. It was just an ode to people who had to go through the ordeal (which might just find stark, blunt resonance with the worst of nightmares, that one might have to face in movie hall) of sitting through the 120 minutes of the movie luck.

Right from the opening sequence, where Sanjay Dutt, defies death by running across some 6-7 moving trains which travel with amazing sync through the moment when fully loaded guns fail to fire on a few handpicked lucky heroes and villains to the scene where a bullet rushes through the exact position where an ordinary human being was supposed to have his heart, only to find out "alas ! it is the lucky hero and his heart is placed in some remote area of the body which usually holds something else ! duh !

Then you might ask, for what I gave the movie a 4 out of 10. Well its for the guts of Sanjay Dutt,Imran Khan and Midhun Dada for betting that this is going to work. Shruthi Hassan, I felt, was a different face, from the usual Bollywood heroines. Sanjay Dutt does no justice to what he is capable of, by reprising the roles he did in Musafir, Dhamaal , Dus Kahaniyan and so on!And yes, its also because I did shell out a few bucks to go over to the theater to watch it and would feel that I just threw it away in the wind if I don't give it at least a 4 :) So do you want to be lucky??

Embarrassment to Indian screen writers and movie makers

[rshyleshnair · 1/10 · 9 August 2009]

This was a crappy movie from the get go. I was only held in suspense waiting for danny denzongpa to evolve. Shame on all the idiots who spend money to make such crap. The guy who wrote this screenplay must think he is hot- sorry! dude news flash, go back to school, be intelligent and CREATIVE before writing such crap again. And what drugs was the director and producer doing to get so inspired to make this crap. PLEASE Don't" SPEND your Money to see this. The easy on the eyes actors except for sunjay dutt (you are washed up, bloated and done for with no acting skills left and the same old tired slow walk with slumped shoulders hold no appeal any longer) got wasted in this movie as well. UGH!

A complete entertainer...

[namashi_1 · 7/10 · 30 July 2009]

Soham Shah made his debut as a filmmaker way back in 2005, with the well-made Kaal... four years later, he's back this time around with a flick named 'LUCK'.

Lets this straight: When you watch a film like 'LUCK', don't expect coming out watching a milestone. Such films promise to entertain, that's it! Based on human betting and their LUCK, Shah impresses big time with his slick direction in 'LUCK'.

'LUCK' has its hiccups up, but come on which film doesn't. Logic is not the topic here, entertainment is. 'LUCK' succeeds in keeping the viewers interest alive in those 2 hours and some minutes. Despite a weak climax, 'LUCK' is highly an engaging watch. Slick direction, grind house production value, first-rate performances, excellent background score and cinematography make 'LUCK' indeed worth a watch.

Performances: Mithun Chakraborty is fantastic. His portions are among the high-points of the film. Sanjay Dutt is stylish as moussa. Imran Khan is alright, he doesn't really suit the action-oriented role. Danny is in form after a long time. Shurti Hassan makes a good debut, but she enters the scene only at the interval. She deserved more footage, keeping in mind this is her launch pad. Chitrashi Rawat is first-rate in a brief role. Ravi Kishan is superb, he plays the Grey character with remarkable ease.

All said n done, 'LUCK' is entertainment at its best. Leave your brains at home and go watch 'LUCK', your bound to love it. Thumbs Up!

A spineless thriller without any basic script.

[bobbysing · 2/10 · 5 August 2009]

Indian Cinema has unarguably proved its mastery over the genre of drama and comedy in the past decades. But if we look upon the thrillers made in our part of the world, then there is still lot to achieve as per the International Standards. "Luck" also falls in the same category of thriller movies based on weak scripts relying heavily on its huge star-cast and exciting action sequences. In fact, here we have a movie, made only on an idea of human life being used in the betting mafia and has no basic script heading towards any particular event.

The movie starts off excitingly, introducing Sanjay Dutt as the Don of betting trade participating in a dangerous death race himself. And then the background narration (by Danny) unfolds the entire star-cast with their different individual sequences. Actually, these are those needy people, chosen to play the dangerous life taking games arranged by the betting Don. But surprisingly this introduction chain exceeds its desired limits and continues till we reach the Intermission. In short the first half is only about the Introductions and has nothing in terms of story or content.

So, all expectations are set for an engrossing second half, showcasing a grand thrilling event and a great exciting climax. But sadly nothing goes as expected and we are only made to witness some unexplained and uninteresting sequences leading to nowhere. Usually in a script where few characters are brought together for a purpose, everything moves towards a specific event or a plan which has a great excitement value. But in "Luck", there is neither any striking spectacular event nor a crescendo kind of impact, building towards its climax. The writers are only interested in talking about the idea of betting mafia playing games involving human lives and that's it.

In order to give it an International look, director Soham, emphasizes more on the glossy and technical aspect of the project and less on its lackluster content and storyline. As a result, the movie based on a groundless script, gives no opportunity to any artist in particular to prove his art. In fact, one wonders why veteran artists like Sanjay Dutt and Danny opted for this movie with no great roles written for them. Sanjay, though looks great as the Don, has got nothing new to deliver other than the usual Bhai stuff. Danny is simply, mis-cast as the Sutradhar or the person responsible for getting every player together.

Imran, with a great fan following should be more careful in choosing his projects as this will be his second movie in a row, which fails to impress. Shruti Hassan, who comes just before the intermission, has got great screen presence, but should work on her dialogue delivery as she sounds uncomfortable speaking her Hindi lines. And there was really no need of her Bikini act in the movie as "the script never demanded it".

Mithun Da is completely wasted. He unconvincingly uses his famous dialogue "Koi Shaque" from "Ghulami", which simply fails to generate the similar impact as in the original. Above all, both Ravi Kishan and Chitrashi are able to impress the most with their splendid performances. Among the songs added for some glamour value, only "Aazma Luck" impresses to some extent. Background score on the other hand serves the purpose perfectly. Cinematography brilliantly captures the well directed action sequences both in the air and below the water. But their brilliance goes in vain, in absence of a good storyline and captivating writing.

So, for thrillers fans, the movie may be below their expectations, with no great excitement or special unique points to mention here. And if you are a real movie buff then you surely must have seen many better flicks in the same genre before.

Great action stunts and good concept

[AishFan · 6/10 · 24 October 2009]

Luck has an impressive star-cast full of talented actors--established and new--whom we don't get to see too often. The movie has a unique, twisted storyline where Sanjay Dutt plays a don who runs an underworld betting organization that puts money on certain people's luck. These people have been hand-picked from around the world based on their "luck," which uncannily puts odds in their favor in major tasks, challenges, obstacles, or games. Players get a high gambling on the lives of these "lucky elite" who participate in suicidal tasks.

The film's USP is definitely its amazing action sequences. What is even more surprising is that the stars did actually perform several of the stunts themselves. Skydiving, swimming among shark-infested waters, and running on a train are just some of the beautifully captured scenes in marvelous African locales. Cinematography and special effects are great. Music is quite good too, accompanied with nice videos.

bad luck

[silvan-desouza · 1/10 · 28 September 2009]

Soham Shah after the dreadful KAAL comes with LUCK

He brought a big cast at least Sanjay Dutt and the newbie Imran Khan were the hot ones rest he brought Mithun, Ravi Kissen and others

Thought he had a pipping hot film to do a Dhoom 2

Little did he think that creativity is required

He copied THE CONDEMNED and 12 ZAMETI and made a crap film out of it

The film looks like a big screen version of FEAR FACTOR or KHATRON KE KHILADI but sadly it is treated shabbily

The concept is marred with songs, romance and also the thrill factor is very clichéd and rarely does it thrill The climax is bad

Direction by Soham Shah is bad Music is okay

Stunts are okay at places

Amongst actors Sanjay Dutt looks overweight, tired and just walks around Imran Khan is too stiff Newcomer Shruti Hassan falls flat Mithun is as usual Danny is good Ravi Kissen is okay

Luck 2009 movie is Copied from 2021 Squid Game 😂

[shrddhaa · 10/10 · 2 October 2021]

Luck 2009 shares a Similar Storyline as 2021 Squid Game. But Luck has more Emotional Bollywood masala that this Korean flick.

See Intacto Instead

[CatherineYronwode · 2/10 · 7 February 2010]

If you thought this movie would be a fun way to spend an evening, just ... don't bother. "Luck" is like a cold, heartless alternative-universe version of the subtle and complex psychological thriller "Intacto" with Max von Sydow, which is also about a world championship of luck, with people betting their luckiness against one another.

One major difference between these two thrillers is that "Intacto" has character depth and this flop does not. Consider: the man organizing the "games" here is a mafia boss and the character-bits are just dialed in from the Mafia stock tropes we have all come to expect; in "Intacto" the master of the games is an elderly World War Two concentration camp survivor, and there is a slight possibility of unspoken and non-physical homosexual love between him and the lucky man who arranges his deadly games

If you arrived at this review because you are exploring films about luckiness rather than searching for thrillers per se, there are a number of earlier films that also deal with the theme of luck, mostly in a humorous way. Check out Mantan Moreland in "Irish Luck," for instance.

Farigh movie

[shehrozsalik · 1/10 · 24 January 2018]

Intehai darjay ki farigh movie hai dekh kar time waste mat kren -_-

Dhoom 2 meets Russian Roulette.

[Sherazade · 5/10 · 6 November 2009]

The master of so-called good luck, Moussa (played by Sanjay Dutt) assembles fellow death cheaters from around the world and forces them play against each other (to test the strength of their luck), defy death and survive each round of his sure-kill gambling game.

Sounds like an excellent plot right? I thought so too. But this movie should not have been more than 90 minutes long (and it was good for about 90 minutes) but everything after that just started to test my patience. It had the script, the action, the suspense and the variety yet the director couldn't come to the point in one hour and thirty minutes? He had to drag us along for an extra hour and then some, um, you do that if your movie is superbly excellent not when it's just passable.

Oh! and before I forget, Kamal Hasaan's daughter Shruti debuts as an adult star in a dual role as tough chick Ayesha/timid twin sister Natasha. She shows some promise with her acting skills & helps Imran Khan along with the action & love scenes but not enough to save this film from certain flop-ville.

Replacing the L with an F would be your reaction for the movie altogether

[ankit-singh92 · 1/10 · 15 October 2021]

World knows Imran Khan is a horrible actor. But why does he want to prove it to the world with the worst possible manner ? Shruti Hasan's Hindi is just as great as her father's(pun intended), no big deal. But did she read the script as if it was a zombie movie ? And of course, there's Sanjay Dutt. I get the feeling this movie was made to give incumbent captain of the Indian Cricket Team an identity crisis.

Luck may turn lucky

[urp-don · 10/10 · 28 July 2009]

Director Soham Shah's multi-starrer action thriller is a feast for moviegoers, who love daring stunts. It is one of the best action thrillers of Bollywood. People who love action thriller should not miss it.

The story is based on a betting syndicate run by mafia king pin Kareem Musa (Sanjay Dutt). Kareem Musa takes the game of betting to highest level by involving humans as betting objects.

Musa's aide Tamang (DannyDengonzapa) selects 20 participants from across the globe and assembles them in South Africa for the daring game. The participants have a proved record of extreme luck.

Betters put their money on the participants through Musa. The film starts with a new season. The participants are Ram (Imran Khan), who is a working professional and wants to earn huge money to compensate his father's fraud, Ayesha (Shruti Hassan), Retd. Col Singh (Mithun Chakravorty), who needs money for his wife's operation, Shortcut (Chitrashi) and Raghav (Ravi Kissen), who plays the role of a serial murderer.

All these participants are put into extremely dangerous life taking games of luck and who manages to win the big jackpot amongst them forms the rest of the film.

The movie begins with an exciting scene, in which a blindfolded Dutt cross the multiple railway lines with trains running around in fast speed.

Soham Shah succeeds in getting audience hooked with their respective seats throughout the first half. However, the second half of the movie is very slow but it gets the momentum pre-climax.Luck

A good opportunity was missed

[cseabhi · 17 March 2020]

Luck had every element in it to be a good watch, but it fails big time. The plot is good, it should have been written well. Actors were great in the movie, but then also it does not lives up to expectation.