What's it about: Inspired or not, Acid Factor opens with an engaging premise.

Set against the backdrop of an acid factory, we are introduced to Fardeen Khan who wakes up not knowing where and who he is. Suffering from amnesia, he soon stumbles upon four other people (Aftab Shivdasani, Dino Morea, Manoj Bajpayee and Danny Denzongpa) waking up in a state of haze and nausea.

It doesn't take long for the guys to realise they are in a mousetrap and the cheese is far from their reach! A flashback reveals the identity of these guys and how they landed in the factory. Sketchy and incomplete, the details trickle in, slow and steadily.

Irrfan and Dia play the bad guys and the climax goes OTT in its effort to establish the film as an action thriller.

What's hot: Technically, the film has its moments. Camera work and action scenes are aesthetically crafted where required.

As an ensemble, the casting works, though the same can't be said about their characterisation. Verma succeeds in playing a cat-and- mouse game in the first half.

Despite the restrictions of the premise and setting, he weaves engaging subplots that keep the pace moving.

Manoj and Irrfan impress with their antics while Fardeen is competent. Dino is effortlessly charming.