War 2 Review: Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR's electrifying presence saves this over-familiar spy thriller!

Helmed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR is ambitious in its scale but lacks depth in its storytelling. 

It's Independence Day eve, and keeping in line with Bollywood’s tradition of presenting a deshbhakti film during this time of the year, YRF offered the sixth film of its spy universe- War 2 starring Hrithik Roshan and Jr NTR. Two of the biggest stars of the country, an ambitious project and Ayan Mukerji’s reputation as a nuanced storyteller. The stage couldn't have been bigger and I seriously thought I was in for a stylish, action-packed movie with a lot of substance, however, my experience said otherwise.

War 2 is a quintessential YRF spy universe affair which gets grander in scale but follows the template of a globetrotting espionage thriller so ardently that it feels redundant and over-familiar. The film opens in Kamakura, Japan, where we’re reintroduced to Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), the stylish rogue spy, who single-handedly takes on a gang of Japanese warriors in a sword and then an aerial fight sequence laced with slow-mo shots and a pulsating score playing in the background. Kabir, who is now an international mercenary, is approached by a syndicate called ‘Kali’ composed of some of the most influential business tycoons, politicians and military leaders from across the planet for a mission to throttle India’s democracy. After the spy goes out of his way to prove his allegiance to Kali, RAW sets out to hunt down Kabir and hires Vikram, (Jr. NTR) a hard-headed, egoistic, and equally badass Special Unit Officer, who shares some history with the rogue spy. Their cat and mouse chase with over-familiar twists and turns and predictable shifts in loyalty entails the rest of the story.

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When it was first revealed that Ayan Mukerji will be the man in charge of this ‘War’, I expected him to bring in his nuances and layered storytelling in the film, providing it with an emotional grounding that connects with the audience at a human level. However, that wasn’t the case this time. The personal relationships depicted here fail to resonate with the audience and are probably the weakest point of the movie. I was personally disappointed with the unsubstantial role Kiara Advani had in the film as Colonel Luthera’s daughter and Wing Commander Kavya. For someone like Mukerji who presents his female characters as a considerable force in the narrative, Kavya’s role here felt for ‘representation’ purposes only. 

The biggest appeal of the spy franchise lies in its vibrant locales, adrenaline-pumping background scores, and sleek action. The film delivers on the former two, but the outdated and over-stretched action sequences were disappointing to say the least. Few set pieces worked, rest looked poorly choreographed and unconvincing. The poor editing and lack of edge-of-seat thrilling moments added to the miseries of the overall viewing experience. Besides the entry sequences of the two leads, the stunts lacked substance and novelty. Having said that, the film beautifully captures the picturesque locations of Himachal, Switzerland and Spain.

Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR are phenomenal in the film. They look stunning, perform the stunts with ease, and bring out the passion and intensity needed for their characters. Despite lacking chemistry in their scenes together, they were so electrifying in their individual capacities that it makes you overlook it. The other key characters like Anil Kapoor as the new RAW Chief, Varun Badola as a political leader and K C Shankar, the Indian member of ‘Kali’, also provide solid support. Overall, War 2 is all style with little to no substance, strictly for the loyal fans of the franchise and the two superstars of course!

War 2 is playing in cinema halls near you!

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