War 2 Movie Review: Ayan Mukerji Taints Franchise, Sends Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR On A Mission Of Love And War

War 2 Movie Review: Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani starrer War 2 released in the theatres on August 14, alongside Rajinikanth's Coolie. Helmed by Ayan Mukerji, the film is part of the YRF Spy Universe, which includes the Tiger franchise, Pathaan and the upcoming Alpha. It was one of the highly anticipated movies of the year, given the cross-industry collaboration and the introduction of Jr NTR to the hardcore Hindi cinema audiences. However, without a doubt, the RRR star's much-hyped Bollywood debut movie does not do justice to his talent.  

War 2 has a blockbuster opening, drifts away in the middle, but returns to form towards the end. One of the negatives in the movie is its long runtime, which could have been easily reduced by chopping off the mundane. While War (2019) was all about Kabir (Hrithik) turning rogue to protect the nation, War 2 is all about him reuniting with his long-lost friend-turned-foe Vikram aka Raghu (Jr NTR). The first half sets up the plot for frenemies Kabir and Vikram, leading up to their intense face-off. They are childhood friends from a Mumbai slum, but get separated when Kabir decides to choose a better future, leaving Raghu furious and hurt. While Kabir grows up to be Major Kabir Dhaliwal, the almost perfect R&AW warrior, Raghu too decides to join the force as an intelligence officer, Vikram Chelapathy, but with an aim to destroy his 'dhokebaaz' friend Kabu (Kabir).

What sticks out as sore is the bromance between Kabir and Raghu. Is there more than friendship at play? Makers have kept this hidden, but there are some subtle hints at brewing tension. A conversation towards the end sheds more light in this regard.

Ayan Mukerji showed promise in delivering big-screen spectacles after Brahmastra. However, he doesn't seem the best one cut out for this scale, it appears. The Brahmastra learnings are totally lost on him. Several dialogues in War 2 are childish, and the lyrics of the song Janaab-e-Aali is nowhere near the prequel's hit track Jai Jai Shivshankar or the other Spy Verse songs. Interestingly, this time, Ayan seemingly decided to take a leaf out of SS Rajamouli's book. Each time Jr NTR would enter a scene in War 2, a roaring sound would play, reminding viewers of Komaram Bheem's larger-than-life intro in RRR.

Ayan arguably has failed to do justice to Jr NTR's star image. Although Jr NTR plays the antagonist, his performance did not compare to John Abraham's portrayal of Jim in Pathaan, which left the audience in awe despite limited screentime. It seems that Ayan could benefit from more oversight on his work before his films are released.

The elaborate action sequences are the film's highlights, sending a chill down the spine of the audience. War 2 has high-octane action blocks, heightened in delivery with VFX. Ayan takes notes from his previous release, Brahmastra and does a better job here. The overall execution of the action scenes is outstanding and enhances the appeal of the movie. He successfully introduces surprise elements, though their impact on the plot is limited.

Did we forget Kiara Advani? Well, that's how little she has contributed to War 2. Or should we say she is reflecting the maker's perspective on spyverse heroines? Apart from her viral bikini scene, she does well in action scenes. However, she still falls into the category of prop actresses since the entire plot focuses on the reunion of Kabir and Vikram aka Raghu. Her role as a soldier is limited and without any significant impact. Kiara's performance is better than Deepika Padukone in Pathaan, but she doesn't measure up to Katrina Kaif in the Tiger franchise. Katrina is the only heroine in the Spy Verse portrayed as a soldier while also receiving respectable screen time and depth in her character.

As the saying goes, war is about choices, and the same applies to watching movies. If the filmmakers had taken the time to thoughtfully develop the storyline and runtime before creating the sequel, it could have been an experience worth the viewers' time. However, if you are a Hrithik Roshan fan, then you are in for a treat. That said, he disappoints by not tearing off his shirt even during the climactic showdown.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars

Also Read: Coolie Movie Review: Lokesh Kanagaraj Searches Desperately For A Voice Outside LCU With This Boring Rajinikanth Starrer