War 2 Review

If you want to build a film universe, you need a solid script as its foundation. Yet, the YRF Spy Universe has been challenging this rule since its debut with Ek Tha Tiger. Now, with its sixth chapter, War 2, the franchise proves once again that it can keep audiences hooked without any intricate storytelling, riding just on star power, high-octane action and lavish production design.

In War 2, Kabir Dhaliwal (Hrithik Roshan), once a top Indian intelligence agent, has gone rogue, rising to become the most feared operative in the shadowy Kali Cartel. Their mission is audacious: assassinate the Prime Minister of India and seize control of the nation.

To stop him, the government turns to Special Units Officer Vikram (NTR Jr), an elite agent famed for his precision and unshakable resolve. But a twist emerges - Kabir and Vikram were childhood friends. In this high-stakes game of loyalty and betrayal, the question looms: Who is truly the rogue agent - and will the Kali Cartel's plan succeed?

War 2 belongs to NTR Jr. Sure, the high-octane action is there - but that's a given for this franchise. What truly drives the film is the combined star power of NTR and Hrithik. The story seems engineered purely to pit them against each other in as many duels, and for as long, as possible. The result? A rollercoaster of stylised fights, high-speed chases, gravity-defying stunts, and sweeping backdrops from Italy and Spain to Abu Dhabi and Mumbai - delivered at the expense of actual storytelling.

At three hours long, the film is so consumed by Hrithik-NTR showdowns that major plot elements are ignored, trimmed or left unexplained. The Kali Cartel's motives, its members and its history are reduced to a single throwaway line: they want to assassinate the Prime Minister and take over the country. In the real world, it's never that simple. Worse, when our superdudes confront cartel members across many countries (Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, France... I lost count), they dispatch them as effortlessly as predators picking off helpless prey, leaving the antagonists with no real bite.

Even the protagonists' backstories feel like unfinished sketches. Kabir's mother dies, his father commits suicide, and he ends up on the streets. How and why? Don't ask. Colonel Sunil Luthra (Ashutosh Rana) visits a juvenile rehab centre where Kabir and Vikram are lodged. He recruits Kabir because of his "India first" and "death before dishonour" ideals, rejecting Vikram for his "Vikram first" motto. Yet midway through the film, Vikram is suddenly working for RAW. How? Again - don't ask.

As the movie is action-oriented, it's worth mentioning a few physics-defying sequences that are downright laughable. Two, in particular, come to mind. First, Vikram reaches an enemy-infested archipelago not by plane or boat, but by clinging to a drone barely larger than the ones used for aerial photography. Second, there's a fight scene inside a charter plane flying at full speed - with its door wide open. The hero stands on the doorway, and not even a strand of his hair moves. Never mind the fact that flying a plane with its door open is impossible - it defies the very principles of aerodynamics.

Making up for all the flaws however are the performances of the movie's four key actors - Hrithik Roshan, NTR Jr, Kiara Advani and Ashutosh Rana. While none of their characters is particularly well-written, the actors elevate them through sheer charisma, solid acting and high-impact stunt work.

Whenever Hrithik or NTR appear on screen, they own it. But when the two share the frame - whether locked in conflict or moments of camaraderie - they set it ablaze. Sure, their action scenes bend the laws of physics beyond recognition, but the execution is so slick and the energy so electric that you can't help but be impressed. In the few emotional beats where punches and bullets take a back seat, they manage to connect with the audience through genuine emotion.

Ashutosh Rana, reprising his role as Colonel Luthra from War, has limited screen time here. Yet, even in this brief appearance, he demonstrates his ability to slip into any character with chameleon-like ease.

Kiara Advani, playing Hrithik's love interest and a fellow Indian forces operative, gets a balanced mix of glamour and grit. Sun-soaked bikini shots on exotic beaches to intense hand-to-hand combat and gunfights, she proves she can hold her own in both style and action.

Though Anil Kapoor is all over the posters, his character - RAW chief Vikrant Kaul - is blink-and-miss. All he does is fire a barrage of bullets from an automatic gun inside a parking lot, albeit with his trademark swag.

The background score, action choreography and cinematography are all top-notch. The makers claim a budget of Rs 400 crore, but on screen it looks like even more. Barring a poorly rendered CGI wolf, everything feels lush, polished, and on par with the scale of the Mission: Impossible series.

In the end, War 2 is a solid one-time watch for anyone seeking a pure cinematic adrenaline rush despite its weak storyline - and an absolute keeper for die-hard action enthusiasts. The movie ends on a high note, teasing a bigger and more emotionally charged next chapter, with the same duo reprising their roles. Let's hope for a better story next time.