Bollywood sweetheart YRF Spy Universe is back with War 2, the action spectacle of blockbuster scale featuring Jr. NTR and Hrithik Roshan for the first time on screen together. Directed by Ayan Mukerji and produced by Aditya Chopra under the promise of an electric blend of star power, action, and suspense. It succeeds to some extent but the execution doesn't.

STORYLINE

Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), a former RAW agent turned contract killer, is on the hunt for high-priority targets. Global cartel 'Kali' approaches him to destabilize India and eliminate RAW. Agent Vikram Chalapathi (Jr. NTR) is contracted to eliminate him subsequently. The film explores Kabir's hidden agendas, his past with Wing Commander Kavya Luthra (Kiara Advani), and Vikram's actual personality as the game of cat and mouse unfolds. Betrayals with action, and emotional undertones punctuate the narrative.

Positive Points

The biggest plus point of War 2 is its strong casting — Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR share a unbelievable on-screen chemistry with each other. Their intro scenes are well-timed, and the opening chase scenes are taut on energy in the first half. The interval twist creates interest in what comes next. Hrithik is style and swag, and NTR is intensity and grit, both doing justice where script limitations are involved. Action sequences, although at times dragged down by unbalanced VFX, are otherwise taut on energy, and the background score by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara does justice to creating tension.

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Negative Points 

Where the promise is, War 2 disappoints with a by-the-numbers first half and a lackluster second half. Although the idea of two grey-shaded leads is intriguing, the story does not reach for the emotional and dramatic potential. The second half has no highlight sequences, and the cat-and-mouse game is infuriating to watch. Pritam's tracks are unremarkable, there is underusage of choreography despite the stars dancing skills, and the editing can be sharper.

Overall: War 2 is a stylish but uneven spy thriller that is only memorable for its performances and some well-choreographed action sequences. Better than some of the recent franchise fare but short of the compelling narrative and emotional pull needed to make it truly memorable.