War 2 Review:
Rating: 2.5/5
By ( anrwriting ✍✍✍)
Story:
War 2 follows two friends—Kabir (Hrithik Roshan) and an unnamed character played by NTR—whose personal choices send them down very different paths, only for those paths to cross again in a way that impacts the nation’s fate. Their motives, conflicts, and final showdown form the core of the story.
Performances:
Hrithik delivers exactly what audiences expect from him in a franchise like this—magnetic screen presence, impeccable style, and the ability to hold the frame effortlessly. His introductory action block is gripping, and he looks every bit the suave spy. That said, his role is written without much depth, giving him only scattered moments to flex his acting chops.
NTR:
Joining the YRF Spy Universe was a bold move for NTR, but the end result is far from satisfying. From the styling to the characterisation, his role feels undercooked. Even his high-energy entry sequence, clearly designed for South Indian fans, comes across as forced. The writing doesn’t give him much to work with, leaving the character unremarkable and underutilised—a glaring missed opportunity given the scale of the film.
Others:
Kiara Advani has almost nothing substantial to do beyond a song and a handful of love-track scenes. Anil Kapoor appears in just a couple of abrupt, blink-and-miss moments. Ashutosh Rana is solid in his part, but no other supporting performance stands out.
Analysis:
Ayan Mukerji opens the film with promise—Hrithik’s Japan-set introduction is slick and engaging. Unfortunately, from there until the interval, War 2 slips into a painfully familiar template. Formula alone isn’t the real problem here—action thrillers can get away with familiar beats if the execution is fresh. The problem is that the action blocks themselves lack novelty or real adrenaline.
The camaraderie, tension, or verbal sparring you’d expect between two such massive stars never materialises. Conversations stay at the surface level, and the character arcs lack emotional punch.
The second half offers a marginal improvement with one decently designed action sequence early on, but the core issues remain. The build-up to the action is weak, tension is missing, and the heroes’ characterisation stays static. A late emotional scene between Hrithik and NTR works to a degree, but the wrap-up that follows is flat and underwhelming.
Music & Technical Aspects:
Pritam’s songs are passable but far from memorable, while his background score starts strong but loses steam as the film progresses. Cinematographer Jasper delivers the glossy, high-budget visuals one expects from YRF, though without any fresh visual identity. Aarif’s editing strugglesseveral stretches feel slow and drag, particularly after action blocks. Production values meet YRF’s usual standard but offer nothing surprising.
Verdict:
War 2 should have been a landmark North–South star collaboration in the YRF Spy Universe. Instead, it feels like a textbook case of wasted potential routine story, uninspired action, underdeveloped characters, and a squandered combination of two powerhouse leads. Watch it only if your expectations are low and you’re content with a handful of isolated moments rather than a truly engaging spy thriller.
