War 2 Movie Review: A Kaleidoscopic Carnage of Swagger and Stumbles
Rating: 3.5/5
War 2, unleashed on August 14, 2025, under Ayan Mukerji’s frenetic helm, is a combustible cocktail of adrenaline and ambition, the sixth chapter in the YRF Spy Universe. A sequel to 2019’s War, this cinematic beast roars with Hrithik Roshan reprising his role as the rogue agent Kabir Dhaliwal, a man carved from grit and enigma. Enter Jr. NTR, storming Bollywood’s gates as Vikram, a dynamo of raw menace, joined by Kiara Advani’s sultry poise, Ashutosh Rana’s gravitas, Anil Kapoor’s steely resolve, and blink-and-miss cameos from Alia Bhatt, Bobby Deol, and Sharvari. This high-octane thriller twists like a serpent, delivering a spectacle that dazzles yet occasionally trips over its own audacity. It’s a whirlwind of jaw-dropping action, tangled narratives, and a soundscape that pulses through your veins—but not without flaws that snag its soaring wings.
The Good: A Symphony of Chaos and Charisma
War 2 is a love letter to action aficionados, a relentless barrage of choreographed carnage that redefines cinematic bravado. Mukerji orchestrates set pieces that are pure, unadulterated eye-candy—think skyscraper showdowns in Abu Dhabi’s gilded glow, knife-edge chases through neon-lit streets, and a pre-climax brawl that’s less a fight than a ballet of destruction. Hrithik Roshan, the Greek god of grit, is magnetic as Kabir, his smoldering intensity and chiseled physique making every frame a masterclass in star power. His eyes, pools of haunted resolve, carry the weight of a man dancing on the edge of chaos. Then there’s Jr. NTR, a tornado in human form, whose Bollywood debut as Vikram is nothing short of electrifying. His introductory sequence—a whirlwind of fists, flips, and ferocity—sets the screen ablaze, his Telugu swagger meshing seamlessly with Hindi cinema’s gloss. The chemistry between these titans is a live wire, sparking in every heated exchange, every lethal standoff, their cat-and-mouse game a twisted tango that keeps you glued.
Pritam’s soundtrack is the film’s beating heart, a sonic juggernaut that amplifies the chaos. The dance anthem Salam Anali is a fever dream, with Hrithik and NTR’s synchronized moves—fluid, fierce, and dripping with swagger—making it a viral sensation before the first frame flickered. Social media buzzed with fans calling it “the dance-off of the decade,” and they’re not wrong. Kiara Advani, as the enigmatic Zara, adds a layer of allure, her chemistry with both leads sizzling like a fuse on a dynamite stick, though her role feels frustratingly clipped. The production design is a visual feast, with cinematographer Benjamin Jasper painting locales—from Istanbul’s ancient alleys to Mumbai’s pulsing underbelly—with a sheen that screams big-budget bravado. Advance bookings, raking in over Rs 30 crore, testify to the feverish hype, fueled by the Independence Day release and the Spy Universe’s rabid fanbase. The interval twist—a narrative guillotine—slices through expectations, while the pre-climax delivers a gut-punch that leaves you gasping. It’s a film that knows how to seduce its audience, wrapping you in its glossy, explosive embrace.
The Bad: A Tangled Web of Missed Opportunities
For all its pyrotechnic glory, War 2 stumbles in the shadows of its own ambition. The screenplay, a patchwork quilt by Shridhar Raghavan and Abbas Tyrewala, is a labyrinth that promises depth but delivers detours. The plot twists like a corkscrew, but often it’s more convoluted than clever, leaving you dizzy rather than dazzled. The first half creeps at a maddeningly glacial pace, bogged down by expository quicksand that feels cribbed from every spy thriller playbook. Kabir’s motivations, though layered with trauma, are glossed over, while Vikram’s backstory is a fleeting whisper, leaving you craving the meat of his mission. This lack of emotional scaffolding makes their high-stakes duel feel like a hollow spectacle at times, a parade of punches without the soul to back it up.
The VFX, while ambitious, occasionally falter, with some sequences—like a CGI-heavy chase involving Vikram—looking more like a video game cutscene than a cinematic triumph. Posts on X echoed this, with fans groaning about “plastic-y effects” that jar against the film’s polished veneer. The Spy Universe’s signature tropes—double-crosses, shadowy cabals, and globe-trotting intrigue—feel recycled, lacking the fresh zing of its predecessors. Critics, especially overseas, have skewered the film for leaning too hard on style over substance, with one review calling it “a gorgeous shell with a hollow core.” The emotional beats, hyped as the film’s backbone, land with a thud, diluted by a script that prioritizes flash over feeling. Kiara’s Zara, despite her spark, is reduced to a plot device, her potential lost in a sea of macho posturing. The box office clash with Rajinikanth’s Coolie doesn’t help, with some fans on X dubbing War 2 “the Spy Universe’s weakest link,” a sentiment that stings given its pedigree. The narrative’s ambition to weave a complex web unravels into a tangle, leaving you yearning for the tighter storytelling of Pathaan or Tiger 3.
The Verdict: A Thrilling Yet Flawed Firestorm
War 2 is a cinematic beast that roars loud but doesn’t always bite deep. It’s a rollercoaster of visceral thrills, with Hrithik and NTR serving as twin engines of charisma, their every move a testament to star power. The action is a fireworks display, the music a pulse-pounding anthem, and the visuals a glossy dreamscape. Yet, its narrative stumbles, tripped up by a script that’s more labyrinth than roadmap, with VFX missteps and recycled tropes dulling its shine. It’s a film that seduces with spectacle but frustrates with its failure to dig deeper, leaving you both exhilarated and empty. For fans of high-octane chaos, it’s a must-watch, a testosterone-fueled fever dream that delivers in spades. But for those seeking a story as sharp as its stunts, War 2 is a dazzling misfire, a twisted tale that soars yet staggers under its own weight. Catch it for the rush, but don’t expect it to linger in your soul.
