The
next
instalment
in
the
YRF
Spy
Universe
is
about
to
take
off
with
War
2
that
boasts
additions
to
its
decorated
cast
but
with
the
same-old
action
baloney.
Despite
its
bonkers
storyline,
the
2019
Siddharth
Anand
directorial
worked
as
a
passable
entertainer
with
Hrithik
Roshan’s
presence
as
an
action
star
and
the
film’s
uber
cool
aesthetic.
Hrithik
returns
to
his
smouldering
super-spy
avatar
in
this
sequel,
with
RRR
sensation
Jr
NTR
serving
as
the
antagonist.
The
first-time
collaboration
between
these
two
superstars
is
probably
the
only
exciting
fact
about
this
venture,
which
otherwise
doesn’t
have
much
new
to
offer.
Ayan
Mukerji,
who
takes
the
director’s
baton
from
Anand,
seems
to
have
powered
the
sequel
with
the
same
elements.
The
two
immensely
watchable
stars
aside,
War
2
looks
like
a
banal
amalgam
of
every
action
flick
we
have
seen
before.
The
teaser
opens
with
a
narration
by
Jr
NTR
whose
menacing
words
try
to
make
him
sound
like
the
ultimate
baddie,
but,
alas,
the
generic
lines
fail
him.
Sample
this:
‘Tu
mujhe
nahi
jaanta,
par
ab
jaan
jayega.’
Gulp!
Hrithik
is
agent
Kabir
with
a
special
focus
on
his
bulked
up
triceps.
The
recreated
theme
music
kicks
in
as
the
showdown
between
hero
and
villain
builds
up.
In
between,
Kiara
Advani
gets
a
brief
intro
and
repeats
YRF’s
tried-and-tested
bikini
formula,
reducing
her
to
a
sexy
prop.
Hope
there’s
more
to
her
character
than
just
shaking
a
leg
with
Hrithik.
What’s
most
surprising
is
the
green-screen
usage
in
the
action
choreography.
Is
it
the
Ayan
Mukerji
factor?
After
all,
the
director
jumps
into
this
project
right
after
his
giant
VFX
misfire,
Brahmastra.
Or
is
it
just
a
hurriedly
edited
teaser
released
in
time
for
Jr
NTR’s
birthday?
Either
way,
the
shoddy
VFX
as
seen
in
the
car
race
and
aeroplane
sequences
make
this
production
look
amateurish.
War
2
opens
in
cinemas
on
August
14.
