War 2 is one of the most awaited films of Yash Raj Films’ spy universe, which tried its best to rock the box office in 2025. The film is directed by Ayan Mukerji and stars Hrithik Roshan, Jr NTR and Kiara Advani in the lead roles. Released on August 14, 2025, the film tried to build on the success of its prequel “War” (2019). The film aimed to engage the audience with a mixed experience of action, thrill and espionage, but criticisms brought it mixed reactions. The complexity of its story and the incompleteness of some characters were disappointing for many viewers, although its high-end visuals and star cast made the film entertaining to some extent.
Movie Overview
“War 2” is essentially a sequel to the 2019 hit film “War”, which like the first one features a story of espionage and high-stakes missions. In this film, Major Kabir Dhaliwal (Hrithik Roshan) once again gets involved in dangerous missions and confronts Vikram Chelapathy (Junior NTR), who is given the task of capturing and bringing him back. The film touches upon many important themes like betrayal, loyalty, friendship and the boundaries of right and wrong. However, the story and character development of the film is weak, due to which the film does not reach its full potential impact to the audience. Despite this, its huge sets, stylish action and big cast make it somewhat watchable.
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Plot Summary
The story begins with the sudden betrayal of Kabir Dhaliwal , which shocks everyone and the mission behind him is conducted by Vikram Chelapathy. As the story progresses, the audience gets to know about the past of both the agents and the secrets hidden between them. Kiara Advani‘s character Kavya Luthra brings a turning point in the story, although her role is not fully developed in the script. The film’s many high-action sequences and exciting moments grab the attention of the audience, but its slow pace and unorganized plot sometimes disappoints the audience. Overall, the story has a lot of potential, but their performance seems limited and predictable.
Cast and Performances
Hrithik Roshan brings energy and intensity to his character Kabir Dhaliwal. His action sequences are superb, and he also portrays the emotional aspects of a conflicted agent well. However, his character is not developed enough in the script, which does not take full advantage of his potential. Jr NTR brings depth and gravitas to his character Vikram Chelapathy. He looks convincing in the role of a man torn between duty and personal relationships, but the inconsistencies in the plot do not allow his performance to be fully exposed. Kiara Advani‘s character brings some interesting twists to the film, but it mainly seems to be a vehicle to move the story forward. Also, Anil Kapoor and Ashutosh Rana have performed well even in limited roles, but their roles fail to add depth to the story. Overall, the performance of the cast is superb on a visual and technical level, but the weak structure of the story does not fully enable their effort.
Direction and Cinematography
Ayan Mukerji‘s direction focuses mainly on the style, grandeur and visuals of the film. The cinematography of the film features grand locations, elaborate sets and brilliant camera angles. The visual effects of the action sequences and stunts are excellent. However, the lack of plot and emotional depth in the film makes it a mere stylized spectacle. The visual appeal sometimes overshadows the depth of the story and the emotions of the characters, making the film a visual delight but weakening the emotional connection. The director’s style is grand and modern to look at, but the effectiveness of the story is diminished in front of this visual brilliance.
Themes and Style
Loyalty, betrayal, moral complexities and the thrill of espionage are the main themes in “War 2”. The style of the film is reminiscent of Hollywood action thrillers, with fast-paced chase scenes, explosive stunts and spectacular visual effects. However, these stylish and glamorous action scenes often detract from the emotional depth of the story. The message of the film and the struggles of the characters are sometimes lost in the story, leaving the audience unable to feel a full emotional connection. The visual style of the film is impressive, but it falls short on the level of story and character development.
Strengths and Weaknesses
The biggest strength of the film is its visual appeal and high-end action sequences. The big sets, grand locations and the technical side of the film make it a sophisticated and high-profile film. Apart from this, the star cast of the film also makes it worth watching, as the presence of a big cast adds depth and charm to the film. But, the weaknesses of the film are weak script and disorganized story. The lack of coherence and depth in the story affects the audience experience. Additionally, the film relies heavily on action and visuals, which reduces emotional engagement and leaves the depth of the characters incomplete. Overall, the promise of the film and its performance do not match.
Audience and Critical Response
“War 2” has received mixed reviews from audiences and critics. The film opened well at the box office in the early days, but soon saw a decline. Critics praised the film’s action sequences and visuals, but criticized the weaknesses in the story, character development and screenplay. Audience experience shows that the film lacks style and visuals as well as emotional depth and story. Many saw it as simply an engaging but superficial action film, while fans of the franchise may find it worth watching.
Ratings
| Category | Rating (/10) |
|---|---|
| Story | 4 |
| Performance | 6 |
| Direction and Cinematography | 7 |
| Visuals / Effects | 8 |
| Entertainment Value | 5 |
| Overall Rating | 6 |
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Conclusion
“War 2” is a high-end visual action film, but it proves weak in narrative and emotional depth. The main attraction of the film is its star cast and grand sets, but the weak screenplay of the story limits it. For fans of the franchise and action film lovers, this film may provide some entertainment, but for the audience looking for depth and strong story, this film will prove to be largely disappointing.