"War 2" re-produces the "bang-bang-pow" effect of its predecessor, only bigger! Ayan Mukerji presents an action-packed spectacle of spies and mayhem. This sixth installment in Yash Raj Films’ interconnected Spy Universe, however, misses a step or two and ends up playing a round of shadow boxing, thanks to its distracted focus.

The story unfolds with the audacious grandeur of a Bollywood reality show, spotlighting a face-off between two mega stars: Bollywood kingpin Hrithik Roshan and Telugu titan N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (Junior NTR), who's the new blood in his first Hindi-language movie. Roshan is back as Kabir Dhaliwal, the maverick former RAW sniper turned mercenary. On the opposing side, NTR struts in as Major Vikram Chelapathi, a duty-bound soldier on a mission to tackle Dhaliwal who's suspected of aiding a dark and dangerous cabal of rich Asian entrepreneurs called Kali.

The film showcases both stars bursting onto the screen like missiles and sure, it might get you electrified at first, but as "War 2" progresses, it fizzles out, leaving a sense of disappointment. The movie almost tumbles into a repetitive loop where Roshan and Junior NTR try to recreate an unconvincing bromance (despite the Predator-style arm grips) reminiscent of an on-set awkward reunion.

The film is caught in a no-man’s-land between the two poles of action - it's neither side-splittingly outrageous, nor gritty and hard-hitting. The initial impressions of easy combat evaporate into uninspiring set pieces that feel too CGI heavy, without any real geographical context. Viewed from afar, it's not bad, but it lacks the stickiness to make you part of the action.

The plot teeters on the emotional promise of avenging the potential killing of Col. Sunil Luthra (Ashutosh Rana), Kabir's mentor but quickly side steps to awkward flashbacks and under-utilised characters. It’s here where Kiara Advani’s portrayal of Luthra's daughter and wing commander Kavya gets buried in a mess of motives and ideologies that Shridhar Raghavan's screenplay fails to clarify.

"War 2" sets itself on a fun-filled sirenic stage, reveling in chases, fights and extravagant set pieces, but often, the audience can only observe this spectacle through frantic edits. For a sequence that has existed since 2012, it's high time Yash Raj Films aimed higher and offered more to their star-led franchises.

While the movie does set the stage for future crossovers with its debut characters, it seems to lose the nuanced political commentary its sister franchises skillfully showcased by condemning growing right-wing nationalism and promoting unity. Instead, "War 2" loses itself in a sea of “India First” sentiment that distracts from the plot.

Passing the action baton swiftly without adding complexities to the character's personas, the series suddenly appears to be unanchored. While plot twists do arrive in reverse, and in abundance, they only serve to confuse the viewer.

In spite of a runtime filled with seemingly endless climaxes, the film's most rousing portions are the flirty musical interludes featuring Kabir and Vikram, where the actor’s dancing finesse shines brighter than in their action scenes or dramatic exchanges. The most impactful performance, however, comes from the relative newcomer, Hearty Singh, who plays a younger Vikram in a heart-rending flashback.

Though the movie does attempt to create a classic action movie bromance between Roshan and NTR, it stumbles into disappointment. Their screen intensity and bodybuilder physiques may indeed draw crowds, but "War 2" lacks that staying power to keep the audience rooted.