The prospect of a sequel to Siddharth Anand’s sleek 2019 spy thriller War sounded promising on paper, but witnessing it on the big screen was a test of patience for many.

Directed by Ayan Mukerji, War 2 brings together Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR — two of the biggest stars in their respective industries. But the spy action thriller fails to hit the spot despite the star power. Here are five reasons why.

Old wine in an old bottle

The biggest letdown for War 2 is its familiar plot. Two friends find themselves on opposite sides of an ideological battle. For Kabir (Hrithik Roshan), it is always ‘India First’. But for his long-lost childhood buddy Vikram, aka Raghu, it’s his unbridled ambition and lust for power that drive him to join a worldwide mercenary group known as ‘Kali’ that wants to control the Indian government by installing a puppet prime minister.

The film leans on a template we've seen too many times in action movies — Kabir and Raghu engage in a cat-and-mouse chase and eventually face off in a climactic battle.

Grand stunts, little novelty

Now, action movies aren’t always about groundbreaking stories, but they should at least deliver in terms of thrills. War 2 struggles here as well. The action scenes, though grand in scale, never really take off. Instead of feeling pulse-pounding, they often feel perfunctory.

Let’s not even talk about the laws of physics here. Albert Einstein would throw himself off a train if he saw Jr. NTR jumping off a bridge and running atop a train set for collision with a mountain, only to save a girl dangling out of a car, which itself is struggling to remain static on a roof.

Not to forget, a car chase through a European city that looks straight out of Fast & Furious.

Hrithik Roshan and Jr. NTR are wasted

Hrithik Roshan is undeniably one of the most magnetic stars in Indian cinema, and in War 2, he does what he does best — look good and exude confidence.

His character Kabir, however, lacks depth, which is disappointing given the expectations from a franchise like this.

Jr. NTR’s inclusion was one of the most exciting elements of the film, particularly given his stature in Telugu cinema. But beyond his physical presence and intensity, there’s nothing substantial for him to do. Raghu lacks the charisma of a memorable anti-hero.

When Hrithik and NTR share the screen, you expect fireworks, but the chemistry between them is shockingly flat.

A heroine with agency! What’s that?

The female leads are often the casualty in hero-driven actioners. And when you have two male leads, the heroine is bound to be relegated to the role of a wallflower. And Kiara Advani’s Kavya Luthra is no exception. Kavya is supposedly an accomplished air force pilot, but apart from being Colonel Luthra’s (Ashutosh Rana) daughter and Kabir’s old flame, she doesn’t have much of a role to play in the scheme of things. For a Spy Universe that is soon to come up with a standalone film led by female agents, this is a big letdown.

Ayan Mukerji prioritises style over substance

Ayan Mukerji has built a reputation for his visually striking films, the latest being Brahmastra. But here, his direction feels disconnected. Not just the tacky VFX, it also lacks the emotional depth and the energy that would make it more than just a flashy visual experience.

The pacing issues are particularly meandering. The first half of the film drags, with too much of the screen time wasted on staging whistle-worthy entry moments for the heroes. The second half fares no better — the climax drags on forever, with a plethora of epilogues and post-credit scenes.