India, Aug. 29 -- The shadow of Abbas-Mustan looms large over War 2, as high-octane fights erupt across various modes of transport and characters hopscotch between being bad and good.

Despite its big stars and bigger budgets, there is not a moment in the latest addition to the YRF spyverse that rivals the unpredictable and cheerful insanity of the Abbas-Mustan films, though. (Remember the Audi that sailed out of and past a crashing plane in Race 2, all thanks to red parachutes attached to its four corners?).

Instead, director Ayan Mukerji's action adventure is boring, and while the audience of War 2 does suffer, the unkindest cuts are reserved for those in the movie.

Kiara Advani's Kavya Luthra is a female lead with so little to do, on...