War is a battle won by beauty,
specifically Hrithik Roshan’s beauty.
As special agent Kabir, 
the actor is back to putting his
dazzling good looks and suave style into
service the way he did in his debut film
Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai and Dhoom 2.
Director Siddharth Anand and this film 
are just as mesmerized by him as we are.
So in one scene, Hrithik just 
walks out of a helicopter.
He doesn't even run like Shah Rukh Khan 
did in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
But everyone including the colonel 
Kabir reports to, is transfixed.
Kabir's sideburns are grey, 
his face is lined and lacerated.
But this only adds to his weathered gorgeousness.
Later in the film, when a girl 
offers to run away with Kabir,
his junior Khalid says "get in line."
Of course, Khalid is no slouch either.
Tiger Shroff’s ripped abs get their own moment of glory.
But thankfully, in this film, the actor isn't 
only relying on his physical prowess.
The role has more complexities 
than the usual Tiger movie
and the actor delivers.
It also helps that Tiger 
is a self-professed Hrithik bhakt,
so the admiration you see 
in Khalid's eyes is genuine.
Kabir is all about swag and
Khalid is all about sincerity.
They complete each other.
In War, Siddharth gets a chance 
to make a film with two of Hindi cinema's
best action heroes, but mercifully he backs 
the propulsive action with a story.
Of course, War is a popcorn entertainer 
and you can't ask too many questions.
But, if you're willing to suspend disbelief, 
the twists and turns exert a solid grip.
The story, by Siddharth and 
producer Aditya Chopra
and the screenplay by Siddharth 
and Shridhar Raghavan borders on silly,
but it never topples over.
The film also offers a trip to all the places 
you might have on your bucket list.
From Kerala to Bondi Beach
in Australia to Portugal,
each location has been shot like a glossy tourism
catalogue by DOP Benjamin Jasper.
Umpteen overhead shots underline the scale 
of the film and the money that was spent.
Four action directors 
worked on this movie.
Paul Jennings who did The Dark Knight,
Oh Sea Young who did Avengers: Age of Ultron,
Franz Spilhaus who did Death Race: Inferno
and Parvez Shaikh who did
Tiger Zinda Hai.
These men create distinctive set pieces.
So, we get a motorcycle chase, 
an airplane battle
and this two-minute, thirty-second long
bone-crunching sequence
in which Khalid is introduced.
There's also a massively mounted 
climactic sequence on an ice-breaking ship.
But, whether it's land, sea or air, 
Hrithik and Tiger make the action convincing.
I like that their characters aren't unbreakable.
We see them bleed and get exhausted.
Momentarily, at least, they seem fallible.
War isn't trying for depth, but the story 
isn't afraid of being slightly more twisty.
The film is too long 
and the post-interval portion sags.
In places, the narration gets clumsy.
There's a flashback within a flashback 
and the songs are force-fitted.
In fact, the background music 
by Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara
has more impact than 
the two songs by Vishal-Shekhar.
This is, of course, a testosterone-heavy universe.
The women Vaani Kapoor, 
Soni Razdan, Anupriya Goenka
briefly saunter in to provide the emotional centre.
But, War is very much a bromance which
sparkles
because Hrithik and Tiger are combative 
without being competitive.
I had a very good time, 
I think you will too.
