Force 2 Movie Review: Even John Abraham’s Jaw-Dropping Muscles Can’t Keep You Invested In This Bore Of A Film

John Abraham is sincere but watching him chase bad guys in endless chase sequences makes Force 2 rather boring : Abhinay Deo

Around the world, RAW agents are dropping like flies. One dies in such a grisly motorbike accident that his head and body are laying on the road, entirely disconnected. Who you going to call? ACP Yashwardhan of course! For those who haven't see the first film Yash is a 'satkela' Mumbai cop who can stop the bad guys from getting away by simply lifting up the rear end of their car. His arms are a ball and chain. There is no escape.

This is actually the most convincing part of Force 2. I totally believe that John Abraham can lift a car or crush dozens of men with his bare hands even when he has a long nail embedded in his shoulder – though I did wonder if the ACP had had his tetanus shot. It's the rest of the film that is difficult to process.

Writers Parveez Shaikh and Jasmeet K Reen resort to the age-old formula of mismatched partners. So the tough-talking, mildly unhinged ACP is forced to team up with a rule-following RAW agent KK – who turns out to be a woman. She likes preparation and thoughtful investigation. He describes his working style as – gut feel, aggression, common sense. Together they must unravel the mystery before more agents are bumped off.

Director Abhinay Deo starts out well by throwing us straight into the action – several agents are killed before the opening credits end. It's breathlessly quick and instantly intriguing. But the excitement soon fades. Yash and KK are dispatched to Budapest where an elaborate cat and mouse game begins. Force 2 has very little logic. Which I have no problems with! I was ready for popcorn entertainment with a few good lines, snazzy visuals and the adrenalin of espionage. My beef with the film is that it just became a slog.

Take the idea of the female RAW agent as Yash's boss – it's terrific and had the potential for comedy and drama. But the friction fizzles out – mainly because KK is such a lame character. Sonakshi Sinha has proved that she can be an entirely convincing action star but here she is saddled with being a dreary, timid woman who rarely takes the lead. KK's main job seems to be spelling out the obvious. So at one point, as KK and Yash are driving furiously to save an agent, KK says something like: Agle agent ko bachane ko sirf 10 minutes hain. We have to move fast. Or after a huge setback, KK solemnly declares: This is bad Yash. We would have never guessed!

Force 2 is the kind of film in which the villain – Shiv played by Tahir Raj Bhasin – plays the harmonica while bodies fly around him. The action sequences are elaborate and nicely choreographed but they seem to run on endlessly. I got exhausted just watching John chase Tahir all over Budapest rooftops. Tahir is a compelling actor but this character is both broad and under-written. And incredibly, despite the cartoon-level depth, the film wants to position itself as a serious statement on the unsung heroes of India.

John powers through all of this armed with his jaw-dropping muscles, limited acting skills and a ferocious sincerity. But it's hard to care.