But any and all promise is ultimately short-lived, as the script comes undone in the end with a twist that is underdeveloped and underwhelming to say the least. It’s so lazy, in fact, that it’s not even true to the film’s own logic.
It’s got its moments, but that’s all there is.

The trouble with a full-on masala film going in search of a plot is evident in the way the film unspools. The bare bones are borrowed from Telugu thriller Kshanam, but the fillings are all strictly Bollywood.

This remake of a 2016 Telugu thriller Kshanam, is an improvement on the generic Tiger Shroff action movie. At least the action is grounded in some emotion…

I suspect I will be reviewing Baaghi 8 in the near future. Perhaps by then, Hindi cinema will have moved on from believing that the Indian Army is composed of heartbroken college boys who decide to substitute women for country.

Baaghi 2’s plot is simple. It’s also a copy. And yet three writers were required to collaborate on its screenplay.

The best thing I can say about Baaghi 2 is it does have its moments of ‘so bad it’s good’ gratification in Prateik Babbar’s hammy dope head, the babyish wailing of a constable assisting Hooda and Tiger’s bizarre boss, the guy could put caricatures to shame with his ‘The war is over’ solemnity.

What a circus!

At 2 hours and 25 minutes Baaghi 2 seems a little too long. With better editing and a taut screenplay this one could have packed a stronger punch. Nonetheless, folks who enjoy mindless, stupid and impossible action could watch this film to kill time.

If you enjoy videogames where all your favourite character does is beat the opponents to a pulp then you will definitely like ‘Baaghi 2’. I didn’t. Obviously, I enjoy good cinema more than I enjoy a good videogame.

Hollywood gave us Rambo and his ilk in the late 80s. Bollywood seems to be still stuck there. Baaghi 2 is pure homage to these bad action flicks. It’s full of corny manufactured situations and characters, and dialog that make you choke on the cheese nachos. So bad, it’s good.

Baaghi 2 is a few notches better than its predecessor, which is saying a lot. And the only saving grace we could argue is that Ronnie joined the armed forces to vent the rebellion born out of his failed love story, which in the narrative is taken for granted.

Baaghi 2 desperately hopes that slow-mo shots of the hero’s abs and his stunts, set against blaring background scores, can uplift a dull narrative. Unfortunately, the audience today is far more discerning than that.

Somewhere, the film falls short of a crisp 2018 entertainer modeled on the lines of retro classic Hindi movies. After the first three frenzied days for Shroff fans, it is likely to face an uphill task at the box-office.