The movie Heropanti 2 tries to mix Bollywood-style action at a high octane with contemporary cyber-thriller drama, but it rather fails to stick with a reasonable narrative pace. The plot of the film is based on a gifted hacker Babloo Ranawat who gets involved in international espionage, having an opportunity to focus on the aspects of cybercrime, character and heroism. Nonetheless, much of the story does not flow well, action and plot sequencing seem to not necessarily blend, so one may not be completely immersed in what happens in the narrative. The transition of a guy being a vigilante and helping people during the night to a secret agent who is also involved in the global warfare is ambitious, which cannot provide the story finesses required to keep one throughout.
The visual and the theme of the movie talks about darkness and heroism, night as a metaphor for off-the-stage war. However, it is poorly toned out as it swings between noir serious action thriller scenes and cartoon-ish Bollywood plot drama. This contradiction impedes the investment of emotion and it is hard to relate to the characters or determine the stakes. The acting is satisfactory, and the lead actor strives to show a complex, high-tech superhero, yet the characters are not developed, they stay more like wheels of the action rather than actual people. Stylish visuals and the CGI effects, particularly in the scenes in Russia, serve the production well, but the editing is choppy and the pace not very consistent, thereby reducing the overall impact.
Although the movie has remarkable special effects and a throbbing score, it is not sufficient to take the story to the next level, whereby it will not be considered simply as entertainment. The dialogues are rather functional than the memorable, and the effort of the film to mix patriotism, heroism, and technology seems to be a waste of opportunity. The theme of darkness and night as the instrument of power is strength-like, yet not entirely developed. Finally, Heropanti 2 impresses visually and provides the viewer with some excitement, yet, in regard to the depth of narrative and emotional appeal, the film fails to produce the desired effect of reality creating a feeling of missed opportunities.
