Pushpa 2: The Rule, the sequel to 2021’s Pushpa: The Rise, is an ambitious event film that promises much but delivers little. Writer-director Sukumar Bandreddi and star Allu Arjun bring a new level of intensity to the franchise, but the relentless pace and lack of stillness make for a exhausting viewing experience.
Sukumar’s unafraid approach is on full display in this 3-hour spectacle, with a plot that celebrates Pushpa’s heroism to an almost absurd degree. The cat-and-mouse game between Pushpa and his adversary Fahadh Faasil’s Bhanwar Singh Shekhawat is engaging for the first half, but eventually becomes repetitive.
The film’s action sequences are frenetic and inventive, but even the background score by Devi Sri Prasad fails to elevate the overlong runtime. The weakest link in the film is a subpar subplot involving an underwritten female character that feels like a gratuitous addition.
Despite Arjun’s valiant efforts, Pushpa 2: The Rule falters due to its own momentum. With a release date for Pushpa 3: The Rampage on the horizon, fans will have some time to recover from this exhausting viewing experience.
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/pushpa-2-the-rule-review-1236079621