The movie is fast moving and full of action. The action actually wins over the weak and unbelievable plot. The editing is so taut, that there is no scope for boredom. Stunts are impressive and the VFX, especially aerial are fairly good. What is refreshing is the absence of the typical Dharma Production song and dance, and unlike many, I feel the music was part of the plot without disrupting the film flow. The stunning visuals of Kashmir and Ladakh are an added attraction, with a great view of Central Delhi. The cinematography is absorbing.

Though most of the story is unbelievable (all MI movie plots are unbelievable) but this movie has many technical suggestions vis-a-vis a hijack, which are perhaps, achievable and therefore, unsettling.

The reason for the rating is the absence and ineffectiveness of the Indian and Pakistani Elite Forces. Unfortunately, because of hyper nationalism, the Pakistani SSG, Black Storks and Maroon Berets who are also well trained and ranked 8th among world elite forces, have been shown to be completely ineffective and even if the character of Arun, played by Siddharth Malhotra is part of something like Special Group (4 Vikas), the character in the second half has been shown to be larger than life and almost "Rambo-like" in the major showdown. Which is unfortunate as the first half actually managed to establish Arun as human and his failures as part of life. Also absent from the showdown are the SPG in charge of Indian PM security. The best parts are the female antagonists vs male fight scenes. The physical action is well choreographed and believable. Alas, the third and last scene of the movie involving the tri-colour smoke grenade is so over the top, visually, that it spoils everything.

Every country has its special forces, and I'm sure every nation on Earth likes to think that theirs are a bit more special than most. Yodha seems to be the Indian version of the SAS (whether they really are, or were made up for the film, I don't know).

Just about every film about special services centres round an inividual who's jolly good at killing bad guys, but whose disregard of protocol annoys his superiors. Then an operation goes wrong (not our hero's fault, but he's conveniently placed to take the blame). He's suspended.

Then the film moves to the main event. Our hero is drawn into something really big. Not only that, he's set up to make it look as though he's gone rogue, so that even his former comrades are out to get him. Yada, yada yada, shoot-out, big explosion, guess who saves the day and is reinstated?

It's a tried and trusted formula, which needs a certain amount of style to lift it out of the very ordinary. James Bond has this style; John Wick has this style; Arnie had it in his earlier films. Yodha doesn't.

The fight scenes are well-choreographed, but the pulse doesn't race. The twists aren't too difficult to see coming; the hero's relationship problems are a yawn.

This isn't a bad film, but it's formulaic, predictable and - for all its action sequences - pedestrian. Oh, and the villain's disappointingly short on charisma.

This is also the first film I've seen that had an actual interval in the cinema since Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.