Stree 2 (2024) Movie Review: A Fun but Massively Ambitious Endeavor Burdened by the Building of the Overarching Cinematic Universe

Stree 2 (2024) Movie Review: The Maddock Supernatural Universe (MSU), created by Dinesh Vijan and Amr Kaushik, would begin its burgeoning steps with the very enjoyable and simultaneously creepy “Stree” (2018). That first installment was remarkable in balancing humor (clever and slapstick) and the semblances of horror while majorly focusing on its characters, with the humor courtesy of a crackerjack script by Raj & DK as its USP.

The foundation laid by “Stree” (2018) would be strong enough for Vijan and Kaushik to launch a shared universe on its own, where supernatural creatures associated with milieu-specific mythology would be at the center of the plots, with the humans either assisting them (Bhediya) or fending off against them (Munjya). Post-credit scenes, courtesy of the template of the once-massive tentpole of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), would work as connective tissues of a shared universe, as would characters appearing in all three movies. Unlike the MCU, however, where the focus would be on the action set pieces, the superpowers, the CGI light show, etc., the Maddock Supernatural Universe arguably shares the same streak of humor. They also work as a solid but effective delivery mechanism for a social message.

“Stree 2” (2024) is the hotly anticipated sequel to the 2018 film; before I progress, it bears repeating that the movie will be massively successful irrespective of any criticism. Maddock films have hit upon a specific niche, where the intricacies of universe building amidst massive intelligence properties have been slowly translated to an Indian context successfully, with the coveted family audience being one of the biggest draws of the film.

“Stree 2” has, for all instances and purposes, a somewhat larger scope than the original. A few years after the events of the first film, the small town of Chanderi is haunted by the “sarkata” monster, a seven-foot-tall monster who carries his head on his massive hands, with the head having sentience of its own. The “Sarkata” monster had been responsible for “Stree” being cursed in the first place, and the events of the first film left a vacuum within Chanderi that is quickly being filled by the “Sarkata” as he goes around abducting women.

Now, our intrepid team of Vicky (Rajkummar Rao), his two friends Jana (Abhishek Banerjee) and Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana), and the eccentric librarian Rudra Bhaiyaa (Pankaj Tripathi) would have to join the fray once again in defeating the monster. They would be aided by the mysterious Girl with No Name (Shraddha Kapoor), who, like in the first film, would mysteriously return to Chanderi to help them, igniting hopes in Vicky’s lovelorn heart, unbeknownst to the secrets she carries and danger of the Sarkata becoming too much for their combined forces.

If the impetus for watching “Stree 2” is the comedy, the banter between the friends, and Pankaj Tripathi’s performance as Rudra, where he throws barbs and jokes at you with equal tenor and fervor, this movie is designed to entertain. Fully engaged in ensuring the jokes flow in equal measure, screenwriter Niren Bhatt (the regular screenwriter for both Bhediya and Munjya) frontloads the film with jokes, extended gags, and even slapstick routines for Rajkummar Rao and Abhishek Banerjee. Credit goes to Rao, Banerjee, and the enormously talented cast; they are all game, and their chemistry remains unchanged from the first film, so the movie doesn’t start feeling so unserious that it runs the risk of disengaging the audience. It also helps ensure that the movie doesn’t risk alienating the audience when some of the jokes don’t land; those same performances aid in papering over those duds.

A still from Stree 2 (2024). — A still from “Stree 2” (2024).

The risk of disengagement is in the overall screenplay. With comedy as the USP, Bhatt spends so much time on banter and comedic gags that the plot feels like it has ground to a screeching halt. These are enjoyable bits in a vacuum but taken together; they do enlarge the runtime. Secondly, “Stree 2″ is ostensibly the “Avengers” of this Maddock Supernatural Universe, but its bloatedness results in it being more like “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” This is the encapsulation of the universe as a whole rather than just a sequel. The movie has to address a lot of questions. It has to establish a reason for a supernatural monster to exist that would induce the return of the Girl with No Name.

It would have to address Jana’s whereabouts from “Bhediya” (2022), integrating the post-credit scene of that installment in this film and bringing him into the fold while also establishing the Sarkata monster in its full terrifying glory, showing off the evolved abilities of the Girl with No Name, increasing the stakes, and then also designing a final set-piece that would also answer key questions within the lore of the two Stree films. There should also be time afforded for two special appearances, one expected and the other not. And, of course, because it is a Maddock Supernatural Universe film, there should be a dance number, which is absolutely unwelcome, though it might be.

It’s a lot and an unenviable job for any screenwriter to tackle. And while Bhatt more or less pulls it off, it lacks the streamlined and fast-paced nature of the first film, where one event would organically flow into the next. In “Stree 2,” the film’s first act felt like retroactively engineering the crowd-pleasing comedic moments and either repeating them with slight tweaks or expanding them to be bigger. Sequelitis is a legitimate malady pervading this film, and even the messaging of the film—the pervasive misogyny existing even amidst men of the modern generation always itching to come out and just needing a push—isn’t the central point.

It feels like work, especially in the first act, where the movie feels like it is stumbling from one plot beat to the next. By the second half, the film starts feeling more sure of itself, balancing numerous plot points and building up a battle between all the central players while maintaining what makes these characters tick. However, that also entails the film’s final act in an entirely CGI-designed environment and the climax between two CGI creatures, with the humans commenting on the side that reminded me unfavorably of the older Godzilla movies.

Despite its flaws, and perhaps because of them, the effort being given shows. The chemistry between the central cast is the glue that keeps the movie together. Pankaj Tripathi’s performance as Rudra is perhaps a touch over the top of the perfect deadpan delivery in the previous installment, but there is no denying his talent. The movie also makes the item number somewhat necessary to the plot by associating it with Tripathi’s character, which is a juggling act I do appreciate. Rao, though, is easily the highlight, as is Banerjee.

While Banerjee is consistent throughout his portrayal of Jana, Rao is more over-the-top, slightly more slapstick, and over-expressive in his emotions. But he pulls it off because of his performance and because of the inbuilt fandom these characters have. Shraddha Kapoor, as the Girl with No Name, has a similar role as the previous film: part exposition machine, part straight man to the comedic hijinks of the rest of the group, and the most capable fighter of the lot. She is capable of executing all those roles.

Like the recent outings in the Maddock Supernatural Universe, heavy usage of CGI is very noticeable, as is an over-emphasis on sound design. While the sound design is not as unpalatable as that of Munjya, it is still dodgy in the final action set pieces, with dialogues getting drowned out by the noise. The CGI of the “sarkata” monster, though, is excellent, as are the aspects of the final set piece. With the majority of the events primarily taking place at night, the verisimilitude of the CGI remains somewhat unbroken, though the final set-piece becomes a complete CGI battle fest. The songs and the music by Sachin-Jigar aren’t memorable or even catchy.

I would be lying if I said it wasn’t an enjoyable experience. As a fan of these massive universe-building movies, if done right, “Stree 2” being the first of many encapsulations of this IP is a valiant effort succeeding rather well, managing to maintain the comic timing that would launch this franchise to popularity. It helps that the performances and Kaushik’s capable direction maintain continuity and, thus, the ethos of the whole franchise. However, the rest of the installment needs to be cognizant of its messaging and the judicious use of CGI in the final acts. After all, the best moments of horror are usually done by not luxuriating on the antagonist but instead on the atmosphere around them.