Great gags aside, the bar set by the first film is just too high

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2018)

Deadpool 2
This movie is one of my most anticipated flicks of the year.
After the surprisingly brilliant first instalment I had high expectations for this sequel.
Ultimately I think I set the bar a little too high. Giving DP2 an impossible task to live up to the original.
Not to say that this second coming is a failure. Oh no, far from it. Establishing the character in the first film allows new director David Leitch to hit the ground running.
The main problem is that the film doesn't run smoothly. It stumbles over the obstacle of having a clunky storyline. A common problem that many sequels suffer from.
By trying to outdo what has gone before the filmmakers try to cram everything in but the kitchen sink.
What results is a movie that just doesn't flow.
This time around Deadpool finds himself trying to protect a child with very hot hands who in the future murders the wife and child of Cable played by the excellent Josh Brolin.
Cable is a time traveling mutant hell bent on revenge. Think of him as the Terminator but with a trendier haircut.
DP2 is a movie that beats you into submission with a torrent of gags and over the top set pieces.
In some instances the film bites off more than its budget can chew.
There's the odd CGI sequence that is so jarring it's like watching a low budget Sci-Fi from the mid nineties.
A particular scene involving Domino (Zazie Beetz) as a car flips over the top of her causing another vehicle to crash into a petrol station looks very poor.
Think PlayStation 2 quality graphics and you're on the right page.
Huge mutant Juggernaut is also poorly rendered. In some scenes he looks cartoonish like the Hulk did from earlier cinematic outings.
What cannot be denied is Ryan Reynolds comic timing.
There's so many one liners and references that the movie needs to be viewed several times to fully appreciate Reynolds brilliance.
Everyone involved puts in a good turn.
Both Brolin and Beetz are fabulous. A shame then that the comedic talent of the likes of Terry Crews is under utilised.
Deadpool 2 is a mixed bag. In one hand it is a very funny comedy with outrageous action and fine performances.
On the other hand it is a over ambitious attempt at trying to recapture the magic that went before. There's glimpses of success at trying to do so.
But after the fantastic mid credit scenes have vanished and all credits have rolled it's a movie that can't reach the dizzy heights of the first film.
The original Deadpool was a simple movie with no expectations bestowed upon it.
Unfortunately Deadpool 2 has a burden too much to bare.
With its aforementioned clunky storyline and over ambitious CGI we get a movie that is enjoyable but a little unpolished.
It's certain that Ryan Reynolds crafted his gags to perfection and the cast are all having a blast. Sadly though I think everyone else's bar like my own may also be set too high.
That said all I have explained before in this review was from watching the theatrical release.
I recently purchased the Blu-ray of Deadpool 2 and the Superdooper cut elevates this movie from 8/10 to a solid 9. Why?
Well with added scenes and a torrent of more side splitting gags The Superdooper cut seems to flow much more naturally making for a more enjoyable experience.
No, it still isn't as good as the original but that high bar is almost within reach.