Messy sequel that lives underneath its strong potential.

Rating: 6/10 (6 July 2018)

"Deadpool 2" is an overall successful attempt at bringing the humor, satire, and playful atmosphere of the first film, while at the same time, does a sloppy and incoherent job. With a new director and all too familiar approach, "Deadpool 2" did something that its sole job was to not follow in similar films of the superhero fashion and be simply ordinary. Perhaps that's why the film is severely disappointing despite it being a genuinely good time at the movies.
As expected, Ryan Reynolds nails the character of Deadpool/Wade Wilson. He brings the familiar character back onto the screen while enforcing the theory that maybe only he should play this role. He's hilarious throughout and proves to be the comedic lifeblood of the film. With him around, more comic relief is frankly unnecessary. Josh Brolin creates an interesting antagonist as Cable whose back story and depth feel much more entertaining the the first film's generic villain.
Both strong performances and quirky additional characters however, don't save "Deadpool 2" from failing on the screenwriting front. The story is messy not because of its "busyness" but its unfocused theme and message. The film promises a particular theme and emotional tug for its protagonist but is later abandoned and sometimes forgotten altogether. The plot even betrays this path of journey and change for the character and then returns to the third act to try and put those pieces back together. This made the film feel unfocused and not nearly as cared for as its predecessor.
Many major plot points as well prove to be unbearably cliched predictable. Drawing obvious inspiration (and maybe a little stealing) from The Terminator anthology and a few other science fiction stories, "Deadpool 2" doesn't feel nearly as fresh or original as it really could've been. Perhaps the film's greatest downfall is these fundamental script problems that keep it from becoming something more than just a sequence to make a sequel.
Criticisms aside, the humor (especially a the end) had me not only laughing but unexpectedly busting my stomach. Some jokes landed perfectly and created some of the biggest laughs I've experienced in a movie theater in a long time. At the same time, many jokes fell completely on their faces which really makes the film a hit and miss at the same time.
The general progression and tempo of the film is fantastic. "Deadpool 2" moves at a brisk pace and slows down at all the necessary places. Where emotion is the heart of the scene, the filmmakers allow us to feel what emotion is available to draw from. When action sequences kick in, they're thrilling and exciting with hardly any dull moments. Both qualities coupled with constant flakes of Deadpool humor make those sequences enjoyable compounded by more enjoyment.
Technically, there are several places in the film with honestly horrendous CGI despite its larger budget. One character in particular was not cared for at all and was painful to watch. I was honestly surprised to see how awful it was and see minimal criticism on this despite the budget it received. Still in the realm of visual aesthetics, the film overall has a better, more cinematic look than the first which feels right. It feels very much in the genre which contributes to a more engaging experience.
Overall, "Deadpool 2" is not nearly as good as it should be. It's disappointing and its script is incredibly messy. However, it's a good and funny time at the theaters and should satisfy the majority of the movie going audience and especially its intended audience.