Once Upon a Deadpool

The sequel zips along as the motormouth assassin tries to clean up his act (sort of).

It's cute and funny.

It's a sick, dumb joke that you can't help but laugh at. And as soon as you do, you feel bad about falling for the gag.

A conceit that could have been charming instead comes across as crass.

Here comes Once Upon a Deadpool, a movie that's one-part TV edit, one-part DVD extra, and a whole lot of WTF.

So what if it's a story we've seen already this year? It's still a blast, and with added Savage it manages to be a good-hearted cash-in that retains the original's mix of emotion and acerbic humor while providing a hilarious commentary on the film itself.

Deadpool was so much dirty fun, now they took away some of the dirt.

Once Upon a Deadpool is not a wholly satisfying experience, but it adds a little more heart to a film that already had more than you'd expect.

An adequate gimmick that doesn't entirely pan out.

This Deadpool movie has more heart and heartbreak, a surer handle on its storytelling, and a clearer sense of how breaking the fourth wall can be used to comic effect.