MAD Square review: This comedy sequel is more déjà vu than hilarious

Kalyan Shankar’s MAD Square is the cinematic equivalent of an inside joke told once too often.

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Sequels walk a tightrope between fan service and innovation, and MAD Square takes the safer route where it delivers more of the same but without the electric unpredictability that made MAD such a riotous surprise. It's like a standup comedian's material has been decoded, and no matter the setup, we know the journey of the joke, and unless you love the style too much, it is hard to enjoy beyond a point.

MAD thrived on its rhythm-a gag would build up, twist itself into something unexpected, and land in an absurd yet hilarious punchline. For instance, a character says, "The poor guy has been in love for four years and suffered a lot... so what if he suffers one more day?" This brand of unpredictability was its biggest asset. But MAD Square suffers from the paradox of expectation.