The storyline didn't quite live up to my hopes for the sequel. It tilted towards being too unrealistic and reckless.
In the first film, the protagonist's death wish was more understandable, given the context and the unplanned events. Plus, he was the only 'suicidal' one. However, in the sequel, it seems to be a team-wide phenomenon and many team members end up dead trying to rescue a few, all due to very risky and poorly planned operation, considering the professional nature of the rescue team.
The creative team's shift from the original trio of Ande Parks, Joe Russo, and Anthony Russo to just Joe Russo might have contributed to this tonal shift.
I genuinely hope they correct these issues in the third film to avoid ending up like the John Wick series. Although the John Wick series started out realistically, each sequel has escalated into increasingly miraculous and unrealistic feats. This trend may be acceptable in a DC/Marvel universe, where characters possess superhuman abilities. However, these feats feel out of place in a franchise where the protagonist is human.
All in all, it didn't meet my expectations, and I was somewhat let down. Despite this, it's definitely worth watching because everything else hits the mark.