FILM REVIEW: Deadpool 2 (2018)

Directed by David Leitch

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Just going to get the elephant out of the way first: I never got around to 2016’s Deadpool. No contemptuous aversion or anything; just didn’t feel too much reason to see it. If you know me (and I believe I’ve stated this before on Red Eye), you know that comic books just aren’t my thing. Subsequently, I don’t keep up with every Marvel or DC film that comes out. Now, that said, there just might be a Deadpool fan waiting to burst out of me, as I can at least say that I do have some familiarity with the character, as he was my hero of choice in the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance video game. After seeing Deadpool 2, that inner fan is a few steps closer to bursting out.

My lack of familiarity with the first Deadpool film may be a detriment to this review’s credibility; perhaps it follows an identical formula. Perhaps it uses the same tropes and jokes. I don’t know, but what I do know is that, even as somebody who’s completely clueless as to the context of what’s going on, Deadpool 2 is great fun regardless.

So, Ryan Reynolds is back as everybody’s favorite disfigured, hyper-violent, wise-cracking mutant mercenary, and Deadpool 2 opens with one hell of a bang – literally, as we see Deadpool laying atop a pile of combustible drums and blowing himself to smithereens. Rewind: through his 4^th Wall-breaking narration and a few typical Deadpool-esque hijinks, he returns home to his fiancée Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). They are ecstatically discussing bearing children when a team of hired goons storm in, and the result is Deadpool’s fiancée murdered. And here is why he blows himself up.

But we’ve still got a whole movie ahead of us. Deadpool’s remains are collected and reassembled by X-Men’s Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), and extends Deadpool an invitation to join the X-Men. He accepts, and his first assignment involves dismantling a situation involving Russell (Julian Dennison), a hot-tempered mutant child who brings the phrase “hot-tempered” to its truest sense. One mishap leads to another, and Deadpool and Russell find themselves in a mutant-exclusive prison (where everyone dresses like DEVO). On the other side of the spectrum involves Cable (Josh Brolin), a mysterious cybernetic soldier from the future who has a score to settle with Russell.

And from then on, it’s a bloody barrage of foul language and mercilessly brutal violence, the extremity of which I was rather taken aback by. Rest assured, though, that I don’t criticize the movie for its vulgarity, as I was having a manically good time start to finish. Of course, all of the humor that Deadpool is so famous for is present: frequent obliteration of the 4^th Wall, snarky sarcasm, references to pop culture and other Marvel characters and stories.

Though there are some jokes that will be outdated in time, the writing never once felt forced or overbearing, something I was very surprised by. Commonly, films that are aware of themselves in a way like Deadpool 2 is, it’s very easy to try too hard, but Deadpool 2 walks the line absolutely flawlessly. Then again, this was probably helped in part by Ryan Reynolds and his perfect comic timing – I could not think of a better man to portray Deadpool than Reynolds (and I’m pretty sure there’s many an audience that couldn’t agree more).

As for the action itself; yes, it’s about what you’d expect from a Marvel movie, but they’re still a ton of fun, though I must say that the sound design is superb. Then again, the action sequences are rarely driven by the action itself, but the jokes that are carried into them. The well-written humor synchronizes very well with the awesome action sequences. Take, for instance, a sequence later in the film when Deadpool forms his own X-Men-like team of amazing fellow supermutants. This team is going to kick some serious ass, but then they go on their first mission, and let’s just say things don’t go too well (this was probably my favorite scene in the entire film), but the entertainment doesn’t cease there, as watching the mission-gone-horribly-wrong still carry on is still very exciting.

Yes, I do have a few gripes with the movie. There was one joke that was a little too awkward for me (involving Deadpool…regrowing legs, for lack of a better way to put it), but my bigger criticisms come from a couple of the characters. First, there’s Russell. It’s not that he isn’t a well-written character, and perhaps I was just having too much fun with Deadpool, but every scene he’s involved in just drag the pacing down something fierce. The character himself I just feel is too secondary to be given so much spotlight.

The other major issue is Cable, who isn’t so much a problem as much as a major missed opportunity. Cable comes from a war-torn future bearing great resemblance to that of The Terminator’s, and here is a man who is a product from such a world: the result is a no-nonsense, raspy shadow of a man. He eventually finds himself having to work with Deadpool, who can’t take anything seriously. It is such a fascinating dynamic that not only isn’t explored, but is introduced much too late into the movie (perhaps I’ll just have to wait for the next Deadpool movie).

But I don’t let any of this take away that I had lots of fun with this movie, and I can’t begin to extol how wonderful it is to see a film like Deadpool come around and relentlessly make fun of the comic-movie formula (in a time when it’s so bloated). Granted, this is praise that the first film deserves more than this sequel, but it’s still nice to see the tradition carried along, and I hope Deadpool is a franchise that is here to stay.

Oh, and do make sure to stay for the hilarious and wonderful after-credits scene.