Deadpool 2 (Review)

Ryan Reynolds Makes the Magic Happen Again in Deadpool 2.

I’ve been waiting patiently for Deadpool 2 for 2 years now and I have to say that the wait was well worth it. Despite my initial concerns that director Tim Miller wouldn’t be returning for the sequel, the franchise found itself in more than capable hands with director David Leitch (best known for his work on John Wick and Atomic Blonde). Concerns about it being too action-centric we’re put at ease early on with the return of writing duo Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Oh, and Ryan Reynolds is back too, so you know everything was going to be ok in the end.

While Deadpool might have been spun as a romance movie at heart, the sequel claims to be a family film. This is because Deadpool has to relinquish his lone wolf assassin identity in order to take on his greatest threat to date, Cable (Josh Brolin). In the comics, the two shared a love-hate relationship but in Deadpool 2 it’s much more of a hate-hate relationship. Cable has returned from the future to prevent a horrible tragedy by killing the young mutant responsible (Julian Dennison). So Deadpool sets about making his own team of morally ambiguous heroes.

Of course, Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool. There’s no point in even discussing his performance in the sequel because he’s simply perfect. He manages to pull off a character that could be done horribly and this time around gives him even more emotional depth. The new arrivals to the franchise though are absolutely spectacular. Josh Brolin is at his best when he’s playing bad guys (see Infinity War) and in Deadpool 2 he gets to play an R-rated villain, meaning he gets to use curse words and draw lots of blood. His brutal demeanor more than makes up for his small physique (Cable is a mountain of a man in the comics). As good as he is though, it’s Zazie Beetz as Domino who steals every scene she’s in. Her playful confidence and devil may care attitude instantly had me enamored with her and I hope Fox uses her more and more in the future. Hell, I would be up for a Domino spinoff.

Deadpool has always been a goofy character. His nickname is “The Merc with the Mouth,” so he’s well known for one-liners and absurdist humor. Deadpool 2 tones it down just a tad overall, but in other ways takes it even further. The sequel is cruder and more brutal than the first film, but Deadpool manages to take the edge off with his quips. It might not have had as many memorable lines as the first movie, but it has many more memorable moments thanks to Leitch’s keen eye for mind-blowing action sequences. This time he gets a chance to play with superpowers, which makes the epic battles even more enthralling to watch.

All in all, Deadpool 2 is a wonderful sequel though at points it feels like a very different kind of movie. The closest comparison I can come up with is that Deadpool 2 is to Deadpool as Aliens is to Alien. Both films are amazing and have the same themes and elements at heart, but are awesome for very different reasons. As far as I’m concerned though this is a tremendous success and exactly how sequels should be done. Deadpool 2‘s narrative might not be as elaborate as the first one and the jokes might not pack quite the same punch, but the jokes that do land are a bit more clever and the action sequences make it feel like a bigger film overall. 

Just because I feel as though it needs to be said, Deadpool 2 is not actually a family film. It’s rated R for a very good reason. So, parents don’t let your smooth talking kid convince you that it’s just another superhero movie and they should get to see it based on that alone. It’s filled with blood, sex, gore, violence and some disturbing nudity. The same goes for dragging a small child to see it. Not only will you end up with a crying toddler, but you’ll also have a bunch of pissed off geeks on your hands. So, make sure you keep this in mind when your kids start begging to see Deadpool 2.

So, should you see Deadpool 2? Well, I saw back to back showings opening night and I regret nothing. Those who loved the first one will be more than pleased with what Deadpool 2 has to offer. It even has plenty of little Easter eggs for audiences to keep an eye out for (I didn’t notice my favorite one in the film until the second screening), so keep your eyes peeled. Not only do I wholeheartedly recommend seeing it, but I would suggest spending a few extra bucks for the Dolby experience. While Ryan Reynolds might not be certain about a third Deadpool, I think Deadpool 2 proves that there is still plenty to do with the character and his antics will never get old.