Deadpool
2 2.5 Palm trees out of 4
by Manuel Reynoso
Deadpool 2 is a 2018 superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Deadpool, distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film is directed by David Leitch, Written by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Ryan Reynolds. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, and Zazie Beetz.
With super soldier Cable arriving from the past to kill a young mutant, Deadpool creates the X-force, a team of mutants tasked with saving the boy.
I felt Deadpool 2 was always going to have the problem of just being more Deadpool. While this turned out to be true, It’s hard to knock it when I find Deadpool absolutely hilarious. Ryan Reynolds continues to kill it playing Deadpool and the writers continue to deliver the edgy, self-referential humor that we’ve come to love (or hate). Now that the novelty of the first Deadpool film has worn off, the cracks really begin to show. Awkward tonal changes, hit and miss jokes, and egregious amount of pop culture references can be an easy turn off for many. So if you are a fan of pop culture references, borderline offensive humor and gratuitous violence, then Deadpool 2 is a blast. Otherwise, there is little reason for you to pay the price of admission.
I’m not going to lie and say I’m above the vulgar jokes that pop off seemingly every other minute. I had some of the biggest laughs I had at the movies in a long time. However, the machine gun delivery of jokes can be a little much sometimes. While I have to give all the credit in the world to the writers for weaving in huge amount of jokes into a surprisingly heavy”ish” plot, the occasional tonal differences between the two can kinda suck the life from each other. One minute you’re laughing along to Deadpool’s shenanigans and next it’s time to be serious. It’s not so much that a balance can’t be had, but that timing between the two feels off. Even if by design, it’s not something that really clicked for me as a viewer.
Ryan Reynolds comedic timing as Deadpool continues to be the number one reason to see these films. He has so much energy and so much love for this character that Deadpool and Ryan Reynolds is really starting to become synonymous. Josh Brolin’s character as Deadpool’s foil, Cable, can come off a bit bland, but otherwise was a solid performance.
Where I found Deadpool 2 more enjoyable than the first Deadpool was through the use of more recognizable Marvel characters and villains. With Cable and Domino’s addition to the cast, we see a lot more on screen chemistry. The first Deadpool always felt like it got the short end of the stick with the lack of prominent x-men and marvel characters making an appearance. While there is still a lack of A-list heroes and villains in this film, there are a lot more interesting and recognizable faces this time around.
Deadpool 2 is absolutely not a movie for everyone. The hyper violent nature of this movie, along with incredibly crude humor means this is probably not for your middle-schooler’s eyes. It’s funny and tells a surprisingly good story about what it means to be family, and while it’s not fantastic, it’s enough of a good time where if you’re into this type of humor I recommend it. Unfortunately I can’t say there was really anything particularly memorable about the movie, it’s good for cheap laughs but sometimes that’s all you need. Rated R 1h59m
