After an uber-successful debut back in 2016 that redefined the superhero genre as we know it, Deadpool is back for Round 2 in the appropriately titled Deadpool 2; a sequel that ups the ante in every way imaginable. There are funnier jokes, a ton of classic X-Men characters, a lot more violence, and some absolutely bats**t crazy moments that will leave you wondering how exactly Ryan Reynolds got away with making this movie.
*This review contains mild spoilers from Deadpool 2*
The movie picks up about two years after the events of the first film, with Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) enjoying his happily ever after with Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) and paying the bills by serving as a superhero mercenary for hire. We join Wade on his latest mission where he promptly catches us up on everything he’s been up to as he fulfills his latest contract in extremely bloody fashion. However, things, as they often do, quickly go a little haywire and he ends up botching the mission before escaping with good ol’ Dopinder. His mistake here ultimately results in tragedy and kickstarts his journey for the rest of the film as he does everything he can to top the critically-acclaimed Logan, which he claims owes all its success to him.
I won’t get too deep into plot details, but I must admit the story is fairly straightforward after a certain twist at the beginning, so don’t expect too many surprises as far as the story goes. That doesn’t necessarily mean the film doesn’t have its fair share of shockers, however, and they’re all pretty great. While some have been rumored for months, including the presence of one very big villain, others will catch you completely off-guard, including a pair of major cameos. There’s also a handful of absolutely brutal moments that will have you simultaneously gasping and laughing, including a scene that tops the regenerating hand sequence from the first film.
Director David Leitch, whose past credits include John Wick and Atomic Blonde, steps out of his comfort zone here, but it’s hardly evident as he successfully blends his trademark action sensibilities with Deadpool’s nonstop hijinks. Unlike the previous installment, which limited the action to one or two big set pieces, the new film expands the universe and is considerably larger in both scale and scope, taking our favorite Merc to a variety of places across Canada. If you were worried about the change in directors, the transition from Deadpool director Tim Miller to Leitch is fairly seamless and the sequel remains very much in the same tone as the original.
Ryan Reynolds is in absolute top-form, delivering another hilarious and heartfelt performance as the title character. While his shenanigans will provide countless laughs for years to come, his emotional journey is the crux of the film and Reynolds absolutely delivers with arguably his finest performance to date - although I must admit that his voice is probably going to be seared into your head for the foreseeable future by the time the credits roll, which, if you’re into it, isn’t exactly a bad thing.
Both Josh Brolin and Zazie Beetz make exceptionally strong debuts as Cable and Domino, respectively, and we get just enough of both of them to leave us clamoring for that long-awaited X-Force movie. Cable gets a lot to do and his mission is basically what sets everything else in motion as Deadpool, after getting his ass beat in their first encounter, forms the X-Force to stop the badass time-traveler from killing a young mutant named Russell (Julian Dennison). Brolin brings real heart to his portrayal of Nathan Summers and comes very close to stealing the show in his second superhero blockbuster of the year. Domino also leaves her mark and gets some exciting action scenes, but probably would have benefitted from just a little more screen time. The rest of the X-Force, which includes Bedlam (Terry Crews), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard), Vanisher (**** ****), and Peter (Rob Delaney) all serve their purpose and are definitely memorable.
Out of the returning players, Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Dopinder (Karan Soni) are the clear standouts in this second installment and thanks to the increased budget, we get to spend a lot more time with Colossus, which really pays off near the end when we get to witness him take on one of the X-Men’s most formidable villains. It’s a scene practically ripped straight from the comics and many fans may find themselves in disbelief when they see the fight actually realized on the big screen. Dopinder also continues to be a scene-stealer and provides more than just moral support to Deadpool as he proves himself to be almost as insane as his favorite customer/lifelong friend. Morena Baccarin, unfortunately, doesn’t get as much to do this time, but she still plays a critical role in the film, serving as Wade’s moral compass and guiding him through his latest misadventure. Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) gets about as much screen time as she did in the first chapter, except this time, she’s accompanied by her new girlfriend Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna). The two pop up sporadically to observe Wade's antics. Julian Dennison is good in an expanded role as Russell, but the film could've probably spent a little more time developing his relationship with Wade Wilson as it does feel a bit expedited.
If there’s one downside, it’s that the film doesn’t really have a true villain. There are several antagonists, including Black Tom Cassidy (Jack Kesy), a villain played by Eddie Marsan, and one baddie that’s a big surprise, but outside of the last guy, none really leave any sort of lasting impression since Wade’s really his own worst enemy, and the film’s biggest threats are more or less caused by Deadpool’s general jackassery.
The score and soundtrack are both on-point, with Celine Dion’s “Ashes” and Tyler Bates’ “You Can’t Stop This Mother F*****” being major highlights, although I must admit that the best song heard in the film isn’t actually on the official soundtrack. It’s a Hindi song from a Shah Rukh Khan movie that plays in the background of a pivotal scene during the finale, and as a lifelong SRK fan, it was something I truly appreciated even if it was fairly brief.
There are two mid-credits scenes that you will absolutely not want to miss. The first sets up the second, which actually runs a few minutes longer than you’d expect as it combines four separate hilarious segments. The first of these bits is plot-centric and serves as an epilogue of sorts while the latter two are pure fan service. There was nothing at the end of the credits.
Deadpool 2 is a more than worthy successor and, in many places, is often considerably better than its predecessor. If you loved the original, then you should love this one even more as it takes Wade Wilson to the highest of highs before bringing him back down to the lowest of lows. It's a much funnier, more brutal sequel that somehow manages to contain just the same amount of heart and will leave you laughing from start-to-finish, making it one of the most enjoyable cinematic experiences you'll have this summer. I mean, it's basically an X-Men movie on cocaine, so how could you not have a good time? Highly recommended.
After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry’s hottest bartender while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste. Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor – finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World’s Best Lover.
Deadpool 2 features:
Director: David Leitch
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool
Josh Brolin as Nathan Summers/Cable
Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle
Zazie Beetz as Neena Thurman/Domino
T.J. Miller as Weasel
Brianna Hildebrand as Ellie Phimister/Negasonic Teenage Warhead
Stefan Kapičić as Colossus
Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
Karan Soni as Dopinder
Julian Dennison as Russell
Jack Kesy as Black Tom Cassidy
Terry Crews as Jesse Aaronson/Bedlam
Lewis Tan as Gaveedra-Seven/Shatterstar
Bill Skarsgård as Zeitgeist
Rob Delaney as Peter Wisdom
Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio
Eddie Marsan in an undisclosed role
Deadpool 2 slices and dices its way into theaters May 18