Deadpool 2 is the sequel to the incredibly successful 2016 hit Deadpool, directed by David Leitch (known for his work on John Wick and Atomic Blonde) and stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin and Julian Dennilson. The movie follows Deadpool and a crew of misfits, as they attempt to protect a kid from Cable, a time-travelling cyborg, who means to kill the kid for unknown reasons. As always, this is as much as I knew, but I have seen all the promotional material, because they were so damn funny; yet they did not harm my enjoyment of the movie, so kudos to the movie’s marketing team.
Deadpool 2 is a better movie from its predecessor; it is funnier, the actions is better choreographed and shot, while the story is deeper and more dramatic. It is apparent, that the team behind it was passionate for the character and cared deeply about the movie they were making; you can tell that they had as much fun making the movie, as we had watching it. The movie is a blast, from the laugh-out-loud comedy that had the whole theater I was in gasping for air, to the adrenaline-filled action scenes that tried very hard to capture most of the stunts and scenes on camera, like a captivating prison scene and a scene where Deadpool clears out a warehouse filled with bad guys; the less said about the comedy and the action, the better experience you will have, so I will just reiterate that I found both aspects of the movie to be excellent.
The story was a pleasant surprise, as the first one had a solid story that contextualized the humor and the action well enough, but Deadpool 2 delivered a complete dramatic experience with foreshadowing (yes he calls it out!) and a protagonist/hero that is not so different from the antagonist/villain. There were some surprisingly dramatic moments that left the theater in silence, as everyone was glued on the screen; those moments, and the movie in general, put the acting to the test, and the actors passed it with flying colors. Ryan Reynolds was, once again, transformed into Wade Wilson and was in-character for every second and every frame (obviously he loves the character and is passionate about bringing justice to every outing of Deadpool, he even co-wrote the movie).
Josh Brolin was, as always, committed and excellent in his portrayal, making Cable a gravely and tough cyborg, who is deeply sad and angry, but is as ready to quip and toy with Deadpool as anyone. Besides the two, there were multiple, supporting characters that were equally successful in their portrayals; Morena Baccarin was very good, although I would have liked to see more from her character, and the titular X-force was a great addition to the Deadpool formula with Zazie Beetz’s performance as Domino being a particular highlight for me. A special mention should go to Julian Dennison, who plays the kid Deadpool must protect, and is excellent at it, bringing some much-needed teen anxiety and perfect timing to that character, which made him endearing, instead of annoying as he could have easily been.
Lastly, I would like to heap praise on the writing talent on display; the movie was directed and shot expertly, but without the script and the strong dialogue (especially for a Deadpool movie), those qualities would have meant very little. At times, I could feel the movie trying too hard to make me laugh, and not allow a moment to pass without something funny or exciting happening, but there were so many pitfalls the movie could have stumbled into and derail the entire experience, that the very few that it does hit into, still make the movie an overall success and an absolute blast, from start to finish.
To end with, Deadpool 2 is a better movie than its predecessor in every level; even the post-credit scene is probably one of the best I’ve ever seen. It is funnier, better told and more entertaining to watch, which is why I’m excited and hopeful about this character and his following appearances in the big screen. It’s definitely worth experiencing again and again, and is easily one of the best summer movies of 2018.
Ruler of Owls 