Maximum Effort
The original Deadpool was a breath of fresh air to the superhero genre that capitalized on Ryan Reynolds passion for the character. It was meta, hilarious, and refreshing to see something so different and unique. Deadpool 2 retains that same charm and charisma the first one had and even improves on it in some aspects. It is funnier, bigger, and at times even better than the original movie. But even though it improves on some of the problems of the first film, it faces new ones that come with building a franchise. Thankfully though, Reynolds is able to carry the film and face those situations head on through his captivating performance alongside a deeper story that seeks to enrich the character and the universe he is a part of.
In Deadpool 2, a cybernetic being from the future known as Cable (Josh Brolin) travels back in time to murder a child whose destiny has serious implications on the future. Seeing the danger in this, Wade Wilson/Deadpool hops in to protect the kid and assemble a team that is capable of undergoing the arduous task of stopping Cable.
Once again, Ryan Reynolds proves phenomenal for the role. Now being credited as a co-writer for the film, you can tell that this is his passion project and he pulls no punches in his delivery. He is sarcastic, lively, and super charismatic to the point where he blurs the line of whether he is portraying a character or just acting like himself. This time around, there are times when the character faces some emotional moments and even then does Reynolds rise to the challenge and deliver in ways you may not expect making the journey humorous AND heartfelt at the same time.
Even though the trailers may boast a plethora of new characters, this is still very much Wade Wilson’s story. While he is still the wisecracking assassin we love, the story takes him to interesting places to humanize him and give him more depth. The relationships he forms in this movie mean something to him no matter how much sass and jokes he throws at him. It was an interesting direction to take a character that is so known for being humorous and give him more of an emotional arc.
But that direction also hurts the movie at times. These two movies have established Deadpool as a character that likes to poke fun at the situations he is in, serious or not. The first film’s ending took an interesting twist from a dramatic moment to a humorous moment and it worked tremendously in its favor. Deadpool 2 isn’t able to find that same balance at times. There are certain scenes that are very dramatic and you expect Deadpool to be making fun of it, or making a sassy comment but it never comes. There are other times when there is a dramatic moment that isn’t able to simmer enough because it is undercut by a gag. These moments are very few in the film and it didn’t take away from a great experience, but it does provide some inconsistency and choppiness to the film that the first one didn’t really have.
That being said, the humor in this movie upscales what came before and really goes all in with references, jokes, and numerous fourth wall breaks. Whether it is commenting on the status of other franchises, putting Deadpool into weird situations such as trying to be a hero, or having fun with his powers, the film barely lets up with laughs. I would go as far as to say this film’s humor is better than the first sparing no expense at what it is making fun of.
Another improvement Deadpool 2 has is in the action sequences. They are cut together with more precision and style lending to some breathtaking sequences. One in particular provides the perfect amount of excitement, violence, and humor that you’re looking for in the movie. From guns to katanas, there is no shortage of ways Deadpool takes down his enemies. This is an even more gorier film than the first so prepare yourself for that…
The supporting cast also fares well with newcomer Domino being the standout. With her super power being “luck” there are a lot of ironic moments that the writers have a lot of fun playing with. Even then, they translate her powers well to the screen that allows for some pretty cool action sequences that heighten the film beyond the first one. I’m looking forward to hopefully seeing more of her in future films.
The movie was really selling Josh Brolin’s interpretation of Cable which proves to be a lot of fun and intense when he is on screen. However, I didn’t feel the film properly utilized him. There is not as much development for his character and I didn’t think he was anything more than a badass futuristic robot. Granted, when he shows up there is a lot great action but its too few and far spaced out in the film. As I stated before though, this is more of Wade Wilson’s story and having Cable as a supplement to that story works well. It just felt choppy at times with his involvement. He is still a better “villain” than Ajax in the first film so they are improving in some aspects.
For everything the film improves upon from the first, there is another new problem that plagues. By digging in deeper into the story and the development of Wade Wilson, you lose some of the focus on other characters. By giving better humor and action sequences, the drama can be undercut a little. There is a sense of inconsistency in the situations Wade is in with this film that I felt the first one did better to focus up on. It all makes sense and comes together satisfyingly by the end, but problems still follow.
In ways Deadpool 2 is a great sequel to the original. It delivers grander and better in the aspects it does well and even went riskier in terms of plot and development. But taking some risks can muddle with what was already established making fans think “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. There is definitely a lot of fun to be had with Deadpool 2 and I recommend it for fans of the franchise and newcomers looking for some weird fun at theaters. If you loved the first film, you will definitely find a lot to love in this one as well.
Raj Reviews 