HOLLYWOOD—I’ll let you in on a little secret: I liked “Deadpool,” but I did not love the movie the same way as so many others did. I think it was a result of the flick being so hyped up as something never seen before (it was) but my expectations for the flick fell short. After breaking box-office records, and becoming the largest opening for an R-rated movie ever, it was inevitable that a sequel would dawn upon audiences. And here we have “Deadpool 2” with Ryan Reynolds back in the driver seat.
So the question that everyone is asking is rather the sequel is better than the original? Unfortunately, the answer is no, but it’s still a solid movie to say the least. The one caveat that works wonders for the “Deadpool” franchise is that there are no rules. We have this belief that in the comic book universe when it comes to adaptations you have to make a movie that caters to all audiences. That type of mentality limits risk-taking when it comes to narrative. “Deadpool” doesn’t play by those rules and because of that you enter the theater not knowing what to expect.
There is no question whatsoever that Reynolds is the star of the flick. He brings a level of charm, wit, and vibrancy to a franchise that is a ton of fun. The notion that he constantly talks to the audience breaking the fourth wall throughout the movie draws the audience into this character’s orbit that much more in my personal opinion. I will make the argument that the comedic timing in the first installment was more fun than this second time around. Perhaps, it was the spontaneity of things, and with this sequel we expect that comedy, so much to the point that we want a bigger punchline than what is delivered.
I thought the bad guy in the first film was ok, but it seems Josh Brolin is earning his living lately taking on the role of villain. First, Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War,” and now as Cable in this flick. Brolin’s villainy in “Infinity War” was more destructive and had no limits. With Cable, he’s more of a computer to say the least with time traveling capabilities. I didn’t see Cable as an adversary to Deadpool; he was more like a thorn in his side. A true villain stops at nothing to get what he or she wants, whereas Cable has limits and because of that he is not as threatening as one expects. The sequel follows Deadpool aka Wade Wilson who finds himself as a member of the X-Men after something tragic transpires. I prefer not to spoil that surprise for audiences, but it shouldn’t stun you too much. Deadpool, Colossus and Negasonic (Brianna Hildebrand) as they try to protect Russell Collins (Julian Dennison), an unstable mutant who Cable wants to destroy. Why? With the ability to see the future, it ‘predicts’ bad things that could transpire, and let’s just say Cable wants to prevent that from transpiring.
The introduction of Domino portrayed by Zazie Beetz is a fun element for this sequel. It’s always nice to see a badass female who has a take no prisoners approach to unleashing havoc on those who stand in her way of completing her mission. There is great chemistry between Beetz and Reynolds that works well for both characters throughout the film. The pacing during this second outing is near flawless; things don’t move too slow or too fast and that is a testament to the work behind the camera thanks to director David Leitch. It loses points for its plot which isn’t that original and does little to stir excitement in viewers who may not be fans of the franchise.
As a spectator you can watch “Deadpool 2” for all the fun it actually is, full of crude jokes, violent action sequences and characters that make some of your favorite comic book heroes look like pure angels. While the film fails to surpass the original, it does enough to be a worthy entry in the franchise.
