Deadpool 2 (2018)

“Deadpool 2” stars Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy, and Stefan Kapičić.  Released on May 18, 2018, the film has Deadpool forming his own team of mutants to protect a young mutant from a time-traveling cybernetic soldier.

The film is directed by David Leitch, who served as an uncredited co-director for “John Wick” with Chad Stahelski and directed “Atomic Blonde” last year.  It is a sequel to the 2016 superhero film, “Deadpool”, as well as the eleventh installment in the X-Men film series.  “Deadpool” was an unexpected hit when it was released two years ago.  Not only was it beloved by critics and comic book fans alike, but its successful box office run helped pave the way for more adult-rated superhero films, with “Logan” being the prime example.  This year, that trend continues with this highly-anticipated follow-up to the R-rated superhero comedy.  There are plenty of reasons why I was looking forward to this film, such as the fact that I really enjoyed the first “Deadpool” film and the fact that David Leitch is taking over for the first film’s director, Tim Miller.  I was pretty excited to see Leitch take on a big project like this because I really admire his filmmaking style in “Atomic Blonde”, particularly the action sequences, and I was hoping that his style will work well for “Deadpool 2”.  Now that the Merc with the Mouth has finally made his way back to the big screen, will he be able to provide a great sequel and keep his franchise alive?

Much like the first film, “Deadpool 2” is about as R-rated as it can get.  Not only was it filled with bloody depictions of violence, but it had plenty of harsh language and sexual references that you don’t want your kids to repeat in public.  So, if you want to prevent that from happening, do not bring your young kids to this movie, even those who are fans of Deadpool.  Let the adults have their fun with Deadpool and let the young ones have their fun watching Thanos kill people and collect the Infinity Stones.  In addition to the title character (Reynolds) attempting to protect a young boy with fire powers (Julian Dennison) from a Terminator-like soldier named Cable (Brolin), the film features the big-screen debut of the X-Force, the aggressive X-Men team that helps Deadpool out on his mission.  Most superhero sequels tend to go bigger in terms of the action, the budget, and the set pieces and can sometimes lose the special qualities that made their predecessors great.  “Deadpool 2” is, without a doubt, not one of them.  Not only does it contain the same type of humor and action as the first movie, but it also delves deep into Deadpool’s personal journey to become a better person, or in this case, a better X-Men.  David Leitch flawlessly balances the humor, violence, and storytelling without relying on one thing over the other.  Also, it’s a lot of fun to watch.  The entire cast did an amazing job with their performances, especially Reynolds.  Reynolds once again showed us that he was born to fit in the character’s shoes.  Josh Brolin also turned in a very suitable performance as Cable, and Beetz was incredibly enjoyable as Domino, one of the members of the X-Force.  What makes Deadpool and Cable click for me is the chemistry between the two actors and the fact that these two characters have the same personal feelings that play an important role in the film’s themes, which was well-portrayed by Leitch.  The action sequences were nicely-choreographed, entertaining as heck, and well-shot, much like how the action sequences in the first film were.  The best part of these moments was that they didn’t get to the level of being too over-the-top.  The humor was also my main highlight of the film because of how it blends in with the story and the fact that it’s so darn hilarious.  The film also contains a few jokes about stereotyping, which may offend those who didn’t like this type of humor, so that’s a minor flaw right there.  Aside from that, the film gets major points for making me laugh all the way through.

Overall, “Deadpool 2” is equivalent to “Spider-Man 2”.  It offers a brilliant, action-packed experience that improves on the original, but it never lost sight on the main character’s personal and grounded quest.  With its great cast, David Leitch’s astounding direction, and the film’s excellent use of raunchy humor and violence, “Deadpool 2” is a worthy addition to the “Greatest Superhero Sequels” collection.  I had a really fun time watching this film, and I’m hoping to see more of the Merc with the Mouth in the near future…unless Disney decide to tone down his behavior due to its deal with Fox.  If you’re a fan of the Marvel character and you love the first film, this sequel will definitely win you over, and be sure to stick around for a mid-credit scene when it’s over.  You’ll be glad that you did.  Maximum effort!

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