Deadpool 2

DP 2, not cumming alone.

It's hard to believe this humble movies blog opened its doors 10 years ago. It's hard to believe people are still visiting it, while having thousands of better more professional options to go to whenever they need a qualified opinion on whether the film is worth watching or worth skipping. Anyway, I'm glad you're still here after all these years! We've reached the decade milestone! And what better way to celebrate it with the most exploitation superhero film there is to see in 2018!

Deadpool 2, AKA DP 2 (raunchy you!) Far exceeds its expectations and it's not just an excellent sequel to the original but, also a great example of film making done with the heart. The character itself, is probably one of the few superheroes/antiheroes accurately depicted on the big screen. With Wade Wilson, the ideas are limitless, and writers, producers and directors  clearly know why the comic book anti-hero has become a cult character ever since its introduction in the early 90's.

The new X-Men trainee.

Teenage angst.

First of all, and just like in the previous film, DP2 is a work purely based on respecting the fans, therefore the character. Unlike 90% of the MCU characters, here we don't need any of the PG rater bullshit and childish stories softened to appeal to a bigger market (and the retarded fans of the MCU, sorry, not sorry). In fact, I'd say DP2 feels like an independent film about a franchise character. Moreover, Deadpool 2 is the movie for those who were growing tired of superhero films, as the sequel makes fun of everything comic book related, specially the "Lazy writing" joke Wade keeps on tossing in our faces throughout the film. In addition, if you're a true comic book reader, you'll find the sequel comes packed with lots of X-Men related jokes, not just the predictable "DC V/S Marvel" stupid feud and criticism towards other MCU franchises.

When it comes to bringing the laughs, I think Deadpool 2 is just as funny as the original entry. There's even more meta jokes, the same gleefully dirty spirit carries over and some unexpected payoffs left me cackling. They build upon some of the previous memorable bits (I admire Ryan for being so willing to relentlessly skewer his filmography) without it going stale. Luckily, they didn't ruin the movie by putting all the funny bits in the trailer and there's plenty to enjoy. They weren't afraid to push the envelope with the humour and stick around past the finale for a truly epic bit that rolls during the credits.

Friend or foe?

Another metal arm?

We've got all your favourite players back from Deadpool and I want to credit the writers for giving the opportunity for the characters to grow. Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) is his typical wise-cracking self but he's found happiness and the change in his relationship with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) has really impacted his outlook. Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) return as X-Men members and while they're familiar, they're attitude does change towards Deadpool's antics. We also get back Dopinder (Karan Soni), Weasel (T.J. Miller) and Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) as the rest of Wade's crew and they all bring something new or hilarious to the film. I also really liked the new members of the cast; Cable (Josh Brolin) and Domino (Zazie Beetz) lived up to the hype. Cable has more depth than I expected and a highlight of Deadpool 2 was how they worked in Domino's ability into the action. They were so creative in how her abilities changed the way the action flowed. I also really liked the character of Russell (Julian Dennison) and how they used him in the movie. He becomes the driving force of the plot and they shape his character in a way that finds a nice balance between too soft and too arrogant. If I had any complaints, Eddie Marsan's character is one of the weakest villains I've seen in the genre, he has little dimension and his screen time is limited. I also preferred the treatment of a few of the original characters in the initial installment (Negasonic and Blind Al were stronger in the first movie). Keep your eyes open for a couple of surprise appearances by a few famous faces in the X-Men lore. However, the surprise villain, is a refreshing unexpected addition that will have you laughing by the time he faces his final combat. 

Director David Leitch is well known for his work in stunts and co-ordinating memorable action set pieces. This has carried over into his directorial efforts, I had a general knowledge of this going in, so I was expecting big things. Again, this movie rose to the task. It equals the original and, in some ways, surpasses it. I've already mentioned Domino, Colossus has a standout fight in the finale of the movie, the direction the movie decided to go with the initial X-Force mission was very surprising and I also liked Cable and Wade's first fight in the prison. The movie doesn't have a signature scene like the 12 bullets opening in Deadpool but there was never a moment that I was bored when the severed limbs were flying. Leitch and his team definitely got the job done and they balanced the humour and the thrills superbly. 

Time for new recruits.

The most formidable character of the film.

Ryan Reynolds followed up his signature turn as the foul-mouthed mercenary with an equally impressive performance. He's joined Hugh Jackman and Robert Downey Jr. as the benchmark of acting within the genre and I question if anyone else could even come close to him playing this character. Morena Baccarin still has great chemistry with Reynolds and their relationship remains as sweet as it did before. Brolin is appropriately cast as Cable, he lived up to high expectations and was appropriately gruff. Zazie Beetz is great as Domino, her casting was met with a lot of criticism but she's funny and I wish we had spent more time with her. Karan Soni carried over his charm from Deadpool as did Brianna Hildebrand. Julian Dennison did a solid job as Russell, I hadn't seen his previous work, but I can understand why so many people were excited to see him. Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgard, Lewis Tan and Rob Delaney were all good as the new X-Force members. Delaney was the standout as Peter. I also liked Stefan Kapicic and Leslie Uggams in their respective supporting parts.

One of the more surprisingly successful parts of the original Deadpool movie was the love story between Wade and Vanessa. It was surprisingly effective, and I dug the direction they took with it. Deadpool 2 is a story about family and while it still worked, it didn't tug at my heartstrings like the emotional core of the first one did. This isn't the fault of the actors or even the writers, it just didn't have the same impact.

Yes, Shatter Star is here too!

Cue to music!

In my opinion, this is a great sequel. It delivers a potent mix of both action and comedy. I was impressed that they refused to rest on the laurels of the original adventure and tried to do something new with it. If you found the first one too crude, too violent or too meta, I don't think this one will work for you. Its a movie that stands on its own, but you get the same creative expression as you did in the first one. I wouldn't say this is better than Deadpool, but it is on that same level for me. 

If you're looking for a "fuck you in the fucking ass, motherfucker" type of movie, say no more, Deadpool 2 hides some of the most clever critics ever made to a fast growing industry that forgot its true fan a long time ago (fuck you Disney!), and became a shameless cashgrab derivative money making machine. Of course, only few people will find out the nuances this great film is packed with.

That is all for today, and as Deadpool would say, "fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Here's the movie trailer:

Trailer #1: