If the first outing was a love story, then the Deadpool sequel takes everything a notch further. Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) warns us in the beginning that part two is going to tap into the universal desire to belong to someone and somewhere. It’s all about family, but unlike a saintly KJo film, this one hits the ball out of the stratosphere.
The scathing wit is amplified with jibes galore at fellow Marvel characters; from Hulk to Hawkeye, and of course, Wolverine. There’s even a poke about Batman and Superman’s Marthas (mothers). The vulgarity could make a trucker blush with most scenes and dialogues thankfully escaping the censor’s guillotine.
And there are more pop culture references than you can keep up with. Watch out for a twisted take on Sharon Stone’s Basic Instinct , Green Lantern pokes, a cameo by Reynolds as himself, and Easter eggs strewn throughout. Even the opening credits aren’t spared, while eschewing the actual crew’s names.
- Director: David Leitch
- Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Jack Kesy
- Storyline: Deadpool wants to become a baby daddy, but family doesn’t always have to be biological.
The directing has been credited to ‘one of the guys who killed the dog in John Wick ’ which is in fact director David Leitch. Or that the cinematography is by Blind Al, Deadpool’s visually impaired old lady roommate. Leitch, the genius behind the incredible one-shot ten-minute action scene in Atomic Blonde , brings his suave sleight of hand to the Marvel universe.
In signature Deadpool and Leitch fashion, the fights are gnarly, full of gore, flinch-worthy and every bit satisfying with broken bones, slit necks, torn flesh and plenty of blood. The fact that Deadpool doesn’t really have a singular antagonist goes unnoticed as you sit back and enjoy the carnage unfurl.
Every time Wilson fights a new villain, we’re treated to more fights, so we’re not complaining. Though he couldn’t entirely be the fourth-wall breaking, self-aware superhero with sass without the supporting cast, both Deadpool films solely belong to Reynolds. Even the magnetic Josh Brolin as the time-travelling Cable can’t take away from the Canadian star’s lure.
And that’s with Reynolds wearing a mask most of the time, almost entirely relying on his vocal delivery. Like the titular character, Deadpool 2 is mighty crafty. In that the film never allows its audience a moment of calm, lest they get distracted. It’s a deliberate decision to constantly offer up a barrage of excitement; whether it’s the cameos, jokes, combat scenes or a killer soundtrack that includes Dolly Parton, AC/DC and Cher. And in the midst of all the thrills, the film manages to squeeze in a premise that's just bare-bones enough to work.
The plot doesn’t actually reinvent the wheel and yet it dominates the screenplay. Reynolds’ sequel — because let’s be honest, it really is all his doing — is one of those incredibly fun and lewd gifts that keep on giving. And you certainly won’t stop taking it all in; double entendres and all.
