Deadpool 2 Review
SPOILERS BELOW: YOU'VE BEEN WARNED
During the weekend, I sat down to watch one of the biggest movies right now - 'Deadpool 2'. Coming off the back of 'Avengers: Infinity War', this next Marvel movie had some big shoes to fill following its first-film success of the highest grossing R-Rated film of all time.
'Deadpool 2' definitely has the same energy as the first and had the whole theatre in hysterics. Deadpool's dry humour and consistent breaking of the fourth wall were present in the first and work just as well the second time around. The post-credits scene of 'cleaning up the timeline' was also hilarious. You wouldn't have been able to tell the director was changed to David Leitch, who directed Atomic Blonde. The overall tone of the film remained the same and fans of the first film were definitely not disappointed with the second instalment.
The plot itself was different from both the first 'Deadpool' and the rest of the films in the Marvel Universe. Pretty early on in the story, Deadpool's wife Vanessa dies. This pretty much seals Deadpool into a hole that you worry at some points they can't come back from. However, with the introduction of Russell, a 14-year-old New Zealand mutant played by Julian Dennison, you get a breath of fresh air in an otherwise very American, hot-bodied Hollywood world. Julien's performance is the highlight of the film and pulls the plot from being melancholy back into high-action humour. You may recognise Julien from his Lynx commercial.
Russell is being hunted by Cable, played by Josh Brolin who played Thanos in 'Avengers: Infinity War', which is pretty confusing when you think about these stories all happening within the same universe. Still, the plot progression with Russell, Deadpool and Cable is a very clever one and makes this film into a 'family film', much like the first was a 'romance film'. Deadpool discovers he needs to not be so isolated and alone, and saving Russell is how he achieves that.
Deadpool himself is again played spectacularly by Ryan Reynolds. He is so refreshing as a superhero character because he isn't inherently good. I for one get so tired of the characters of the Captain America type, being all up on their high horses about what is right and good. Ryan is very well aware of the character he plays and how offensive he can be but says a big "fuck you" to all delicacy and political correctness and just goes for it, which is what makes him so hilarious as this character.
Perhaps one of the funniest moments was the bringing about of the X-Force. Rumours were circulating that this movie was going to set up the X-Force, a hugely popular team of superheroes akin to X-Men in the comics that are not as morally good. The Hollywood Heavyweights of Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgård, Rob Delaney and Brad Pitt were all part of the film for all of 2 minutes before they all died brutally, however the post-credits open up the idea that the X-Force will return.
Another fun point of the film was the relationship between X-Men Negasonic Teenage Warhead and newbie Yukio. Deadpool in the comics is sexually fluid and although they didn't deem that ready for the big screen just yet, the sidekicks get to be in a relationship which is a step in the right direction.
The only criticism I have with the film is the timing of Vanessa's death; so early on we get a huge tragedy that then we spend another hour reeling from. We simply spend too much time grieving Vanessa that the movie needs a moment to catch up and go back to fast-paced jokes once more. Once it gets there though, it's back to the Deadpool we know and love.
Make sure you're keeping up with our Culture Kings News Page to get all the latest on movies, music, sport and streetwear.
Header image from Polygon.com