It’s fitting that Deadpool 2, the insanely meta sequel to 2016’s hard-R-rated superhero smash, opens with star/co-writer/co-producer Ryan Reynolds taunting the death of Hugh Jackman’s iconic Wolverine in last year’s Logan.
Reynolds is singlehandedly doing what all comic book geeks and pop-culture fans dream of: He has not only become his favorite comics character, he has elevated superhero cinema to performance art.
By now, most everyone alive on the planet equates Reynolds with the foul-mouthed, chimichanga-loving, Yentil-watching Deadpool, the indestructible mercenary created by Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza for Marvel Comics in the early 1990s.
But what is truly special about this pairing of superfan Reynolds with fan-favorite Deadpool is how much fun both the actor and his audience can have together. If Avengers: Infinity War put you in a catatonic state of Debbie Downer-ism, then Deadpool 2 is here to tickle your taint until you soil yourself with laughter.
This is a relentless, breakneck joyride through a pop-culture and current-events kaleidoscope where nothing is sacred.
- Disney (the soon-to-be new parent company of Twentieth Century Fox) — skewered, especially Frozen;
- Green Lantern — Saved once again for a crowning put-down mid-credits;
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine — ditto (see above);
- James Bond — remember how awesome the opening credits were for the first film? You ain’t seen nothing;
- DC Extended Universe — “I was fighting a caped badass and then I discovered his mom was named Martha, too”;
- The Republican Party — “Pump the hate brakes, Fox & Friends.”
If you’ve seen the trailers for Deadpool 2 then you know enough already. This really is the kind of movie where not knowing much about the plot is essential. Suffice to say, fans of X-Force, the original 1960s X-Men and the 1970s-era Uncanny X-Men will not be disappointed. There are several super-secret cameos sprinkled throughout, including one huge villain that will delight longtime fans, and one A-list appearance that had a preview audience howling.
Here’s the spoiler-free synopsis: Wade Wilson, aka Deadpool, has already lost so much, but there’s still more that can be taken away, and it is, early on, with a shocking twist. As he struggles with his invulnerability, a new threat emerges from the future — the half-man, half-cyborg Cable (Josh Brolin, owning this role just as he did Thanos in Infinity War) — determined to find the young mutant who killed his family and snuff him out before he can become a supervillain. Deadpool must forge an alliance with an unlikely team, including Domino (Zazie Beetz, stealing every second she’s on screen), to save the day.
Usually, sequels do one of two things — they either stay the same, rehashing the best bits from the first movie with diminished results, or they deviate too far from what worked, creating a fissure between fan and finished product.
Deadpool 2 adds a new director, David Leitch (proving John Wick and Atomic Blonde were not flukes), who accelerates the action without sacrificing the irreverent humor that made the first Deadpool so memorable. If anything, the jokes land with more precision, as if that was even possible, and the ensuing mayhem never feels derivative.
Deadpool’s frequent interactions with his cab driver Dopinder (Karan Soni) are funnier. His one visit to Blind Al’s apartment is just as ridiculous and hysterical, as actress Leslie Uggams once again proves a perfect, politically incorrect accomplice. The only returning character that didn’t work for me is comedian T.J. Miller as Weasel, but that’s likely due more to Miller’s recent off-screen meltdowns than his lightning-quick put-downs, which are once again on display.
The sight gags and Easter eggs are plentiful. Hint: Keep an eye out when Deadpool digs open a secret crawlspace in Blind Al’s apartment and a blink-and-you'll-miss-it key moment inside Professor Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters.
Deadpool 2 is a blast. It’s as good as its predecessor. It leaves you wanting more (thankfully there's the already announced X-Force feature film). And it confirms that if anyone was ever born to play a single role, then Reynolds was birthed to be Deadpool.
John W. Allman has spent more than 25 years as a professional journalist and writer, but he’s loved movies his entire life. Good movies, awful movies, movies that are so gloriously bad you can’t *help* but champion them. Since 2009, he has cultivated a review column and now a website dedicated to the genre films that often get overlooked and interviews with cult cinema favorites like George A. Romero, Bruce Campbell and Dee Wallace. Contact him at Blood Violence and Babes.com, on Facebook @BloodViolenceBabes or on Twitter @BVB_reviews.
