Deadpool 2 (2018) - SPOILER-FREE Review
/Editor’s Note: this is an old, unformatted, unedited review. The author’s opinion might not match the original thoughts written in this article.
Directed by: David Leitch
Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Ryan Reynolds
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Josh Brolin, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Julian Dennison, Terry Crews, Bill Skarsgård, Brianna Hildebrand
Runtime: 119 min
After surviving a near-fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Miami's hottest bartender, while also learning to cope with his lost sense of taste.
Searching to regain his spice for life, as well as a flux capacitor, Wade (Ryan Reynolds) must battle ninjas, the yakuza, and a pack of sexually aggressive canines, as he journeys around the world to discover the importance of family, friendship, and flavor - finding a new taste for adventure and earning the coveted coffee mug title of World's Best Lover.
Yes, that is the actual Twentieth Century Fox's plot summary, and I find it funny, so deal with it. Kidding, for real now: a foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson AKA Deadpool brings together a team of fellow mutant rogues to protect a young boy of supernatural abilities from the brutal Cable (Josh Brolin).
Straight to the point: Deadpool 2 doesn't even reach the original's heels. The first Deadpool was the best origin movie that our anti-hero could get. This sequel takes every successful aspect of the previous film and exaggerates them so much that I honestly felt annoyed during some moments. There are so many improvised scenes that anyone can tell that they spent takes after takes just to add more jokes. Not only some fall flat, but they are also unnecessarily repeated throughout the movie.
The first half of the film feels aimless consequently affecting its pacing. Tonally, it is definitely a bit unbalanced due to the excess of comedy, and most of the characters only serve as an excuse for ... You guessed it, more jokes! I need you to understand this: I laughed a lot. I do not deny that I felt entertained. However, for a story to be consistent and captivating, everything must be under control. Otherwise, it will just become a clumsy screenplay.
I can't say I'm disappointed since I kind of expected Deadpool 2 to make the same error that Guardians of the Galaxy 2 did. Nevertheless, I actually liked this movie a lot. Yes, it has some issues, but it's still lots of fun! The cast is outstanding. Ryan Reynolds continues to prove that Deadpool is his career's best portrayal in a big screen, Josh Brolin is a badass as Cable, and the biggest surprise is Zazie Beetz as Domino who steals a lot of scenes from the previously mentioned duo.
If there's one thing this sequel improved upon the original is the action. Wow! Right from the beginning until the very end, the action sequences are masterfully directed by David Leitch, who also beautifully handles shaky-cam. The comedy may be exaggerated, but when it is on-point, it receives loud laughs from the audience. Technically excellent, the score is fantastic once again, and the editing is seamless.
I'm still processing a specific narrative choice in the first act, but I don't think it was the best path for the sequel to follow, especially having in mind the film's unbalanced tone, which misses its chance to handle this decision in a different yet powerful sense. The story suffers to find its goal during the first half, but when Cable finally gets some screentime, it remarkably improves. Even if everything is somewhat predictable, it is still exciting to follow Deadpool and his X-Force team.
All in all, Deadpool 2 is great entertainment, it is filled with awesome action scenes, and the introductions of Cable and Domino to the saga are welcome. Ryan Reynolds continues to be the superstar, but Josh Brolin is a fabulous counterpart. The story gets interesting after an aimless and clumsy first half, but it ultimately falters by not taking a narrative opportunity to the next level. Tonally it's all over the place, and that affects its pacing. Finally, it disappoints by making the mistake everyone was worried it might cause: excessive use of comedy. When the jokes are on-point, they are hilarious, but when they fall flat, they are REALLY terrible, unnecessarily long and repetitive.
PS: stick to the end ... One of the best post-credits scene ever! Also, the opening credits are probably the funniest scene of the entire thing!
