REVIEW: 

Deadpool 2- “The Sun’ll Come out Tomorrow”

Deadpool 2 lets you know exactly what it is from the very outset: a film that does not give a S*** about who’s in charge of its payroll or what superhero movies are “supposed” to be- and it shines because of it.

The movie begins with a big nod to Fox’s other big blockbuster of last year, Logan starring Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and then that nod is followed by an equally big middle finger that had the audience laughing within the first two minutes of the movie. The movie doesn’t let up with stabs at other movies either, regardless of what studio owns it. Expect to hear riffs on DC and Marvel films alike, all equally brutal yet hilarious.

Laughter in fact, is one of Deadpool’s greatest assets. Don’t get me wrong, the film was rife with all kinds of sleek and bombastic action from one moment to the next, but even the action had to take breaks for the plot to progress at a good pace. The jokes however, never skipped a beat. Whether the titular antihero was chopping up bad guys, punching good guys, or having heartfelt moments with his supporting cast, Ryan Reynolds was serving one liners left and right; and most of them were absolutely hilarious.

Reynolds was the indisputable star of the show, and as Deadpool said himself, he “has trouble sharing the spotlight,” but that didn’t stop the supporting cast from charming the audience with their wit and unique flair that added to the Deadpool stable of weirdos.

The breakaway star for me was Domino, played by Zazie Beetz, of Atlanta small screen fame. Domino plays the role of new recruit for Deadpool’s X-Force team, a rag tag group of 90s Marvel Comics characters who get together to accomplish one of Deadpool’s goals in the plot. The rest of the crew is forgettable and unimportant (as the movie most likely intended,) but Domino holds the spotlight well while she has it. Beetz has an attitude that plays off Reynolds very well, and their on-screen chemistry works when they’re planning missions or kicking butt. Her mutant power over luck may not sound like much, but it makes for some really interesting action sequences that showcase the director’s creativity and knowledge of the character.

The other major character that I would be remiss if I didn’t mention was Cable. Disclaimer: I love Cable in the comics. He’s a character with a complicated background (Deadpool even says in the first act not to Wiki Cable’s origin as it will just confuse you,) but I love any story he’s in because it usually means a lot of gruesome action and a lot of time travel. Josh Brolin shows no fatigue from his role in Marvel’s Infinity War as the Mad Titan Thanos, and switches well from all powerful supervillain to badass supersoldier antihero. The film doesn’t delve deep at all into Cable’s story, but the little bits you do get make him an interesting character to unpack and one you kinda want to root for, even when he’s at odds with the film’s protagonist.

When you have a movie as successful and well received as the original Deadpool, it’s sometimes hard to follow up well in the sequel. Fans come in with certain expectations, and it’s up to the filmmakers to raise the bar. Deadpool 2 has no issues coming out of the gate to meet its predecessor’s quality, and maybe surpass it. Whereas the first film’s plot followed a pretty basic “hero’s girl gets kidnapped so hero must save her” scenario, this installment takes some interesting turns. It jukes you with the red herring of a classic revenge plot, but Deadpool exacts his revenge within minutes of being wronged. The rest of the movie follows more of a redemptive arc not only for Deadpool himself, but the people around him. 

Much like The Wolverine, Hugh Jackman’s less popular hero flick about him going to Japan, Deadpool 2 also focuses a fair bit on the hero’s healing factor. This power allows the Merc with a Mouth to perform such stunts as jumping off of a building, getting shot multiple times, and choking out an enemy with his own dislocated arm with no consequences. When this power gets tampered with, however, lead to some of the movie’s tenser moments. But it’s not just physical healing that this movie is playing on, but also emotional healing. Each of the main characters is dealing with some form of loss or emotional pain, and through the course of the plot they find ways to heal from it- sometimes that means wanton violence. 

Deadpool 2 is a raucous good time from start to finish. The action, humor, soundtrack, and hilarious yet gasp-worthy easter eggs and cameos make for a movie that had me glued to the screen for the entire duration. This may not be a family movie like Deadpool himself wishes it was, but it’s definitely a movie for you and all your friends of a proper age to enjoy. 

P.S., this goes without saying for a Marvel movie, but stick around for the after credits sequences. These were some of the most hilarious parts of the entire movie.