Deadpool 22018

With Deadpool & Wolverine now available on streaming, it seemed like a good time to go back and revisit the first two films before seeing the new one.  Since nearly everyone has already seen the new one (and spoilers are flying fast and furious), I jumped on it, and checked out Deadpool.  Now, onto the second one, appropriately (and lazily) titled Deadpool 2.  Would this film be able to keep the good times going from the first, or did it suffer from the dreaded sequel slump?

Ryan Reynolds is back as the “merc with a mouth,” and eases right back into things in Deadpool 2.  While he may have gotten hamstrung by writers in his first incarnation of the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, he showed in Deadpool that when let loose, he was able to bring the character to life better than anyone expected.  With his wit and comedic timing, he’s on point to take this violent character to the extremes it deserves, and this film is more of the same – albeit with a wider range of emotions.

While he still has his core group of people from the first film (Baccarin, Uggams, Miller, Soni), Hildebrand), he gets more backup in Deadpool 2.  Josh Brolin, as Cable, is on point (and gets a Thanos reference too), and Zazie Beetz fits right in.  The new kid, Julian Dennison, isn’t bad, but isn’t quite up to the level of the folks around him – which actually works pretty well here.  There’s even a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance by Brad Pitt, who, as usual with his bit parts, steals the scene he’s in, this time without even saying a word.

At the start, Deadpool 2 at first seems like it’s just continuing right along with the original.  Then, a major twist leaves viewers stunned, and the plot, involving Cable and the new kid, evolves as viewers – and the red guy himself – are trying to process what happened.  It’s an interesting way to go about things, because that twist really drains the humor at first – something the first film had in spades.  Then, when Deadpool finds a purpose, he’s more of his normal self, and the film starts getting its rhythm back.   

The special effects, once again, are top notch, and are put through their paces in Deadpool 2, just like in the original.  Whether its Deadpool getting blown up, or even torn in half (a nod to the video game), or Colussus taking on Juggernaut (oh yeah, he’s in here too – but not Vinnie Jones, which is a bummer), the special effects knock it out of the park each time.  It’s really impressive.

As with any sequel, Deadpool 2 goes bigger than the original.  Thankfully, while the cast increases, and the bad guys get tougher, they all seem to fit into the crazy world the first film built.  They expand on the original film, and viewers will be happy with the new additions – especially Brolin’s Cable and Beetz’s Domino.  Aside from a twist that most won’t be happy with, this film is, like its predecessor, a bloody good time.

And, in case you didn’t know, make sure you stick it out through the mid credits sequence at the end, as those are pretty important.