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Deadpool 2 Review: Humor, Nihilism, and Gratuitous Violence Equals a Bloody Good Time [Spoiler Free]

Published Mon, 14 May 2018 21:59:11 -0500

THIS REVIEW WILL BE SPOILER FREE, THOUGH WE WILL VERY VAGUELY TALK ABOUT THE TONE.

Deadpool 2 doesn't feel as game changing as the first movie, but a solid dose of jokes, nihilism, and fun action beats means the film is always a riot and enjoyable to watch.

Director: David Leitch
Summary (?): After surviving a near fatal bovine attack, a disfigured cafeteria chef (Wade Wilson) struggles to fulfill his dream of becoming Mayberry'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 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.

It's hard to make lightning strike twice when no one expected it to work the first time around. While everyone knew The Avengers was going to be big, no one expected it to change the movie landscape overnight. Avengers: Age of Ultron had essentially the same problems as the first movie, but it ran into the problem of novelty. The first movie had the novelty of seeing the team together for the first time to paint over a bunch of flaws, and the second one didn't. Deadpool 2 runs into a similar problem, but in this case the novelty is seeing a comic-accurate take on the character appear on screen. The issues are there, but fortunately Deadpool 2 makes up for with the script and the delivery. Some of the jokes feel familiar, but with comedy, delivery is everything — and this cast knows how to deliver.

The thing that is different this time around is the graphic torture and comedy scenes are replaced by an extended moment of dark comedy and straight-up nihilism, though to explain why would be a spoiler. It's a kind of humor that is hard to get your head around, but fans of dark comedy and nihilism will find plenty to laugh at. Those seeking more traditional comedy will find the second half much funnier than the first half.

The supporting players are also here to make everything so much better. Josh Brolin is perfectly cast as Cable, and the two of them play off of each other very well. Their dynamic feels very natural, even if they are fighting each other for a good portion of the movie. The script also makes the wise decision to blow past all of Cable's convoluted backstory. In the early screening Deadpool welcomed us to the show and told everyone not to bother googling Cable. The movie doesn't address it either, which is probably the way to go.

Zazie Beetz as Domino is the instant breakout star of the entire movie. In the trailer we see Deadpool mention that "luck" isn't very cinematic, and you might agree with him. The movie finds a way, though, and she is amazing. Beetz is not only a born action star but her comedic timing is on point. Anyone who thought she wasn't good enough to play this role is going to get their minds blown the moment she walks on screen. Special mention must also be given to Stefan Kapicic, who continues to absolutely kill it as Colossus and has some of the best jokes in the entire movie. Julian Dennison continues to prove why everyone was talking about him for Hunt for the Wilderpeople, but to get into his character requires spoilers.

Unfortunately, while the movie is a ton of fun, the pacing is really off. It runs just under two hours, and there are times when it feels even longer. There is a first act that is set up a little odd, followed by an overly long second act, and then it moves on to the big finale. There is also a plot point that is controversial to say the least, and they don't handle it in the best way. However, we can't get into that just yet, so look for an analysis sometime over the weekend.

Deadpool 2 isn't quite as good as the first movie, but it does go above and beyond in a bunch of different ways. Much like the first movie it has a surprising amount of heart, and fans are going to be really happy by the end. There are also two mid-credits scenes that rank as two of the best ever put forward by the genre. They are worth sticking around for.

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