Directed by David Leitch

Starring – Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Julian Dennison

The Plot – Fresh off of his last adventure, Deadpool (Reynolds) forms a team of mutants called the X-Force to protect young mutant Russell (Julian Dennison) from the time-traveling soldier Cable (Brolin).

Rated R for strong violence and adult language throughout, sexual references and brief drug material

POSITIVES

– First thing’s first, the comedy still hits more than misses. This time the main area of interest points to D.C Comics and their muddled efforts, backstory conveniences, and placing the limited production value under the microscope for Deadpool’s dissection. Most importantly, the film never relies on the humor or jokes of the first film, unlike modern comedy sequels, and the pleasure of enjoying a laugh after the somber surrealism of ‘Infinity War’ never feels more needed than now.

– My favorite aspect of this film is that there are measures taken within the relationships and revenge of Wade Wilson to give his character the depth he never received in the first film. It greatly surprised me that there were long spans of time when the film took itself seriously with this gripping change of pace, but it does so in a way that never compromises the consistency of the humor listed above.

– The X-Force union feels necessary and not just a sequel device. Cable feels like the first villain who has ever cracked Wade’s armor of personality that he often uses as his strongest weapon, and the inclusion of some fresh faces not only re-charge Deadpool’s efforts against evil, but also dive a little deeper in solving his trust issues.

– Much improved action sequences. From the upping of the ante in the production budget, to the crisp edits during intense fight choreography, ‘Deadpool 2’ feels like the next logical progression after a blockbuster that restored faith to the R-rated superhero concept. My one light critique in this field is that some of the C.G effects, particularly that of background green-screen, still could use some refinement. It’s funny that the teaser trailer pointed this out with one of Cable’s limbs, but the film did little to settle this joke-turned-reality.

– Enjoyable cast all around that each add an element of range to the foreground. Reynolds still lives and breathes Wade Wilson. With his witty one-liners and sarcastic smothering, he never misses an opportunity to remind you that this is still his passion project, and he’s having the time of his life in the role. Brolin as Cable was surprisingly stirring considering they didn’t give his character a lot of time to make an impact. He invades the film a half hour in, but juggles a steady offering of menace and sorrow that make for one truly terrifying nemesis. Also along the recommendation path are Julian Dennison as mysteriously gifted Russell, and Zazie Beetz as Domino, echoing off some of the best chemistry exchanges with Deadpool throughout.

– Keep an eye open for cameos. On the fictional and non-fictional spectrum, ‘Deadpool 2’ has plenty to offer, giving the casual and dedicated fans of the comic something to enjoy with delight.

– Constantly moving pacing that never translates the nearly two hour investment that you take on. This is as fun a sit as you’re going to get because of the combination of personality and ever-changing scenery that consistently keeps the screenplay moving.

– Once again, appropriate soundtrack musical cues. A-Ha, Peter Gabriel, and of course Air Supply are all here among others, and when they’re combined with some detailed slow-motion capture sequences, they truly bring out the beautiful bizarre that surrounds this larger than life presence.

NEGATIVES

– Is this a Terminator sequel? I say this as bluntly as I can put it; there is nothing original about the plot of ‘Deadpool 2’ A vicious killing machine comes back from the future to kill a boy who is responsible for something devastating in the future. Sound familiar? It did to me after about ten minutes of the film. What’s even worse is the film barely acknowledges this fact, meaning it’s not even there to pay homage.

– There was an end of the second act twist that totally changed the landscape of everything moving forward, and I completely hated it. I feel like this jaded direction aims more to give us more of the interaction between two particular actors and less about the conflict that the film had been building for the previous hour. Because of this, the ending is fine enough, but that switch is such a betrayal that it feels like false advertising in the least satisfying way possible.

EXTRAS

– The credit sequences, before and after the film, are some of the most hypnotic and creative that I have seen during the last decade. I won’t spoil anything for those of you seeing the film, but these sequences will definitely warrant replay value once you pick up your Blu-Ray copy.

8/10