Films > Film Reviews
Deadpool II
Cinema City
19/05/18
Two years ago I wrote a review for the first Deadpool movie. At the time I felt the need to explain to the uninitiated who the hell Deadpool was, coz let’s face it, he’s not a household name like Hulk or Iron Man, is he? Or at least he wasn’t. In 2018, the ‘Saucy Spider-Man’ needs no introduction. Indeed the marketing in the run up to the release of ‘Deadpool 2’ has been decidedly fan service oriented, which is the total opposite of the usual studio approach to making and selling a superhero movie. But we all know by now that Deadpool is far from your traditional superhero.
For me, sirens wailed early on in the production of ‘Deadpool 2’ when Tim Miller, the director of the original, left the sequel due to ‘creative differences’ with star Ryan Reynolds. Replaced with David Leitch, director of the rather disappointing and mediocre ’Atomic Blonde’, the question arose, could the magic unicorn droppings be sprinkled in the same place for a second time?
To a greater extent, the answer to that question is a big hi-five and a FUCK YEAH! The action is as brutal and absurd as before, and most (but not all) of the gags are moronic, crass, and hilarious. We’re introduced to time travelling mutant bad-ass Cable (Josh Brolin), and given hints as to why he’s come back to destroy a future shaped by the actions of the slightly diabetic mutant teenager ’Firefist’ played by (the criminally underused) Julian Dennison. We get to see well choreographed set pieces (though arguably more creatively handled in the original when they had less money to spend), and X-Men smackdowns the likes of which should make Bryan Singer scurry under the nearest pile of rubble and never come out (I’ll never forgive him for what he reduced the last few X-men movies to).
There is, however, a gaping bullet hole that runs through almost the entire movie that I feel like sticking my finger into. Early parts of the movie are a real tonal apocalypse that leave themes and plot flapping around like broken limbs throughout the entire movie, and because of that, it stumbles at times trying to remain on it’s feet. In fact this movie is at it’s best when it has those two feet sliced off at the ankles by a razor sharp katana blade.
There’s a few unforgivable logic leaps, but for the most part I WANT FUCKING STUPID AND DUMB FROM MY DEADPOOL MOVIE OK!? Nothing else. No attempt at pathos or moralising, OK!!?? Just shoot some shit up, and give me my obscure comic books references and I’ll be fine. OK!!!???
That being said, any X-Men movie that can introduce a brand new mutant team in the way Deadpool 2 does, including the awesome Zazie Beetz as Domino, gives Colossus his own choral chant soundtrack of ‘Holy Shit Balls’ whilst fighting ***SPOLIER*** , and even manages to mention Mojo-World in a throw away line of dialogue, can’t be riddled with too many shrapnel wounds, can it? Deadpool 2 proves that there’s a thin line to be walked between stupid and boring, and I’ll take the dumbass path every time, just as long as I’m walking it with fresh, smooth, little baby legs.