*”Deadpool” was a huge hit back in 2016 due to it’s irreverent, fresh take on the comic book superhero film genre.
So, with two years to figure out what worked and what didn’t, the sequel is even better, right?
Not even close.
The main problem – and there are unfortunately many – with “Deadpool 2” is that it isn’t really a film. It’s a series of gags – too many of which quickly become tiresome – double entendres, 4th-wall breaking and loud, uninspired action scenes that are strewn together and ultimately give us a very forgettable film.
This is due in large part to Ryan Reynolds having more creative control over this film, which led to “Deadpool” director Tim Miller leaving this film and being replaced by David Leitch. Miller had wanted a more stylized film, while Reynolds wanted to up the raunch that got the original an R- rating.
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courtesy 20th Century Fox)
So “Deadpool 2” is more raunchy and R-rated. Yippee. It would be nice if Reynolds put as much of a priority on giving us actual characters that we can care about.
Part of what made “Deadpool” resonate so much with audiences was Wade Wilson’s romance with Vanessa, which though not a typical amorous relationship felt genuine. However, something very bad happens to her early in the film, so Morena Baccarin gets very little screen time, which is to the film’s detriment.
A LOT of things happen that should give the film a serious tone for a few seconds, but even when dealing with the one thing that should be devastating to him, Reynolds feels the need to have Deadpool and the characters around him make jokes and give us more visuals that take away from the moment.
So that’ makes it impossible to invest in the character on an emotional level. Then, what makes him impossible to care about is that he comes across as Bugs Bunny. Nothing can kill him and he is therefore never in any real danger. So we aren’t invested in his action scenes either.
Thankfully, Josh Brolin’s Cable gives us a decent performance and enough to do to give us some semblance of a story for a while, but he is criminally underused.
Stefan Kapicic is one of the film’s other saving graces as Colossus. But here again, the script fails him and the audience. This is especially true when he faces off against another mutant powerhouse in a fight comic fans will be drooling over… until the small budget shows and the fight is “won” with – surprise! – a bawdy action that seems to scream “Look how edgy we are!”
Then we have a young mutant, Russell Collins/Firefist – who is being hunted by Cable. He is played by Julian Dennison, who seems to have gone to the Jake Lloyd School of Acting.
Also prominent in the trailers is Zazie Beetz as Domino. So, she’s at least cool, right? Not really. Her luck power becomes extremely predictable and she is hardly given anything cool to do. So Reynolds race-changed a fan-favorite and then had her do action scenes we’ve seen in hundreds of movies and gives her nothing interesting to say. After “Black Panther” and “Infinity War”, Beetz’s Domino is an embarrassment. Again, she is game, but Reynolds does not let her character develop at all.
Of course, compared to how X-Force members Bedlam (Terry Crews), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan), Zeitgeist ( Bill Skarsgard) and Peter (Rob Delaney) are treated, Domino is lucky.
As for the other characters, Reynolds seems more interested in jokes and innuendo about what Negasonic Teenage warhead IS rather than have us be interested in anything she DOES.
The taxi driver Dopinder (Karan Soni) is back, but is simply annoying, as is Weasel, who given T.J. Miller’s issues will likely not be coming back for any sequels. So there’s that bright spot.
To top it off, every musical choice in the final act is ridiculous in contrast to the climactic moments we are supposed to be having and our “heroes” disregard for life – even civilians – is off-putting.
The first time I really laughed out loud was during the after credits scenes, so if you go, at least stay for them.
Hopefully for the inevitable “Deadpool 3”, they rein Reynolds in a bit.
GRADE: C-
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