Spoilers.
Deadpool 2 is a superhero film following the adventures of The Merc with a Mouth, Wade Wilson, (Ryan Reynolds). The plot focuses on Wade as he tries to stop the time-travelling mutant Cable, (Josh Brolin) from murdering a young boy; who would later grow up to be a ruthless killer. Brolin is superb as Cable, being the overly serious intense presence, everyone knows from the X-men comics, whilst also having a gleam of roguish charm. The interplay between him, Wade and later Zazie Beetz’s Domino is sublime throughout, with Brolin’s no-nonsense Cable working well against Wade’s running mouth. Moreover, and I’m just throwing in this for the X-men faithful, the reveal of Cables daughter being Hope Summers is inspired: because not only does it expand the X-Men universe but, it also works as great abject symbolism. Deadpool 2 is of course incredibly funny throughout, with plenty of smiles and outright laughs to be had. While most of the jokes are crude, there are also some that make you think and tug at your emotions. To carry on from that, the overall tone of this film is darker than the first film, with the themes of child abuse and sacrifice being prevalent. However, this darker tone is not a bad thing, in fact, it helps to give the film stronger emotional stakes, making for many poignant moments. An example of this is the death of Vanessa, (Morena Baccarin) and the impact that has on Wade. That coupled with the bond Wade forms with new mutant Russell Collins, (Julian Dennison) help to give the film an air of maturity; which sets it apart from its predecessor. The relationship between Wade and Russell is positioned as father and son and, from a narrative standpoint, this works incredibly well, with both characters growing from the other. Best of all the new character is Domino, who is instantly likeable and hilarious, as well as having some slick sequences. From a narrative perspective tying her backstory into the same place that Russell was being tortured, is a masterstroke in character development and motivations; adding a true sense of vulnerability to her. I did have one issue with the film, this being that X Force, Bedlam, Shatter star etc, are barely featured. Yes, the deaths do serve quite a funny sequence, but it still feels like a missed opportunity. On the whole Deadpool 2 greatly expands upon the first film, and setups a lot of interesting ideas for the X-Men universe, with it having one of the best post-credits scenes ever, so stick around for that.
4.5/5
Reviewed by Luke.
Another Millennial Reviewer 