Everyone's favorite mutant mercenary is back in the form of Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) AKA Deadpool. He's as irreverent and fourth-wall breaking as ever, but does it work for a second round?
The answer, for the most part, is no. The original Deadpool did as well as it did probably because it was an anathema to the already bloated superhero culture, but its sequel has chosen to be part of the problem in a completely uninspired, lazy, often painful to watch superhero flick.
In the sequel, Deadpool seeks some sort of redemption after being told by the love of his life, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) that his "heart isn't in the right place." What follows is a hodge-podge time travel rip-off of Terminator and a plotline also dangerously close to X-Men: Days of Future Past. The jokes keep flying, as well as body parts, but it never does it naturally or flippantly. They're all predictable and somehow dull. Director David Leitch (Atomic Blonde), known more for action choreography, never lets the movie breathe. Somehow, even Avengers has managed its serious/humor balance better. When a scene is supposed to be heavy or somber, Leitch never allows us to feel the impact of it before slapping another joke on. Similarly, some of the jokes never land because they're not given the right amount of space. And time travel as a subject is always tricky, but Deadpool 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick basically just use it as a get out of jail free card to do whatever they want, completely eliminating any sense of suspense or emotion we might be tempted to feel for these characters.
It's a pity because there's some good material here. Zazie Beetz sparkles as Domino, but really we could use better camera direction to really emphasize the physical comedy that's possible with her mutant ability. It's largely wasted and that's a huge shame. The other characters are paper thin and completely underdeveloped. Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Wasteland is basically an afterthought and Vanessa's character has somehow devolved from being every man's cool girl to representing a toxic masculine outlook. She has no character or purpose other than to represent the sort of perfect "woman who's cool with anything" that is merely there for Wade to return home to. Also disappointingly, Julian Dennison is merely the same exact character as his other role in Hunt for Wilderpeople.
But perhaps this is just clever subversive writing? Well, just because you point out your own flaws doesn't excuse them, such as when Deadpool refers to a "steaming pile of foreshadowing" to subvert some lazy writing. There's never a chance for us to be worried about any of the characters, and part of that is simply because Deadpool apparently just can't die, and part of that is because they're never really put in any danger. At one point, Deadpool and another character unload into a group of medical staff who are all holding guns. Do they deserve it? -- well, yes the story does lead you to that conclusion, but is that really necessary? I'm not even sure they knew how to properly use those guns, and yet it somehow made sense for the writers to unleash not just Deadpool in all his mutant glory but another fighter into a full-on anti-climactic battle against them.
Deadpool 2's problem is that it holds nothing sacred. Before, the excessive violence and fourth-wall meta mockery might have been fresh, but now it relies far too much on that while eschewing good storytelling, fleshed out characters, and an actual conflict. Better luck next time, but we'll hope that your third movie takes the route of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade after Temple of Doom and not Godfather Part III.
The answer, for the most part, is no. The original Deadpool did as well as it did probably because it was an anathema to the already bloated superhero culture, but its sequel has chosen to be part of the problem in a completely uninspired, lazy, often painful to watch superhero flick.
In the sequel, Deadpool seeks some sort of redemption after being told by the love of his life, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) that his "heart isn't in the right place." What follows is a hodge-podge time travel rip-off of Terminator and a plotline also dangerously close to X-Men: Days of Future Past. The jokes keep flying, as well as body parts, but it never does it naturally or flippantly. They're all predictable and somehow dull. Director David Leitch (Atomic Blonde), known more for action choreography, never lets the movie breathe. Somehow, even Avengers has managed its serious/humor balance better. When a scene is supposed to be heavy or somber, Leitch never allows us to feel the impact of it before slapping another joke on. Similarly, some of the jokes never land because they're not given the right amount of space. And time travel as a subject is always tricky, but Deadpool 2 writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick basically just use it as a get out of jail free card to do whatever they want, completely eliminating any sense of suspense or emotion we might be tempted to feel for these characters.
It's a pity because there's some good material here. Zazie Beetz sparkles as Domino, but really we could use better camera direction to really emphasize the physical comedy that's possible with her mutant ability. It's largely wasted and that's a huge shame. The other characters are paper thin and completely underdeveloped. Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Wasteland is basically an afterthought and Vanessa's character has somehow devolved from being every man's cool girl to representing a toxic masculine outlook. She has no character or purpose other than to represent the sort of perfect "woman who's cool with anything" that is merely there for Wade to return home to. Also disappointingly, Julian Dennison is merely the same exact character as his other role in Hunt for Wilderpeople.
But perhaps this is just clever subversive writing? Well, just because you point out your own flaws doesn't excuse them, such as when Deadpool refers to a "steaming pile of foreshadowing" to subvert some lazy writing. There's never a chance for us to be worried about any of the characters, and part of that is simply because Deadpool apparently just can't die, and part of that is because they're never really put in any danger. At one point, Deadpool and another character unload into a group of medical staff who are all holding guns. Do they deserve it? -- well, yes the story does lead you to that conclusion, but is that really necessary? I'm not even sure they knew how to properly use those guns, and yet it somehow made sense for the writers to unleash not just Deadpool in all his mutant glory but another fighter into a full-on anti-climactic battle against them.
Deadpool 2's problem is that it holds nothing sacred. Before, the excessive violence and fourth-wall meta mockery might have been fresh, but now it relies far too much on that while eschewing good storytelling, fleshed out characters, and an actual conflict. Better luck next time, but we'll hope that your third movie takes the route of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade after Temple of Doom and not Godfather Part III.