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Deadpool 2 Review: Unstable at Humanizing Characters yet Still Faithful to Its Predecessor


Deadpool 2 Review: Unstable at Humanizing Characters yet Still Faithful to Its Predecessor
8 out of 10

Love it or hate it, we all remember Deadpool as one of the most different and funniest Marvel films. It took some risky attempts to break the fourth wall in every chance possible. The movie often times caught the viewers off guard with dark humor using witty references that were delivered unexpectedly but on-point. Plus, the action sequences are not too shabby. The choreography, stunt work, and editing were magnificent keeping the audience’s eyes glued to the screen.

Deadpool 2 opens with the Merc With A Mouth trying to cope up with a loss. He found himself meeting with some new interesting characters like Firefist, a young abused mutant from an orphanage; Domino, a badass heroine whose special gift is luck; and Cable, a man with a mission who goes back to the past to prevent the imminent dark times from happening. Deadpool embarks on a rescue mission to save Fire Fist from being a bloodlust maniac.

This franchise is arguably the biggest revelation to the X-men lore. So, it is only fair that we set the expectation high for its second installment, right? Well, this movie certainly did not disappoint. I think I even enjoyed it more than the first one. However, I still think the first film did almost everything better from the technicalities, comedy, cohesive storyline, and down to the tone.  

The action scenes in Deadpool 2 are more spectacular than the first. David Leitch replaced Tim Miller for this movie bringing his signature awe-inspiring stunt work and fight choreography as he showed in the movies like John Wick and Atomic Blonde.

The cuts during the fight scenes were done appropriately– neither too abrupt nor shaky. Despite the directorial change, they also still utilized the slow-motion effect with a sappy old songs playing in the background, just like in the first movie. The soundtrack is a good combination of nostalgic ballad and modern hip-hop for fast-paced scenes.

The highway sequence and Cable’s attack on the Icebox were my favorite scenes in the movie. But, seeing Wade with a man’s torso and child’s legs was so entertaining as well.

What I love about Deadpool 2 the most are the new characters. I love their motivations and quirkiness. At first, I was skeptical in seeing the anti-hero in a red suit working with a team but the X-force grew on me when they shared their powers and their backstories. There was no real antagonist here, unlike in the trailers that showed Cable as the villain.

By the way, it turns out that 2018 is Josh Brolin’s year. The actor who also played Thanos in the Avengers: Infinity War did a terrific performance as Cable. He was stoic but gave justice to the vulnerabilities of the character. I am turning into one of his fans and I can’t wait to see him in Sicario 2: Soldado.

Deadpool 2 took the same path as X-Men: Days of the Future Past, only with some fourth wall-breaking and still being humorous in some supposed serious emotional moments.

For the comedy, it was a hit most of the times though other punch lines missed so badly because they were definitely trying way too hard to copy what its predecessor has accomplished. The jokes may get on people’s nerves because of its over-the-top crudeness that can be tiresome for some.

This sequel brought something new to the franchise by humanizing Deadpool. I can understand that they can’t go for ‘look-at-me-I’m-depressed’ route. That’s not what the franchise is about after all. It still must be fun, gritty, and enjoyable. So, even in the tender and vulnerable scenes, someone will crack a joke. I found the two tones oddly-mixed.

Certain elements might overshadow what the film’s message is. This movie values having a family… Not necessarily a literal family but the people that will have your back in the worst times of your life. With the X-force, Deadpool is a lone wolf no more.

I was actually saving the best for last. Let’s talk about the mid-credits scene. My stomach hurt from laughing so hard. It just went Days of the Future Past god-like mode. Moreover, the last bit of the mid-credits scene was a big ‘F YOU’ by Ryan Reynolds to the DC universe. I was floored.

Although I enjoyed that, I can't help but wonder if it actually happened. If it did, it will discredit everything that happened in the movie. Or is it just for comedic effect? I guess that’s one of the purposes of that scene is to keep the viewers wanting for more. As for me, I'm going to shut up and let them take my money because I want to see more from this franchise.  

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