Deadpool 2 joins the ranks of film franchises where the sequel surpasses the original!
If you thought Deadpool (2016) pushed the boundaries of superhero storytelling, then you will be blown away by its sequel—Deadpool 2. This highly anticipated film builds off the original and uses it as a springboard to leap into the air and perform a perfect-10 dive into the “pool” of success. The Ryan Reynolds-powered script is everything a comic fan can ask for and more.
Crazy, wild prediction in the vein of how Tropic Thunder (2008) and Logan (2017) were received by critics: Deadpool 2 will be nominated for a Best Screenplay Oscar. Yes, I’ll go into the reasons why.
Warning: Possible spoilers ahead
Deadpool 2 opens with all the trimmings of breaking the fourth wall (a staple of the Merc with a Mouth) and over-the-top-violence—that’s done tastefully and with flair. Ever since the end of the first film, Wade Wilson has settled into his status quo of becoming a very efficient mercenary. And exposition for this is done with the best kill scenes since the original film and the John Wick series. In a Quentin Tarantino sort of way, Deadpool’s kills don’t seem profane or gratuitous. They’re so ridiculous that they’re surreal and almost dream-like. Yes, we get the occasional “oooh” and “ow” from the audience, but those seem more like going-through-the-motions sort of reactions.
The humor, of course, is as sharp as ever. I would use the “fine wine” metaphor to describe Ryan Reynolds, but that would be too clichéd and not in the spirit of this very creative movie. I would say Reynolds’s humor is like a well-aged cheese. It’s strong, pungent, and it takes people with sophisticated taste buds to truly appreciate all the fine notes, textures, and complexities. Hmm, is that pretentious enough? Yes, like Deadpool, I’m very self-aware. I have a very strong feeling that Reynolds worked off an outline and most of his lines were ad-libbed. The humor was just too natural and smooth.
So, violence … check. Offensive, biting humor … check. What am I telling you that you don’t already know and expect from this sophomore outing of the Merc with a Mouth? … That it’s a very emotional story containing great character arcs and even greater social relevance—all done organically. Because Deadpool 2 is a reflection of our current zeitgeist (also the name of an X-Force member in the film, and whose fate is definitely an allegory), it plays with our unconscious mind—stealthily teasing our emotions. Like I said before, I will tell you why I’m predicting the screenplay will be nominated for a golden statuette.
Deadpool 2 is a blatant lesson on screenwriting and a commentary on the state of this art and the world around it. With Deadpool’s fourth-wall-breaking, he states the obvious to the audience—the absurdity of the fictional world and the real world. And he pulls no punches. He goes as far as talking about the symbolic nature of the X-Men—how it was an allegory for equality. Later, he creates X-Force—with the name of the team explicitly called out as gender-neutral. It’s hilarious and shows that we, as a society, are currently more concerned with these frivolous pursuits than actually making a change—much like Tropic Thunder‘s reflection of Hollywood stupidity.
Going off those sentiments, we have Deadpool’s main goal in the film—saving Russell Collins (a.k.a. Firefist). Russell, an overweight teenager who’s been abused, is basically the metaphorical embodiment of a bullied, enraged teen wanting to wreak havoc on his oppressors. Though the story could’ve easily shifted to preaching about our current landscape of school shootings, the film allows the audience to see Russell not as a token, but as a fully fleshed out character. It humanizes him and opens up a dialogue for debate—not all killers are born monsters, and weapons may or may not be the problem. The film removes itself from taking sides and presents the platform to the audience.
The film’s emotional throughline could’ve entered saccharin territory, but the writers kept everything genuine. And that resulted in excellent character arcs within the realms of possibility. Truth be told, I had no idea how Cable’s introduction was going to be pulled off without shoehorning him in willy-nilly. But the parallel losses of both Wade Wilson and Cable made their diametrically opposed end-goals in the second act that much more compelling.
Don’t let Deadpool 2‘s comic book roots and genre trick you into thinking the film is just another action-driven, run-of-the-mill, superhero flick that will become one more nail in the falsely predicted “superhero-fatigue-coffin.” The movie is marketed as a fun summer blockbuster—and it hits high marks in that arena—but under all that humor, blood (there’s a lot of that), guts, and explosions, there’s a deep movie that warrants multiple viewings. It’s probably the most dramatic film you’ll see this year. Is there some sort of Deadpool-esque sarcasm in that statement? Like the film, why don’t I let you decide for yourself.
Deadpool 2 was released in the United States on May 18, 2018.
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