‘Deadpool 2’: Super Sweary Superhero Fun

‘Deadpool 2’: Super Sweary Superhero Fun  - Before we begin, here’s a disclaimer: DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT bring your kids to watch Deadpool 2.

Wait a minute, didn’t I write that exact same opening disclaimer in my review for the first Deadpool movie? Why do I have to do it again? What? Because everyone expects a superhero movie to be family-friendly? Because people might think Deadpool is Spider-Man? Because they might think this is Avengers 4 because the actor who played Thanos is in this one too? Sigh.

Look, it’s a DEADPOOL movie, and this is already the Merc with a Mouth’s second solo one. We’ve already been through his origin story, how Wade Wilson got terminal cancer and was turned into a horribly-scarred superhero who can’t die. We’ve seen how violent, sweary and politically incorrect he is.

Deadpool 2 basically takes what happens in the first movie and amplifies it two-fold. Which, in case you’re still not following, makes it even MORE unsuitable for children.

For the rest of us grown-ups, however, Deadpool 2 is the foul-mouthed, ultra-violent, piss-taking, blood-laden laugh-a-minute masterpiece you hoped it would be, and more.

Picking up where it left off in the first movie, Deadpool is now working as a mercenary who takes down criminal organisations for money, and is looking forward to settling down with his girl Vanessa (Morena Baccarin).

Then the time-travelling Thanos… sorry, Cable (Josh Brolin) shows up with his bionic eye, fanny pack and Winter Soldier arm and goes after a young fire-powered mutant called Russell (Julian Dennison), who apparently grows up to become a supervillain who kills Cable’s family in the future.

Deadpool decides to protect the kid, and forms his own mutant team, X-Force, comprising the luck-manipulating Domino (Zazie Beetz), sword-swinging alien Shatterstar (Lewis Tan), electromagnetic field manipulating mutant Bedlam (Terry Crews), the mysterious Vanisher, the acid-puking Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard) and Peter (Rob Delaney), who is as ordinary as his name suggests.

Some X-Men also show up, namely Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), who were both in the first Deadpool movie. Oh, by the way, we also find out why the X-Mansion is always so empty whenever Deadpool shows up.

There really isn’t much I can say about the movie that you shouldn’t already be expecting. From its James Bond-riffing opening sequence (complete with a Celine Dion song) to arguably the greatest post-credit scene in superhero movie history. The movie goes on the offensive (in all senses of the word) from the get go, and doesn’t let up until the final credit has rolled (keep your ears out for the final song in the closing title credit sequence).

Ryan Reynolds doesn’t just play Deadpool, he IS Deadpool. And without the burden of setting up his origin story, Reynolds hits the ground running, guns blazing, swords swinging and leaves a trail of laughs and bloody corpses in his wake from start to finish. Along the way, he lands telling blows on both Marvel and DC’s movies as well as the superhero genre in general.

While Reynolds basically carried the first movie on his own, this time around, he has an able supporting cast of heroes to share the burden. Brolin is his scowling, grumpy best as the formidable Cable (though you wonder how he can keep a straight face whenever he shares a scene with Reynolds), while Beetz’ sassy, confident, and immensely likeable Domino is the standout star amongst the new heroes. Give her a solo movie already.

There’s more to Deadpool 2 than the swearing and killing though. There’s also a romantic love story, an inspiring bromance, a touching message about family, and… ah heck, who cares. It’s Deadpool. What else are you expecting from it? Just enjoy it for all its gory, sweary glory, and remember to leave the kids at home. We’re not kidding on that one.