Deadpool 2 Review: Superhero Sequels Fires Expected Rounds

These days superheroes are a dime and a dozen to the point where certain characters can get lost in the shuffle. However the character in question is not among them as his bright red costume makes it hard for him to blend in. This character is none other than the Merc with the Mouth: Deadpool. The iconic anti-hero made his return to theaters in 2016 in his very own film. Needless to say Deadpool was here to say as the X-Men spin-off became an instant hit. So naturally because of its success, and because Deadpool would have it no other way, a sequel was made and has now made its way to theaters. Directed by David Leitch Deadpool 2 looked to be bigger than its predecessor by including popular X-Men characters such as Cable. There was certainly plenty riding on this sequel. So after watching Deadpool 2 it seems clear to me that this superhero movie lives by the motto of “it ain't broke don't fix it”.

Deadpool 2 centers on Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) who has to protect a young mutant from the time traveling Cable (Josh Brolin) who is determined to change the future. To no surprise the plot of Deadpool 2 was straightforward as one can be-which was not a bad thing. While there were few surprises in the plot it was entertaining as it kept me invested all the way through. Much like its predecessor what benefited the plot was its stylish sense of storytelling as Deadpool would break the fourth wall to keep the story moving. When it came to themes Deadpool 2 was fairly sound in its concepts. The story’s morals were surprisingly deep for a plot such as this one and meshed well with film’s outlandish nature. However other concepts such as time traveling were underplayed to point where it felt unnecessary. Though it may not have been the strongest of tales the plot of this sequel was a fitting one as its zany presentation felt right for the Merc with the Mouth.


In 2016 Ryan Reynolds stole the show with his performance as Deadpool, so it was no surprise to see the actor again in rare form for the sequel. Deadpool remained his over the top self while being able to progress in new areas, and Reynolds was able to keep true to his interpretation. Along with the loud mouth protagonist was the inclusion of Cable. The character of Cable was underwhelming as he did not receive much screen time to flesh out his character. Thankfully the harden hero had plenty going for him such as Josh Brolin's performance and his fantastic chemistry with Reynold’s Deadpool-which is something I would love to see more of. The supporting cast was decent. While they lacked the flare from the first film, there was still plenty of stand out characters in the supporting cast like Domino Zazie Beetz), Weasel (TJ Miller), Russell (Julian Dennison) and of course Colossus(Stefan Kapicic). The cast of Deadpool 2 was one that relied on having a strong lead and although this was not a bad thing it still left much to be desired from this superhero ensemble.

If there is one thing that Deadpool strived at it is being humorous; so it only made sense for its sequel to follow suit. The comedy of Deadpool 2 certainly lived up to its predecessor by being raunchy, over the top and a bit clever. Coinciding with the comedy was the movie’s action which was an improvement from the first film. The action of Deadpool 2 was nothing awe inspiring but its definitive direction brought out the creative nature behind this superhero sequel. As for other technical aspects elements such as effects things were fairly standard. These aspects did their jobs but there was also nothing noteworthy about them; although the likes of cinematography did work for the movie’s style. 

Deadpool 2 was an enjoyable blockbuster for the season. The movie does have its share of flaws such as its lacking execution in the both story and character; as well as mention not having the memorable presence of the first film. However, as stated earlier, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it and Deadpool 2 personifies that by living up to the traits of its predecessor. When it came down to it Deadpool 2 went as expected and although it is not the standout superhero movie of the year Deadpool 2 is still a noteworthy sequel that does its franchise justice.