‘Deadpool 2’ is the violent, profane sequel fans have been wishing for
Posted on May 25, 2018
By MARK VIOLA
“Deadpool” was one of the biggest film surprises of 2016, finally giving comic book fans a faithful adaptation of the “Merc with a Mouth” and ultimately delivering 20th Century Fox a much-needed boost on its way to becoming the second-highest grossing R-rated film at the domestic box office (behind only “Passion of the Christ”).
It was an amazing movie and I saw it a couple times in theaters during its run. I don’t watch many at home, since I watch so many movies in the theater in order to review them. It was a couple weeks before the release of “Deadpool 2” when I realized I had not actually seen the original since watching it in the theater. Thanks to a wonderful marketing campaign, I was primed and ready for the sequel. I still wanted to rewatch the first one, which I didn’t manage to do until the night before my planned trip to the theater.
Rewatching the original reminded me just how razor-thin the film’s balance was between the edgy, fourth-wall-breaking antics of Deadpool himself (not to mention the profane, R-rated humor) and the genuinely emotional story that tied it all together. Breaking the fourth wall (in other words, acknowledging you’re in a movie) can provide great laughs, but it also reminds the audience they’re watching a movie, which can easily diminish the emotional connection they have with the story and the characters. Somehow, “Deadpool” managed to make us care (a lot), and still have its fun too.
I say all of this to note that it wasn’t until I finished rewatching the original that I become nervous about the sequel. How could anyone pull off the same trick twice? Sure, Ryan Reynolds was back as Deadpool. Both original screenwriters, joined by Reynolds, were also back. The original director was gone, but they brought in one of the guys who gave us “John Wick” and “Atomic Blonde.” It still seemed like an impossible task, though. Within a 24-hour span, I went from eagerly awaiting “Deadpool 2” to nervously sitting in my seat, simply hoping for the best.
Ultimately, I was right. It was a nearly impossible task for them to capture lightning in the bottle twice. The key word being, “nearly.” Because somehow, they did it! They actually pulled it off. “Deadpool 2” is absolutely everything fans of the original could have hoped for in a sequel, rediscovering that same mix of genuine emotion and outrageous humor, molding them together in a film that will make you cry, laugh and cringe, all the while enjoying yourself from start to finish.
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