Better than the first!

Rating: 7/10 (12 June 2018)

Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, this time he also shares a screenwriting credit and yet again he does a brilliant job. Stealing every scene he's in Reynolds really carries the film with his quips, constant forth wall breaking and snarling sense of humour. Like the first film, he commentates throughout to great effect. It's really hard to imagine anyone else in the role as he completely nails it. Josh Brolin plays Cable, a half mutant/half robot who comes from the future - fully equipped with gadgets and one liners. Brolin like everyone else is clearly having a good time. He is overly serious with some great nods to the Terminator films. Child actor Julian Dennison from Hunt From the Wilderpeople plays foul mouthed Russell who shoots fire from his hands. He has a messed up backstory that gives him some much needed depth. He's basically the John Connor of the film as he is chased down by Cable throughout.
The opening credits are a brilliant throw back to the Bond series accompanied by a Celine Dion song. There is a team recruitment scene similar to the X-Men films which goes horribly (yet hilariously) wrong. Also the constant jokes about last years Logan will have you bursting out laughing. The list is endless and its jam packed with so much of everything. It even makes room for some interesting narrative changing and on top of that has some emotional heft. All of the original characters return from Colossus, taxi driver Dopinder, Weasel and Negasonic Teenage War Head. Initially they don't get much to do, but they turn up again for the extremely over the top climax. With an already bloated cast there was no need to introduce Domino or Yukio as like the others, never really get much to do.
John Wick and Atomic Blonde director David Leitch does a fine job making the action scenes very stylised and brutal. He also handles the comedy well too, the many gags and references mostly hit the mark. They poke fun at near enough every comic film of the last decade including themselves. The film is so self aware of its flaws and imperfections that it would be stupid to over analyse it. Deadpool 2 does what any great sequel does, it builds upon the first film and results in being much better. 20th Century Fox may be going downhill with the X-Men franchise but they have struck gold with the Deadpool series. Deadpool 2 is a forth wall breaking exciting thrill ride best seen on the biggest loudest screen.