Deadpool 2

Rating: 8/10 (26 May 2018)

This first movie was a terrifically funny alternative superhero movie, with its middle finger-brandishing spirit, there were high hopes for another slice of the spin-off from the Marvel X-Men series, we got it, and I wondered if it would be as much enjoyable, directed by David Leitch (Atomic Blonde). Basically foul-mouthed mutant mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has been Deadpool for the last two years, and it is his anniversary with girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), he is delighted when she wants to start a family. As Deadpool, Wade failed to kill a target, this assassin tracks them down and kills Vanessa, he kills the man in revenge, and blames himself for her death, six weeks later he attempts to commit suicide, blowing himself up. Wade has a vision of Vanessa in the afterlife, but his body pieces remain alive and he is put back together by Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), Wade is left only with a Skee-Ball token as an anniversary gift and final memento of Vanessa. Wade recovers with his healing abilities at the X-Mansion, he agrees to join the X-Men as a form of healing, he joins Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) at a standoff between authorities and unstable young mutant Russell Collins aka Firefist (Julian Dennison) at an orphanage. Deadpool realises Russell has been abused by one of the orphanage staff, he kills one of the staff members, Colossus stops him killing anyone else, Deadpool and Russell are arrested. They are taken to the "Icebox", an isolated prison for mutant criminals, and restrained with collars that suppress their powers. Meanwhile, a cybernetic soldier from the future, Cable (Josh Brolin), has travelled back in time to find Russell, his family were murdered in the future by an older Russell, he has come to kill the boy before he ever becomes a killer. Cable breaks into the Icebox and attacks Russell, Wade's collar is damaged in the chaos, he attempts to defend Russell, Cable takes Vanessa's token, forcing Wade and him out of prison, but not before Russell overhears Wade deny that he cares about him. Near death again, Wade has another vision of Vanessa, she convinces him to help Russell, so when he recovers, Wade organises a team called X-Force to break Russell out of a prison-transfer convoy and defend him from Cable. Deadpool advertises for anyone with superhuman abilities to apply, mutants recruited are Domino (Zazie Beetz), who has the manipulative ability of luck, along with Bedlam (Terry Crews), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgård) and the invisible Vanisher (Brad Pitt), and human Peter (Rob Delaney) is recruited, he applied because he thought it would be fun. The team launches its assault on the convoy by parachuting from a helicopter, but all team members, except for Deadpool and the lucky Domino, die during the landing. While Deadpool and Domino fight Cable on the fast-moving convoy, Russell frees mutant inmate Juggernaut (voiced by Reynolds), he agrees to repay Russell by helping him to kill the abusive orphanage headmaster (Eddie Marsan), Juggernaut destroys the truck and he and Russell escape. Cable agrees to work with Deadpool and Domino to stop Russell from committing his first murder, that would send him on the future path, he agrees to give Wade the chance to talk Russell down before attempting to kill the boy again. They arrive at the orphanage, they are overpowered by Juggernaut, while Russell attacks the headmaster, and Colossus, who at first refused to help Wade due to his murderous ways, shows up to help and allow Wade and Cable to confront Russell. After it appears that Wade fails in talking Russell down, Cable shoots at the young mutant, Wade leaps in front of the bullet, wearing an Icebox collar, causing him to die, reuniting him with Vanessa in the afterlife. Seeing the sacrifice, Russell no longer wants to kill the headmaster, this changes the future, Cable's family will now survive. But Cable uses his final charge on his time-travelling device, needed to return to his family, to go back several minutes and strap Vanessa's token onto his chest to deflect the bullet. Deadpool survives, Russell still has his change of heart, and the headmaster is run over by Wade's taxi driver friend Dopinder (Karan Soni). In the mid credits, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio (Shioli Kutsuna) repair Cable's time-traveling device for Wade, this allows him to travel back in time to save the lives of Vanessa and Peter, he also rights some wrongs, by killing the X-Men Origins: Wolverine version of Deadpool and killing actor Ryan Reynolds while reading the script for Green Lantern. Also starring T.J. Miller as Weasel and Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, and cameos by Nicholas Hoult as Beast, James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Kodi Smit-McPhee as Nightcrawler and Stan Lee on a mural. Reynolds is again fantastic as the wisecracking anti-hero, he does many more fourth wall breaks, send-ups of clichés and in-jokes, Brolin (who is also Thanos in Avengers: Infinity War, released only a month before this) is also great as the complex and compelling antagonist. The first film was funny, action-packed and fun, well this sequel is even better, many more explosive moments in the many fight and chases sequences, and visually stunning special effects, and it is hilariously funnier, with its black comedy violence, more vulgar language and bitch-slapping of past superhero movies, the highlights are an opening credits sequence with "Ashes" by Celine Dion, spoofing James Bond opening titles, and Flashdance (with bullets instead of water), and the genius end credits sequence and end song, overall it is a brilliant fantasy action comedy. Very good!