Susan Granger’s review of “Deadpool 2” (20th Century-Fox)
Bottom line: this subversive sequel is long, loud – and very funny!
The foul-mouthed, facially disfigured, yet indestructible anti-hero Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is still madly in love with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and they’re thinking of having a baby, when tragedy strikes. Vengeance is inevitable.
Dressed in form-fitting red-and-black spandex, Wade does battle with the villainous, time-traveling cyborg Cable (Josh Brolin), assembling his X-force crew, including Colossus (Stefan Kapicic), Weasel (TJ Miller), Blind Al (Leslie Uggams), Dopinder (Karan Soni) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), adding sarcastic Domino (Zazie Beetz), a newcomer whose gift is being extremely lucky.
Plus, he’s determined to protect orphaned Russell (Julian Dennison), a troubled teenager who happens to be a fire-fisted mutant and views Wade as a surrogate father figure.
Wise-cracking Ryan Reynolds is the creative force behind Deadpool, including co-writing with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. He’s so delighted that the original is the second-highest-grossing R-rated film, behind “The Passion of the Christ”), that this factoid is used as one of the many in-jokes.
Director David Leitch (“Atomic Blonde,” “John Wick”) maintains the action comedy’s irreverent tone, stressing the “f-word,” which – this time – stands for family, along with dozens of pop culture-based references, including referring to Josh Brolin’s futuristic Cable as “Thanos,” mocking the role he plays in “Avengers: Infinity War.”
Yes, there are lots of gruesome decapitations and severed limbs, along with self-aware star cameos, like Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), still alive in this timeline, and others that will surprise you – with Celine Dion’s “Ashes” serving as the theme song.
Plus, there’s a running joke that the song “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from “Frozen” sounds exactly like “Papa, Can You Hear Me?” from “Yentl.” FYI: Barbra Streisand is Josh Brolin’s real-life stepmother.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Deadpool 2” is a smarmy, snarky 7 – with outrageous post-credit scenes – whether you’re a fan of superhero sagas or sick of them.
