When Deadpool was released in 2016, it was a breath of fresh air for many. Not only did it take the super hero genre to R-rated territory, but it also emphasized humor to a much higher degree than the countless other super hero films on the market these days. Deadpool was a surprise hit, and a sequel was inevitable. Here we are with Deadpool 2, which outdoes its predecessor in most respects, though may not win over those who weren’t already Deadpool faithful.

While Deadpool told a straightforward origin/revenge story, Deadpool 2 ups the ante with stronger character arcs. Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) has suffered a tragedy in his life, and is trying to find a greater purpose. He might just find it when he stumbles across a troubled teenage mutant named Russel Collins (Julian Dennison) – who likes to call himself Fire Fist – who is in need of a bit of guidance, not to mention protection once a hitman from the future named Cable (Josh Brolin) shows up with the intent of killing Collins.

Its plot may not reinvent the super hero genre, but it feels fresher and deeper than its predecessor, due in large part to the dynamics between the characters. Russel and Cable may seem like typical sidekick and antagonist archetypes at first glance, but as the film goes on they reveal that there’s more to their characters. And this only brings out the best in Deadpool as a character as well.

Deadpool 2 also benefits from being a funnier film than the first entry. The pop-culture references, meta-humor, and zippy one-liners are in full force here. Everything from fellow X-Men movies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe to DC’s less-than-stellar Expanded Universe to Disney’s Frozen gets name-dropped and/or lampooned throughout. The film even opens with a pretty funny visual gag at the expense of the ending of 2017’s Logan. And of course Deadpool 2 is more than happy to make fun of itself most of all, with the crimson hero often deriding his own script and studio whenever an obvious trope or storyline convenience shows up.

While the 2016 original had its charm due to its sense of humor, its story was nothing to write home about. What elevates Deadpool 2 above its predecessor is how it finds a better balance at telling a good story, while also being able to break the fourth wall and make a punchline of itself every other minute. The story may not reach the same heights as some of the more recent Marvel films such as Black Panther or Avengers: Infinity War, but its stronger emphasis on character arcs makes it a more memorable story to its predecessor, while not sacrificing the humor and wit that separates Deadpool from the armies of other super hero films of this day and age.

Unfortunately, Deadpool 2 still does suffer from a few of the problems that hindered the original. The action scenes can be either hit or miss, never quite deciding whether they want to be serious action sequences or parodies of them. Similarly, Deadpool 2 seems to have some inconsistent pacing, which admittedly has been a recurring issue with many of the films in the X-Men franchise. Certain characters, even important ones, seem largely forgotten for long stretches of time, and some of the plot revelations unfold somewhat unceremoniously. And although Deadpool 2 is an improvement over the first film, it may not be to quite the extent as to change the minds of anyone who somehow didn’t care for Deadpool’s antics the first time around.

What I’m getting at is, Deadpool 2 is very good, but just shy from greatness. There are moments of greatness here and there, particularly revolving around Reynolds’ and Brolin’s performances, as well as those aforementioned meta-gags. But in a time when super hero films (the Marvel ones, anyway) are reaching a newfound consistency in greatness, Deadpool 2 simply falls a bit short of some of its contemporaries. It may never be dull, but Deadpool 2 also simply doesn’t stack up to the recent MCU output.

If you enjoyed the first Deadpool, it only makes sense that you’d love Deadpool 2. It more or less takes the elements that single Deadpool out in the super hero genre (R-rated comedy, violence, etc.) and cranks them to the next level. If Deadpool can find a foundation that makes it feel more like some of the recent Marvel films and less like, well, the X-Men films, while still keeping its R-rated identity intact, it could be one of the best super hero franchises going (it may also benefit its studio to emphasize it over the X-Men films, which have become more than a little convoluted with their continuities and timelines, things which Deadpool can openly acknowledge and mock). As it stands, Deadpool will have to “settle” for being the funny man sitting on the shoulders of giants. Albeit he certainly would a lot of attention to that shoulder.

 

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