Deadpool 2 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review
Nathan Swank
August 25th, 2018
The rude, crass, obnoxious stepchild in the Marvel Universe is back. Following a creatively humorous marketing campaign, DEADPOOL 2 ups the ante after the first installment, adding an “-er” to all its colorful adjectives. It’s bolder, bloodier, and more importantly, funnier.
If you are not familiar with the Deadpool character, he’s the guy that can’t die with a lot of snarky-vulgar-wink at the camera attitude. He hates bad guys but he’s not really a “good” guy. Ryan Reynolds has embraced and infused the title character with mean-spirited quick-wit, that is somehow adorably funny. Like a well-received comedy roastmaster, he’s the Don Rickles of superheroes.
Joining the cast this time around is Josh Brolin who can’t seem to get enough playing Marvel super baddies, jumping from Thanos from AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR to Deadpool’s time-traveling, partly mechanical nemesis Cable. An overweight youngster with flame throwing hands and a hot temper to boot, Julian Dennison (HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE) plays Russell, a focal point for the film’s attempt at a heart-filled plot. DEADPOOL 2 continues the running joke of the character’s unacceptable behavior to become an X-Men, encouraging him to create his own Mystery Men type crew named X-Force. Earning some of the film’s biggest laughs, this ragtag group has already garnered attention for another possible sequel. The standout being middle-aged, normal guy Peter, who immediately endears himself to the audience and Deadpool.
DEADPOOL 2 is so self-aware and self-deprecating through pop culture and suprerhero references that those unfamiliar with all the current superhero movies won’t be in on the joke. Deadpool is not afraid to break the fourth wall and tell you exactly what’s happening within each particular scene, in fact the film leans on that aspect. He’s a part of our world, suspending the fantasy of his world. That’s a satirical trick that doesn’t always work, but for DEADPOOL 2, it’s essential. Without the jokes, the movie doesn’t work. There in lies the film’s slight flaws, choosing a somewhat dramatic character arc through a few brief but distracting scenes where Deadpool, aka Wade, is hurting on the inside for someone he loves. Thankfully these visually and emotionally out of place moments are few and far between.
DEADPOOL 2 is a comedy first, and an action superhero film second. If you enjoyed the first DEADPOOL, there is no reason why you won’t like the sequel. In fact, if you’re like me, you might even like it a touch more than the original. The hard “R” rated language and meta, self-aware humor is a gimmick that can only stretch so far. Luckily, DEADPOOL 2 maximizes this potential that will surely appeal to a certain fan base more than others. Ending on a handful of laugh-out-loud high notes, you won’t want to skip the final credits.
Note: the 4K portion of the review was written by Brad Sturdivant
4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY REVIEW
Video: I hate to lump DEADPOOL 2 into the “standard 4K upscale” pile, but that’s what it felt like. The nature of the film is going to draw your attention to some noticeable upgrades, especially in closeups of his suit and some of the background images. But overall, this the increase in detail and color definition is pretty standard when compared to the Blu-ray. The biggest differences for me were in the darker scenes, mostly involving Cable, where the black levels had more depth and showed some more detail.
Audio: The Dolby Atmos track is solid, but not necessarily as robust as I would have liked, especially in the action sequences.
This title was reviewed using a Samsung UBD-K8500 with a Sony XBR75X850C TV.
There are no 4K exclusive special features, but it does come with a Blu-ray, which has the following special features:
Commentary with Ryan Reynolds, David Leitch, Rhett Reese and Paul Warnick: Ryan Reynolds is one of the most likeable guys on the planet, so listening to his commentaries is always enjoyable. He and the team do a good job here talking about jokes and why and how they did certain things.
Featurettes: Although I normally break these out and review them individually, the truth with these 8 featurettes is that none of them get very deep into the film and they’re more a series of jokes to convince you to watch the movie rather than expand on the movie you just saw. Most have a standard formula with generic interviews and movie cut scenes.
Deadpool’s Lips are Sealed: Secrets and Easter Eggs (12:50): Given the anticipation of the sequel, the cast and crew had to be careful with spoilers. This featurette looks at some of that effort.
Until Your Face Hurts: Alt Takes (9:25): I was hoping for a barrage of alternate jokes, but this actually feels more like a standard featurette.
Deleted/Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
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