Once Upon A Deadpool review: It seems somewhat hilarious and ironic that the merc with the mouth had such a troubled journey to the big screen, considering the current popularity and overexposure the character is currently receiving. Not only did he earn almost $800 million across the globe in his first solo outing, but this years sequel managed to repeat that success on almost every level. Now, the wise-cracking, fourth-wall breaking superhero returns for yet another adventure. Albeit, a slightly modified version of the one we saw earlier this year.
Once Upon A Deadpool is essentially an edited edition of Deadpool 2, that removes the majority of its violence and language, making it pass for the same PG-13 rating that the majority of Marvel flicks enjoy. Of course, the real draw here is the added framing device of Wade recalling the events of the film to a kidnapped Fred Savage. Fans of Rob Reiner’s classic Princess Bride will immediately notice the genius parallels and references between the two. However, for casual moviegoer’s unaware of the joke, this brilliant easter-egg filled 20 minutes of extra footage may not be worth the price of admission.
Thankfully, the film still retains the heart and humour of the original, without removing any of the crucial elements that made it great. One possible omission is the stand-out X-Force sequence that delivered one of the films biggest surprises after being heavily featured in its promotion. Without the gore and violence, its shock factor is lost in the editing. This is a minor gripe though. One other problem that remains is the nagging feeling that Josh Brolin had much more to deliver as Cable. While this is something that’s directly addressed, it remains a shame his double duty as Thanos likely contributed to a slightly lackluster performance. Although, the fact that his role was also setting up a larger one in the planned X-Force spin-off also played a part. Of course, this is now unlikely to ever happen with the impending purchase of Fox by Disney.
This, of course, is other mouse-shaped elephant in the room. Disney’s upcoming acquisition of Fox and all their Marvel characters raises a rather large question mark over Deadpool’s cinematic future. Again, this is something that is jokingly referred to in another great cutaway sequence. But, the question is still unanswered. Ryan Reynolds is a crucial element to the success of the franchise, and any future production excluding him would likely have huge financial and critical ramifications. It goes without saying the Disney executives are undoubtedly watching how the character does without its R-rating very closely.
Once Upon A Deadpool is easily worth the extra ticket price for diehard fans. Whether its the small donation that goes to the wonderful charitable cause of ‘fudge cancer’, or the sharply written comedic antics between Wade and Savage, there’s definitely something here for everyone. There are some truly fantastic references to Vanessa’s ‘fridging’, the criminally-mocked Nickelback, and the previously hidden cameos of Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. The true victory though, is that it’s now clear Deadpool’s particular brand of meta, off-the-wall comedy isn’t exclusive to an R-rating, grotesque violence, or frequent swear words. Take note, Disney.
Once Upon A Deadpool review by Benjamin Read, December 2018.
