DEADPOOL 2 : Friday 18th May 2018.

'DEADPOOL 2' which I saw hot on the heels of its Australian release on Friday evening in a packed theatre, is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name who first appeared in the 1991 publication of 'The New Mutants'. Here we have the sequel to the Critically and financially successful 2016 antihero Superhero film 'Deadpool' which off the back of a budget of US$58M grossed worldwide US$783M and collected 28 award wins and another 75 nominations from around the awards circuit. Despite the first films success, plans were already underway for a follow up film even before the release of the initial 'Deadpool' introductory instalment, with 'Deadpool 3' already in development. That first film was Directed by Tim Miller, although he did not return for this segment due to creative differences with Co-Producer, Co-Writer and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. Instead David Leitch signed on to Direct (whose previous Directorial outings include 'Atomic Blonde' and the upcoming 2019 'Fast & Furious' spin off 'Hobbs & Shaw'). Although a Marvel Comics character, Deadpool does not belong in the world of The Avengers or the MCU, but rather sits within the 'X-Men' franchise, and as such this is intended to be the eleventh film in that series. The film cost US$110M, and at the time of writing has grossed US$426M, and received positive press.

And so Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson/Deadpool as the wisecracking potty mouthed physically scarred practically invincible fourth wall breaking mercenary who for the last couple of years, since the end of the first film, has spent his time globetrotting his way around the world killing bad dudes as a one man army. However, one of his key targets gets away, as Deadpool is preoccupied with thoughts of his anniversary with his girlfriend and fiancee Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). That night, having agreed to start a family together, the target who got away tracks down Wilson to his apartment with all guns blazing. In the firefight Vanessa is fatally wounded by the target, who in turn is reduced to mincemeat by an oncoming truck in an act of revenge. Wilson though blames himself for Vanessa's death, and six weeks later blows himself and his apartment to oblivion.

Wilson's body parts are picked up and put back together by Colossus (Stefan Kapicic, returning as the mutant who can transform his body into organic steel) at the X-Mansion (cue various nods to the 'X-Men' film franchise and a blink and you'll miss it cameo appearance by several key X-Men players, and see if you can spot the bust of Stan Lee). Recovering and healing at the stately X-Mansion, Wilson (now a trainee X-Man), Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand, also returning, as the mutant who can detonate atomic bursts from her body), respond to an alert involving the Police authorities and an unstable young teenage mutant Russell Collins, aka Firefist (Julian Dennison, who made his last appearance in 2016's New Zealand feature 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople') who has the ability to violently generate and command fire and flame from his hands.

The standoff is taking place outside an orphanage (aka a Mutant Reeducation Centre) where Russell has been raised and tortured by the Headmaster (Eddie Marsan) and the staff. Russell is threatening revenge for the years of abuse and torture he and the other kids have suffered. Deadpool kills one of the staff, and is then prevented from harming anyone else by Colossus. Wilson and Russell are arrested and fitted with collars which prevent their mutant powers from manifesting themselves, and then locked up in a special mountain prison for mutants, known affectionately as The Icebox. Meanwhile, in a future world, a man returns home to find his house and wife and daughter incinerated.

That man is a time travelling cybernetic mutant soldier named Nathan Summers, aka Cable (Josh Brolin, enjoying his second outing in as many weeks as a Marvel antagonist hot on the heels of his portrayal as Thanos in 'Avengers : Infinity War'). He is out for revenge, for reasons that at this point are unclear to us, by his quarry is young Russell, locked up in the slammer with Wilson. Cable, with all his hi-tech futuristic weaponry and half 'Terminator' style cyborg (which Wilson describes as 'a grumpy old fucker with a Winter Soldier arm') is able to break into the prison with relative ease. Wilson attempts to defend Collins as much as he can with his diminished powers, and ultimately Wilson and Cable blow themselves out of the prison wall sending them cascading down a frozen mountain side. Before hand, Russell overhears Wilson exclaiming that he has no care for the young mutant lad. As Wilson crashes through a frozen lake and sinks to the bottom, he has a vision of Vanessa saying to him to look after the young boy and help him, before dragging himself out of the freezing depths.

With The Icebox semi-destroyed, the authorities have to transport a number of inmates to another facility. Wilson and Weasel (T.J. Miller returning as Wilson's best friend and owner of the bar often frequented by him and other like minded mercenaries) recruit a 'crack' team of other mutants with super powers of some description which he tables as being 'forward thinking and gender neutral' and aptly names the 'X-Force'.

On the new team are Bedlam (Terry Crews who can generate electricity at will), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan, an alien with martial arts skills), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard who has acidic breath), Neena Thurman aka Domino (Zazie Beetz who can manipulate luck), Vanisher (Brad Pitt who is invisible) and Peter aka Peter (Rob Delaney a caring husband and beekeeper who has no superpowers but came along responding to the ad. because he thought it sounded fun and exciting).

The newly formed X-Force mount a daring mission to break Russell out of the prison convoy while preventing Cable from gaining access. They parachute in from a plane, but while coming in to land in gusty conditions, all but Deadpool and Domino are killed in laugh out loud grisly comedic circumstances during their decent or immediately upon landing. Deadpool and Domino mount the truck, chased by Cable who soon makes his way on board.

Immediately a close quarter hand to hand fight breaks out with Domino at the wheel of the now rogue truck and Cable and Deadpool punching, kicking, shooting and stabbing each other out the back. Russell meanwhile is able to break free from his confinement and he sets fellow inmate Cain Marko aka Juggernaut (voiced and acted through MoCap by Ryan Reynolds as a mutant with superhuman strength, durability and healing powers) who agrees to repay the young lad by helping him to kill the abusive Headmaster at the orphanage. Juggernaut destroys the truck hurling them all asunder.

Domino 'luckily' is catapulted into a giant inflatable panda which breaks her fall, Cable winds up under a heap of rubble, and Deadpool is literally ripped in two at the waist by Juggernaut, leaving Russell and his new friend and ally Juggernaut, to escape and make their way to search out the Headmaster. Russell, knowing that he doesn't have a friend in Deadpool having overheard that previous conversation, gives him the two finger salute with the royal fuck you, before existing stage left with his new all powerful best mate.

Being carried home by Domino, back pack style, Wilson is forced to patiently wait for his new legs to grow, which sets up another laugh out loud comedic routine as he sits on the couch with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) with baby legs setting up a Sharon Stone 'Basic Instinct' moment all of his own. Cable emerges in the room calling a truce to their hostilities and explains why he is hunting down Russell. It seems that in the future, it was the adult Firefist, who killed Cable's wife and daughter by incinerating them in their apartment. Now Cable wants revenge and to kill Russell before his first kill gives him the taste for more, and to prevent him from that merciless future act.

Cable agrees to give Wilson thirty seconds to convince Russell not to kill the Headmaster, otherwise Cable will kill Russell this time. Deadpool, Domino, Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio (Shiori Kutsuna, a female ninja, ronin and samurai of Japanese origin who wields a fierce electric whip) arrive to thwart Russell and Juggernaut, but are overpowered by the might of Juggernaut, while Russell begins torching the orphanage and hunting down the Headmaster. During the fracas as Colossus goes head to head and toe to toe with Juggernaut, Cable and Deadpool are given time to try and reason with Russell.

After Deadpool's arguments seem to fail, Cable takes a shot at Russell, but Deadpool jumps in front of the oncoming bullet and takes it for the team. He dies because he has the collar around his neck which diminishes his powers to self heal. Meanwhile, Juggernaut has been dispensed with into a swimming pool, with a sixty thousand volt electricity cable rammed up his arse. Seeing the sacrifice that Deadpool made to save Russell, the young mutant does not kill the Headmaster, so altering the future, so that Cable's family lives.

Cable then uses the last charge he has available to return himself to the future by turning it back in time just a few minutes to the time when they all arrived at the orphanage. Cable surreptitiously places a lead commemorative coin over his heart. That coin had previously belonged to Vanessa which she gave to Wilson on their anniversary night, and which Deadpool had lost to Cable during their fight at The Icebox. This time, when Deadpool takes the bullet intended for Russell, he will be saved by the strategically placed coin. The Headmaster witnesses this and continues to rant and rave abuse at Russell and the gathered X-Force team. Russell is beginning to have a change of heart towards killing the Headmaster, when he is mowed down at speed by Deadpool's good friend, taxi-driver and wannabe Superhero Dopinder (Karan Soni) in his yellow cab. The group leave the scene of devastation, with Cable remaining on as a new recruit to the X-Force. As they do, Juggernaut is seen in the background lifting himself out of the swimming pool.

In true Marvel tradition, there are not one, not two, three or four even but five no less mid-credits sequences. The first sees Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio repair Cable's time-travelling device for Wilson, handing it over and saying that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. He uses it to save the lives of Vanessa and X-Force member Peter; kill the much maligned and misrepresented 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine's' version of Deadpool; and then kill actor Ryan Reynolds while he has just finished reading the script for his 2011 film 'Green Lantern' with the outgoing words 'You're welcome Canada!'

I did enjoy 'Deadpool 2' but not quite as much as the first instalment. Maybe because that first feature was so new and fresh and unlike any Superhero film we had seen before, and this second film treads familiar territory and we know what to expect from the wise arse quick witted invincible Deadpool. That said, this is funny, crass, politically and socially incorrect, graphically violent and there are plenty of cleverly placed dialogue wisecracks that poke nods to numerous other movies that would serve any geek well, including 'RoboCop', 'Yentl', 'Basic Instinct', 'Logan', 'Interview with the Vampire' and references aplenty to other Superhero films in both the MCU and the DCEU. This film belongs naturally to Ryan Reynolds who proves himself again to be a comedic talent and action hero all in one and both Josh Brolin and Julian Dennison who are both cast very well and who both veer off in different directions when you least expect it, proving that the bad guys can turn out good, and the good guys can turn out bad. There is also plenty of other character development too in the form of Domino, Dopinder and even Weasel whose limited screen time is utilised to maximum effect to advance the story plot rather than provide simple window dressing. This is as rapid fire as the first film but with added villains; a better story; some moments of emotion; lots of tongue firmly planted in cheek outrageous humour; and a bucket full of gory bloody violence and dismembered body parts to satisfy all lovers of the genre . . . . and if this isn't for you, then stay away! Josh Brolin has signed on for four films in this franchise, which may include 'Deadpool 3' if it gets made and a planned 'X-Force' spin off series. Watch this space!

This film is worthy of four claps of the clapperboard, out of a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 8th December 2016.

With Christmas upon us once more, I got to thinking about festive film fare over the years, and if Box Office receipts are a gauge of a films success, here, according to Box Office Mojo, are the Top Ten major players in Christmas themed films over the years :-
#1 : 'Home Alone' - 1990 - Worldwide Gross of US$477M from a US$18M budget. Starring Macaulay Caulkin, Directed by Chris Columbus.
#2 : 'Home Alone 2 : Lost in New York' - 1992 - Worldwide Gross of US$359M from a US$20M budget. Starring Macaulay Caulkin, Directed by Chris Columbus.
#3 - 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' - 2000 - Worldwide Gross of US$345M from a US$123M budget. Starring Jim Carrey, Directed by Ron Howard.
#4 : 'A Christmas Carol' - 2009 - Worldwide Gross of US$325M from a US$175M budget. Starring Jim Carrey, Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
#5 : 'The Polar Express' - 2004 - Worldwide Gross of US$308M from a US$165M budget. Starring Tom Hanks, Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
#6 : 'Elf' - 2003 - Worldwide Gross of US$221M from a US$33M budget. Starring Will Ferrell, Directed by Jon Favreau.
#7 : 'The Santa Clause' - 1994 - Worldwide Gross of US190M from a US$22M budget. Starring Tim Allen, Directed by John Pasquin.
#8 : 'The Santa Clause 2' - 2002 - Worldwide Gross of US$173M from a US$65M budget. Starring Tim Allen, Directed by Michael Lembeck.
#9 : 'Four Christmases' - 2008 - Worldwide Gross of US$164M from a US$80M budget. Starring Vince Vaughn, Directed by Seth Gordon.
#10 : 'The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause' - Worldwide Gross of US$111M from a US$12M budget. Starring Tim Allen, Directed by Michael Lembeek.

Sitting on the edge of this list are 'Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas', 'Christmas with the Kranks', 'Fred Clause', 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation', 'Jingle All The Way', 'Scrooged', and 'Bad Santa' and a whole Christmas Socking load of others enough to fill any Santa sack. And let's not forget those others that have the story set around Christmas time, but are not specifically themed around the Yuletide Season, including 'Die Hard', 'Die Hard 2: Die Harder', 'Trading Places', 'Gremlins', 'Love Actually', and 'Lethal Weapon'. Revisit any of these festive films and you won't be disappointed. Compliments of the Season!

This week there are just two films to choose from in the early lead up to the big releases of the Season coming next week and of course the week after. We kick off with another Christmas offering of an office festive party on a scale the like of which few of us are likely to ever see, and that's probably no bad thing as a corporate manager is out to prove himself, rally his Team and win a Client in the process. This is then followed up by a drama of relationships and how the actions of adults can have dramatic consequences on young impressionable teenagers when least expected.

With two films following on from last weeks seven new releases, there is still ample time and opportunity to catch a film as Previewed below, or as Previewed and Reviewed here in previous weeks. When you have done so, remember we welcome all relevant, constructive, thought provoking and insightful feedback from you as to your views, opinions and observations of your filmic experience. Share a Comment below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. Meanwhile, enjoy your movie!

'OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY' (Rated MA15+) - this is the second Christmas themed movie to emerge this festive season so far following 'Bad Santa 2' released and Previewed a couple of weeks ago. Directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon this film is released Stateside this week also, and sees the Christmas Party to end all Christmas Parties, or as the tag line goes 'Party like your job depends on it'. With a big name cast getting up to all sorts of big name party antics, festive fun and frivolity is sure to ensue even if the plot is a little thin.

And so we have high flying corporate CEO Carol Vanstone (Jennifer Aniston) who heads up Zenotek. When Carol tries to close the branch of Zenotek managed by her party-hard brother Clay Vanstone (T.J.Miller), he enlists the support of his Chief Technical Officer Josh Parker (Jason Bateman) to rally their fellow employees by hosting the mother of all Office Christmas Parties in an attempt to impress a potential Client, to close a deal that will save their branch from closure, to have an over the top good time needless to say, and convince the sister Boss that the business is in safe hands. Also starring Kate McKinnon and Olivia Munn.

'LITTLE MEN' (Rated PG) - this little drama film was made for just US$2M, had its Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year and went on release in the US in early August, so it has been doing the rounds before arriving Down Under. So far making back about US$1M of that initial investment, this film is Directed, Co-Produced and co-Written by Ira Sachs and tells the story of how adult conflict can impact young and impressionable lives. When the Grandfather of 13 year old Jake Jardine (Theo Taplitz) dies the family move from their Manhattan home into their inherited Brooklyn home, previously owned and occupied by the Grandfather. There Jake soon becomes good friends with Tony Calvelli (Michael Barber) who lives in the same block, and the two share similar interests and aspirations - the former wanting to become an artist and the latter, an actor, and they both wish to attend the same notable arts high school together. However, Jake's parents Brian (Greg Kinnear) and Kathy (Jennifer Ehle) seek new lease terms from Tony's single mother Leonor (Paulina Garcia) who runs a dress shop within the building. Leonor believes the lease terms and rental hike is untenable, and consequently a heated dispute erupts between the adults. Whilst the boys at first ignore their feuding parents, its not long before they are drawn in putting their own friendship at risk.

Just two films this week to lure you into your local movie theatre. If either of these spark your interest and grab your attention to tease you out to your nearby cinema, remember to share your views afterwards with us here. In the meantime, I'll see you in the week ahead, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DEADPOOL : Saturday 13th February 2016.

'DEADPOOL' - which I saw over the weekend is the latest big screen adaptation to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe that will also see  another 'Captain America' instalment come April, 'X-Men : Apocalypse' following in May, 'Doctor Strange' in October, and 'Daredevil' on Netflix in March. Back though to the matter in hand! This is not the first time we have seen 'Deadpool' on the big screen, with the character making his first appearance in 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine' in 2009 when Ryan Reynolds portrayed this character back then too. Development of this first film kicked off way back in 2000, initially stalling and then passing through several Studios and Writers along the way. Tim Miller was hired to Direct in 2011 with filming starting in Canada in early 2015. Reynolds had always wanted to play the character of Wade Wilson/Deadpool since 2003 and was assigned to the project as it went though numerous iterations over the years. With this film greenlit, he stated that this adaptation of the Superhero character would be more authentic than the role he portrayed in the earlier 2009 'Wolverine' outing, and so he we are, and it certainly is that! Probably like no other 'superhero' we have seen before! Made for US$58M the film has so far grossed US$60M since it opened internationally from 10th February, and is expected to do great things financially.

The film opens with a credit sequence depicting an action scene frozen in time with the camera panning though the minute details of the carnage that would go otherwise unnoticed at full speed, as very tongue in cheek credits scroll across the screen that raised more than smile from the largely gathered male teenage audience I was sat amongst. This sets the tone for a very different Marvel Studio's adaptation of the latest character to get its own big screen treatment, and, it's a welcome change.

Once the opening title sequence is done, the action ramps up to the minutes before that frozen in time title sequence occurred, and we meet our character Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) sat in the back of a yellow cab driven by Dopinder (Karan Soni). The two strike up a conversation, like it's an every day occurrence that a masked man in a red and black suit brandishing samurai swords, semi automatic hand guns and knives, around what each of them do in their lives and what has brought them to this point - to create a bit of back story. When Deadpool needs to exit the cab on a bridge above a very busy freeway, he does so and jumps off the bridge and into the seat of a black 4WD below, which is part of fleet of such cars and motorcycle outriders headed up by the villain in the piece Ajax/Francis Freeman (Ed Skrein). The carnage that follows is loud, proud, brutal and bloody as our main man Deadpool dispenses with the bad guys in all manner of ways that leave nothing to the imagination - it's great fun! This then brings us up to speed with that frozen its time opening title sequence, and by now we can piece together the events that led us to this point, but there are more gaps still to be filled in.

After this, it's time to slow things down apace and we go back two years for the origins of how Wade Wilson became Deadpool. A former special ops soldier turned mercenary when his active duty came to an end, he now spends his time protecting young girls from stalkers and low-lifes in New York City. One night he meets up with Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) an escort, and they quickly hit it off, and they spend the next twelve months having gratuitous sex. One night Wade proposes marriage to Vanessa, and after she accepts, he collapses and passes out. Consultation later with a Doctor reveals that he has terminal cancer.

Later still, Wilson retreats to the bar where he first met Vanessa and is met by The Recruiter (Jed Rees) who offers him a cure and enhanced powers if he undergoes experimental surgery, which Wilson scoffs at and says thanks but no thanks. He leaves, but with The Recruiters calling card. Days later, he has a change of heart when considering what will become of him and Vanessa as the cancer takes hold. He is taken to a 'hospital' where 'Project X' experiments, tests and surgery is conducted on both willing and unwilling patients to either reveal or harness that mutative powers, and where many perish. Wilson is strapped down, and injected with a special serum by Ajax/Francis Freeman overseen by Angel Dust (Gina Curano), who then sets about a series of 'tortures' lasting several weeks in order that his mutations may manifest themselves. With no success after this time Wilson is strapped into an airtight chamber and deprived of oxygen in a final attempt to release his mutations. This is successful which gives him increased strength, the ability to heal quickly, disfigures his skin in the process, and even more twisted sarcastic quick witted sense of humour than he possessed before. He is able to break out of the chamber and bring the facility down in an explosion which sees Ajax and Wilson face off, leaving Wilson for dead as the building burns around him and he is left impaled on an iron bar. But, Wilson is now immortal, and can heal from anything - even from impalings and being burned alive it would seem.

As we progress Wilson adopts the name 'Deadpool' after discussion with his friend and bar owner Weasel (T.J.Miller) who also runs a running bet in his bar on who of the mercenaries who frequent his fine establishment will die next - hence 'Deadpool'. Determined to wreak his revenge on Ajax/Francis, Deadpool begins taking out various underworld syndicates and lynchpins to determine the whereabouts of his ultimate quarry. One by one they meet with a grizzly and merciless end, as Deadpool refines his image and the practicalities of his suit and weaponry. Meanwhile we have come to know that Ajax is a mutant too with an inability to feel any pain - physical and emotional, and also has enhanced strength, and Angel Dust has superhuman strength and speed. However, maintaining the 'X-Men' tie-in quite nicely, Wilson visits the home of Charles Xavier and seeks the previously offered support of Peter Rasputin/Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and his teenage trainee mutant sidekick Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). We are not introduced to any other X-Men, but there is ongoing reference to them throughout the film - Wolverine especially.

By now we've pretty much got the whole back story, and we come full circle to the opening scenes again where we have just Deadpool and Ajax remaining, but with Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead intervening, Ajax is able to escape. Ajax then wants to dispense with Deadpool once and for all and so hatches a plan to kidnap Vanessa and lure Deadpool out into the open for the final showdown. Of course the final set piece is delivered in spectacular Marvel fashion with Deadpool, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead facing off against Ajax and Angel Dust and a whole bunch of goons who all buy the farm in no uncertain terms. Deadpan gets his revenge, Vanessa and Wilson are reunited at which point she learns the truth about what he has been thorough and what has happened to him as a result, and the way is paved for Deadpool to join the X-Men as a bona fide paid up card carrying member of that elite team.

Throughout the film Wilson/Deadpool gives us a running commentary of his views on life, plot developments, back story, the X-Men, Wolverine, the film making process, his love of 80's popsters 'Wham', and his general wise cracks, quips, anecdotes and smart ass comments. Often he talks directly to the camera and references breaking the fourth wall several times, and it is this narration that sets 'Deadpool' aside from almost all of its predecessors (aside from 'Kick-Ass' perhaps!), plus the more graphic violence that is not seen in other Marvel offerings to the same extent.

Deadpool is a smart-ass bad-ass wise-cracking take no prisoners down to Earth grounded reluctant sexed-up rude crude superhero, that has knocked convention on the head and taken us along for a roller coater ride of bloody violent fast paced action, humour and pathos. It is great fun, not to be missed, and with a sequel already greenlit and Director Tim Miller offered the gig too, then the second instalment can't come soon enough. Watch out for the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, and if you can sit though the closing credits right to the end there is a final sequence involving Deadpool wearing a dressing gown and slippers setting the scene for a sequel, maybe, and a few other tongue in cheek messages to take home!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-