ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL – Rated PG-13 – CONTAINS SPOILERS
Director: David Leitch
Writers: Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Fred Savage, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison,
Zazie Beets, TJ Miller, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Eddie Marsan and Stan Lee
Hail the all mighty storyteller Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), as he embarks upon a tamer and younger viewer-friendly version of his Summer sequel – Deadpool 2 – only this time we incorporate a 1987’s Princess Bride feel…as an adult Fred Savage is being forced to listen to the tales of our anti-hero, thus critiquing this story, and its problems, along the way too…
I give ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL a rating of WAIT AND CATCH THIS FILM ON NETFLIX or STREAMING. Even though I was intrigued of re-releasing the Summer Blockbuster – Deadpool 2 – as a tamer, and acceptable movie for youngsters to view, I feel that removing a lot of Deadpool’s persona, action sequences, and totally demeaning ways, thrusts him into a subpar reality, that couldn’t hold a candle to the original script…even if parts of it were written rather lazily. I also enjoyed the retro take in making Savage revisit his Princess Bride bedroom, as parts of this retro flashback were not only funny, but rather nostalgic too. But sadly, even this premise couldn’t make up for the missing action sequences, and verbally abusive rhetoric, that makes Deadpool the badass that he is. And even though I did chuckle in places like I did when I saw this film over the Summer, and enjoyed the banter between Savage and Reynolds along the way too, the only real positive for me while watching this film, was the montage and ode to Marvel Creator Stan Lee, which takes place at the very end of the film. So, if you decide to not head my warning, and you venture out to see this film on the big screen with your 13 and over youngsters in tow, make sure you stay till the very end, so you don’t miss the only reason worth spending the cash you did to view this action subdued, storyline adjusted, much-cleaner Deadpool on the big screen!
Kathy Kaiser
MATINEE CHAT with Kathy Kaiser 