Once Upon A Deadpool (2018)

Director:
David Leitch
Running Time: 117 Minutes
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Fred Savage, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Julian Dennison, Zazie Beetz, T.J. Miller, Briana Hildebrand, Jack Kesy, Stefan Kapičić, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Eddie Marsan

Released for one night only in UK cinemas, Once Upon A Deadpool is a re-edit of this year's Deadpool 2, with some additional scenes. Despite a changed name, it's essentially the same film, and whether that's a good thing or not is entirely up to you.

The major addition lies in the Fred Savage scenes, paying homage to the wraparound which was such a large part of The Princess Bride. This leads to some playful moments and fun additions, including an extended gag about Savage wanting to fight Matt Damon. It seems the writers used this as an opportunity to limply address some of the criticisms previously found in the film, which just comes off as forced inclusions. What's most unfortunate is the odd placement of the scenes, which unfortunately kills the suspense and momentum at points, all for the sake of a half-hearted gag.

What grabbed peoples attentions though was how the film was being trimmed down to fit a PG-13 rating (a tactic which failed in the UK, as the BBFC gave it the same 15 rating which Deadpool 2 received). This led to a question as to whether the character could work in a setting which could be viewed by a younger audience, and while some of the more gory and sweary gags are missed, it feels like we're watching the same old Merc with the Mouth a higher rated film granted us. Although, a better example would've come from showcasing the character in a film made with a PG-13 intention from the beginning. By employing this tactic, the features comes off as a poor TV edit, with glaring cuts, and noticeable lines dubbed over.

Once Upon A Deadpool is an interesting experiment, but if you've already seen Deadpool 2, there's little to recommend outside of satisfying ones curiosity. This is a feature largely for Marvel completionists, and die-hard Fred Savage fans.

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