‘Deadpool’ is a superhero movie for mature audiences
SNN Staff Writer
Deadpool, the new movie based on the Marvel Comics anti-hero of the same name, is the directorial debut of Tim Miller and is written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, or as the opening credits indicate, the real heroes here.
The film stars Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Morena Baccarin as his girlfriend Vanessa, Ed Skrein as the villain Ajax, T.J. Miller as Wilson’s friend and bartender Weasel, Gina Carano as Angel Dust, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
The film has a pretty basic plot that is in short about how ex-mercenary Wade Wilson becomes Deadpool and how he seeks to get revenge on Ajax, the guy who changes his life through torture and who ends up kidnapping Wilson’s girlfriend, with the help of two X-Men: Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead.
At this point, it’s probably a good idea to mention that Deadpool’s mutant powers give him a healing factor that make him unable to die, thus saving him from his once-terminal cancer but making him really ugly in the process. It’s kind of obvious where the story goes from there, but what makes this movie special and different is its execution.
First, the cast for the most part is all great but the obvious stand-out is Reynolds. Reynolds not only perfectly embodies Wilson, but he also served as a producer and has been attached to this project for 11 years. It’s clear that he was very passionate in bringing the character to life. The movie is also a perfect opportunity for Reynolds to flex his comedic talents. From sexual innuendos to self-aware humiliation, he does it all.
Another cool thing to take away from the movie is the way it handles the Vanessa character. Instead of just making a one-dimensional sex object for Wilson to save, the filmmakers actually help us understand why Wilson would be in love with this person. Both the writers and Baccarin nail the execution of the character by giving her an energy that matches Wilson’s.
The film definitely tries to be R-rated in every way - one of which is the violence within the film’s action sequences. Nothing is too extreme in this category, but it’s there. The action itself is well done for a significantly lower budget than we’re used to seeing in these superhero flicks.
The movie itself is a big bag of fun for fans of Deadpool like myself with its brand of fourth-wall breaking humor and narrative structure, and the over-the-top violence and raunchiness that is absolutely needed in any movie wishing to be faithful to the character.
Overall, the movie is hilarious and a breath of fresh air in the superhero genre. It’s clear that it will resonate with audiences and will be a huge success because of the no-holds barred route it takes. It’s definitely not for the whole family with all of its wonderful raunchiness, but teens and adults alike will have tons of fun. It’s not the best movie ever made, but it is the big-screen version of this insane character that fans and audiences deserve.
This movie proudly undoes any harm that 2009’s crappy X-Men Origins: Wolverine may have caused. I’m especially excited about the already-announced Deadpool sequel. With the whole origin story out of the way and the character Cable confirmed, it’s already shaping up to be a thoroughly entertaining return to the big screen for the “Merc with a Mouth.”
Also, any movie that has a Stan Lee cameo in a strip club and plays the song Careless Whisper in its finale is a great one in my book.