"Deadpool" - Review

It's Time To Make The F*****g Chimichangas!

That took long enough.

Oh boy was it worth it.

Deadpool has been in development for the better part of a decade now. No one thought we would ever see the true Deadpool in movie form. For a while we expected a sanitized version of him and that was delivered to the masses in the incredibly mediocre/not good X-Men Origins: Wolverine. 

THEY SEWED HIS MOUTH SHUT. NOT OKAY.

It was a fan's nightmare. Ryan Reynolds was thought to be a great choice for the character given his snarky work in Van Wilder but he was not given his chance to shine. Well, a few years later and a whole bunch of debates and concept leaks gone by and he finally has his chance to shine. Shine he does, with a hew of blood red.

Fox has given us the best apology they could ever make by taking a risk on a hard-R big budget film and it has paid off completely. Apart from rising above box office expectations, Deadpool is a great film. It is not perfect, but that seems to fit the character of Deadpool just fine.

Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, a sarcastic bag of sass and ex-special forces soldier. He now works as a small time enforcer and hangs out in a bar specifically for thugs-for-hire. This is where he meets Vanessa, played by the lovely Morena Baccarin, and a twisted and sweet romance begins. This is put to a halt when Wade discovers that he has terminal cancer in nearly every vital organ in his body. Given no other options, he leaves Vanessa to be a part of an experimental operation by a private company to be cured and possibly be made into a kind of super powered soldier. It works, but with the cost of disfiguring Wade completely and left for dead by the cold leader Ajax. With new regenerative abilities and a thirst for revenge, Wade becomes Deadpool and becomes the anti-hero that we all have wanted.

Robert Downey Jr. is the quintessential Tony Stark. Hugh Jackman is Wolverine. Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool. This is the character he was always meant to play. His passion for the merc with a mouth is evident onscreen and his energy is completely infectious. Deadpool is a perfect showcase for Reynolds and as a result is one of the most fun times you will have in the theater this year. Every superhero movie still left in 2016 better watch their backs. There is now a new bar to clear in 2016.

The humor here comes fast and furious. It takes meta to a whole new level, skewering lesser films in the superhero genre in the process. As the character does in the comics, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and addresses the audience at times, often commenting on other X-Men films and other bits of pop culture. There is a running joke about Deadpool's fascination with Hugh Jackman that is absolutely hysterical and his statements about Fox not having money for other X-Men characters or other elements are topical and accurate while being completely hilarious. Some of the references were lost on some audience members that did not have an encyclopedic knowledge on everything movie, comic, or celebrity related, but for a movie and pop culture fanatic like me, every joke hit the mark with an edge that never feels cynical or angry. There is a surprising sweetness and likability to Deadpool and the world around him that never lets the edginess and satire overcome it. There is a perfect balance so it never alienates the audience. It is a much more accessible film than Kick-Ass for sure.  

This is not to say that Deadpool is perfect however. I found there to be a few tonal inconsistencies, specifically in the flashbacks that show Deadpool's origin. From the beginning, Deadpool establishes itself as a completely anarchic and self-aware farce, as it should be. So when the film slowed down and toned down the goofy comedy to take itself seriously and set up the back story, I felt that the pace dragged a bit and the comedy became a little inconsistent. There sequences are still great, but they are not nearly as madcap and entertaining as the rest of the movie because when the movie gets going, it really does. This is a very funny and smart script that is matched with impeccable directing and acting. The action is also handled very well. It is all framed and shot clearly without it committing the sin that most modern films suffer from with shaky and unfocused cinematography. Despite having a smaller budget compared to other Marvel projects, this is a very good looking film that is really impressive coming from first time feature director Tim Miller.

I do not think anyone will be disappointed with Deadpool. The character is represented well, the humor is sharp and crass, the action is well realized and bloody, and the effects hold up well. Even when the film slows down at occasion it is still ridiculously entertaining and is an absolute crowd-pleaser. Just do not make the same mistake that some very foolish parents made in my screening and leave the kids at home. This is a very adult film and fully deserves its R rating, as it should.

Grade: B+.

Deadpool is now playing in theaters everywhere.