So when they announced that a Deadpool movie was in the works after the test footage leaked last year, I was shocked for several reasons. A) Deadpool's anti-heroic, fourth-wall breaking persona was very different from all the other Marvel movies released so far (even Guardians of the Galaxy). B) Despite years of rumors, many thought the project was not getting off the ground any time soon, and C) The studio was actually listening to the fans and promising a faithful adaptation of the character. I was skeptical until I saw the first trailer, because, uhhhhhhhhh... the first attempt was not good. No, wait, that's not true. It was an insult to fans everywhere.
Deadpool made his debut in X-men Origins: Wolverine . Well, ok, technically speaking. Wade Wilson was in it, the guy who turns into Deadpool. But then they turned him into a bigger abomination then the actual Abomination.
Strong words, I know, but look at the clip below. What do you notice most? He's got no mouth, right? Do you want to know what Deadpool is most famous for? His sense of humor. Yeah. Kind of hard to make jokes without a mouth. It's unbelievable, ain't it? Even if you have no personal connection to the character or comics in general, everybody should understand our hatred now.
But, but, my friends, a miracle has happened. My hatred has now turned to love. The events which occurred in Days of Future Past wiped Origins from the timeline. Now, finally, the true Deadpool is here. This is the best Deadpool movie that could've possibly happened. I had a smile on my face as soon as the movie started, and I'm smiling now just thinking about it.
Before we get to the review of the movie, here's a quick summation of why The Merc With The Mouth is so goddamn popular. He's basically a combination of three really popular characters.
He's got Wolverine's healing factor and chip on his shoulder, Spider-man's wiseassery (or snarkiness, whichever made up word you prefer) and the Joker's fourth-wall breaking schtick and dark sense of humor. What it all adds up to is an incredibly charismatic asshole wrapped up in spandex. Now, whether he appeals to you, dear reader, is obviously your call. Will you like the movie? Well, let's find out.
The first thing you will notice about the movie is the humor. Seriously, it's literally the first thing you notice. The opening credits start with a hilarious gag at the cast & crew's expense. Not many directors called "Overpriced Tool" out there. There are jokes everywhere in this thing. They range from the juvenile and crass (fart jokes, masturbation jokes etc.) to the surprisingly clever. For example, right in the middle of a sex montage between Wade Wilson and his girlfriend, you suddenly cut to them reading books quietly together, 'cause they gave up sex for Lent. Ryan Reynolds has always been a funny guy, but he makes the most random jumble of words into hilarious one-liners, capturing Deadpool's completely nonsensical and whiplash inducing mood swings.
There are so many jokes that at least one section of the audience was laughing every 10 seconds in my theatre, but this kind of rapid style humor may be exhausting or irritating to some. But for me personally, this is one of the funniest superhero movies ever made.
The characters are memorable and interesting (for the most part). You have Weasel, Deadpool's best friend and snarky lovable coward. Blind Al, a cranky, foul-mouthed old blind woman who seems forced to put up with Deadpool's antics because he pays rent. And of course, the only two X-men the movie could afford: Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (best name ever!). Colossus gets more characterization here than in any of the X-men movies. He's the perfect foil for Deadpool; a classic, morally upright hero, who believes that everybody can be good. His faith in Deadpool's broken moral compass becomes endearing over time, if maybe a little unrealistic His partner is possibly the most underdeveloped character of the cast; you'll remember her powers much more easily than her personality. She does have a few great highlights in the finale though.
The villains are utterly forgettable. Ajax is your run-of-the-mill British psycho who's in it for fun and profit, Angel Dust is just hired muscle. really badass muscle, but still no personality in sight.
Last but not least, there's Vanessa, Deadpool's love interest. The movie relies on three major things to hold your interest throughout. The action, the jokes, and the heart. The most surprising thing about this movie, is that the love scenes are not just tacked on; Vanessa does not exist solely to give our hero someone to save. The two leads have great chemistry. What makes their relationship work is not just the performances; Morena Baccarin matches Reynolds shot for shot in every scene they share, and she gives Wade not just motivation, but supports him even at his lowest. They feel like people who were lucky to find one another. The best part, about their relationship, is that all the misunderstandings and problems get resolved by the end. No "will they or won't they" or "secret identity" BS like in Spider-man and Batman. They start the film in love, they are still in love by the end. It's a very refreshing change of pace for the genre.
The action is very good, but not mind blowing. You can blame the budget for that. Several scenes and characters had to be cut out at the last minute, and it shows. The movie tries it's best by using slow-mo, montages, and (of course) Deadpool's non-stop commentary, but you just want more every time the fighting stops. The finale is definitely top-notch though. Everyone gets a chance to cut loose and wreck shit up in glorious fashion.
Also, Deadpool's healing factor means that the action can get as cartoonishly over-the-top as much as the writers want, which keeps it from feeling repetitive. The best example of this is the brilliant homage to Monty Python when 'Pool and Colossus tangle for the first time, and it must be seen to be believed.
Oh, and the soundtrack is all over the place. Which is probably appropriate; this likely the only time you'll hear '50's and '60's pop songs mixed with Wham! and DMX. It' up to you whether it works (along with everything else in this movie).
Now for the bad stuff. There is no getting around the fact that the plot is very simple. A bad guy messed up Wade's life and kidnapped his girl, and he has to pay. Even though the movie is clearly aware of the cliches, you can't ignore it. The only thing keeping the movie from being truly great is that is doesn't play round with the superhero origin story as much as it can. That's the problem with first movies. You have to explain everything for the audience, you have to have the origin story. There's even a couple of scenes where he changes costumes as he starts his revenge rampage. Even non-fans will have seen all this half a dozen times by now. That's probably why it's RT score is sitting around 80% right now. It has some great aspects to it, but the story will never win any awards.
It's both fortunate and unfortunate that the movie has been released in 2016, and not, say, 2005. To people not familiar with the character, Deadpool might seem like a rip-off of other movies, especially Kick Ass, 21 Jump Street and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Which sounds good, but it may negatively affect their opinion. So that's something to keep in mind.
Deadpool is finally here. It you were to ask me 10 years what was the most unlikely comic book character to be put on film was, Deadpool would be up there. But since 2005 we've seen everything from a talking racoon to a whole superhero team with gods and gamma monsters involved, the sky's the limit for comic book movies. Within weeks after Deadpool's release, the ripples are already starting to spread. A sequel has already being green lit, and looks like we're finally gonna get an R-rated Wolverine movie.
Fans needed this after the disaster that was Fantastic 4. They needed to be reminded that their voices can be heard, and have an impact on Hollywood execs. Deadpool is just what we wanted. And because of it's success, hopefully the studios will continue to listen to us. Just a few years ago, how many people thought Avengers could work on the big screen? Or Thor?
What Deadpool proved beyond doubt, along with Daredevil, is that even the greyest of heroes can get audiences hooked. There's nothing wrong with a little "new school" fighting for your time and money against Batman and Superman. The playing field is only gonna get bigger from here. Dr. Strange is just around the corner. Yet another unlikely candidate, which might open doors for more mystical comic book characters. It's a great time to be a comic book fan.
Deadpool may not be the best, but he definitely exists in a league of his own. It's up to you whether you want to be in it or not. I can't wait to see what this lovable psycho does next.
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