Meet Deadpool!
Directed by: Tim Miller
Written by: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, T.J. Miller, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein
Swift shot: I finally got to meet the authentic Deadpool! I haven’t read any of his books, so I didn’t know his origin story, but I am familiar with his proclivity to break the fourth wall, err, panel, as he is self-aware that he is in a comic book, film . . . this time. To be honest, that quippy, quirky shit used to annoy me, which is why I didn’t go seeking out any of his book stuff. Plus, after the way he was introduced in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, I was not on the Wade Wilson is a demi-god bandwagon that so many other geeks are buying extra tickets for. But, I like this Deadpool, and I am now standing in line for the hey me-too ride!
Wade Wilson (Reynolds) is a former special-forces operative who was dishonorably discharged and now spends his time messing people up for money. He is no super-hero, but he becomes a super-human who possesses the ability to regenerate wounds as fast as Wolverine, and is just as comfortable with his magnums as he is with his modified katana. He’s a super geek’s wet dream, really, guns and swords, and he is essentially an uncensored Spider-Man with his witty one-liners as he dispatches baddies. Deadpool has kept his humor intact, despite the horror show he underwent to become Mr. Pool.
When the film starts, it takes a shot at itself, the film-makers, and even the audience in a unique, refreshing opening sequence. From there, we get bits and pieces of why Deadpool is out hunting for one special asshole, Ajax (Skrein) who is also a super-human freak. Deadpool really wants to slowly and gleefully fricassee Ajax. He’s been planning this hunt for a long time, recklessly slaughtering Ajax’s henchmen in a kind of video game fashion of working his way up to the boss. And, as the film starts, he’s already at the boss level!
That is what makes Deadpool a uniquely bold film, it jumps around, like a comic book would, merely teasing you with what might be happening and keeping you guessing what might be on the next page, or in this case, shot. Comic books do that often, but most films are linear, because most audiences are dumb.
Deadpool isn’t a loveless loner, thankfully, but he’s also not an X-Man with a wounded psyche support group just down the hall. He makes his friends in the underworld, at a hangout for mercs called “Sister Margaret’s Home for Wayward Girls.” The shit hole is run by a guy appropriately named Weasel (Miller) who is Wade’s go between for mercenary gigs. He is also played by a comedian, so he provides much of the comic relief, at least he picks up where Deadpool leaves off. The film is hilarious, and I had a smile on my face almost the entire time. It was refreshing watching a hero who didn’t have some antiquated moral code that no one under 60 can relate to anyway. I mean, let’s face it, some people deserve to fucking die.
Deadpool is at its heart a comic book action flick, with all the excellent shootouts and fisticuffs you’ve come to expect from Marvel, but it’s also a love story and a horror flick that’s really a comedy. Oddly enough, all those genres fit perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle to make up one raucous romp at the theater.
I mentioned this was a love story, but I can’t stress this enough – LEAVE YOUR FUCKING KIDS AT HOME!!! When the “love making” starts between Deadpool and his femme fatale prostitute Vanessa (Baccarin), it lasts all year! You’ll catch my drift once you see the movie, but it was clever watching them . . . connect. Vanessa is just as broken as Wade when they meet and fall almost instantly in love. Their love doesn’t last long when something all too familiar begins to attack Wade. I won’t spoil anything, but Wade has to choose just how badly he wants to keep living and what that choice will ultimately do to Vanessa. It won’t be pretty!
As Deadpool lethally tumbles around trying to exact revenge on Ajax and his cohort, Angel Dust (Gina Carano), he ultimately needs the help of the X-Men. Colossus, who was entirely CG rendered (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and some bratty teen, calling herself Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) are the only X-Men he can muster to help him. Deadpool makes their acquaintance early in the film and convinces them they basically owe him for letting a bad guy get away. This team-up leads to some pretty good dialog between the “heroes” as they do epic battle at the film’s climax with the aforementioned villains. It’s a fantastic final fight sequence that is worthy of Marvel.
If you are looking for a comic book film with some sweaty hangers down below, this is your flick. They earned the R rating, and then some. There’s nudity, there’s violence, there’s language, there’s adult themes, and there’s some scraps thrown in to tie in past Marvel universe films. Ultimately what makes the film so watchable is Ryan Reynolds, who lobbied HARD to have this film made about Wade Wilson, the way he should have been introduced all along. You’ll laugh as you watch people die in some pretty terrific ways, and you’ll be emotionally aroused as you follow the narration by the film’s hero, err, anti-hero.
This ain’t no super hero movie, it’s DEADPOOL!
