Mithical Movie Review: Deadpool
[yasr_multiset setid=0] By: MithrandielWade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) was never really hero material. A former member of the U.S. special forces, Wade has moved on from being a professional soldier to a less-than-professional mercenary. A gleeful resident of the city's seedy underbelly, Wade is still able to find romance with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), a prostitute with a sharp wit and dark humor to match our protagonist. Life seems to be going well, until a somber diagnosis of late-stage cancer drives him away from Vanessa and into the clutches of a nefarious organization. Promising a cure for cancer and superhero powers to boot, Wade accepts their offer. After being subjected to various torture methods for weeks at the hands of Francis (Ed Skrein) and Angel Dust (Gina Carano), Wade's inner mutant gene is activated, which allows him to heal from any wound. The cost for his superpower was high, however, as it left him thoroughly scarred. Now, taking on the moniker "Deadpool", he's out on a mission of vengeance against Francis, and we get to come along for the ride!
While the plot line may sound rather somber and run-of-the-mill, from the moment the opening credits start rolling you have a pretty clear understanding that Deadpool is not your average superhero movie. Chiefly, there's the fact that it is decidedly not meant for kids. There has been quite a lot of controversy around its "R" rating; Deadpool fans rejoiced that it could be true to the source material, while some parents, who have grown familiar with the heroes and villains of the Marvel universe, were frustrated that this film was placed out of reach of their kids. Deadpool not only takes the R rating and runs with it; it gets to the end-zone, spikes the ball and does an inappropriate victory dance.Some have viewed its self-awareness as annoying, but fans of Deadpool know that his consistent breaking of the 4th wall is simply a hallmark of his character. So when he gleefully invites the audience to count down his remaining bullets as he dispatches enemies, it's not a surprise for those of us familiar with Deadpool's methods. Therein lies the problem that most reviewers are finding with the film: previous Marvel movies made the heroes accessible, even for non-comic fans. Deadpool, on the other hand, makes no such concessions. The movie is infinitely more enjoyable if you go in with an understanding of the character, namely because we get to enjoy watching Ryan Reynolds bring Deadpool to life in a spectacular fashion. For this reviewer, this was certainly the case.
If there's one thing that stands out in Deadpool, it's that Ryan Reynolds was born for this role. While his poor performance in Green Lantern could have easily shut him out of superhero films forever, the comeback performance he makes as Deadpool has already secured a sequel and will likely solidify the fan-base that has steadily been forming around him since it was announced that he had accepted the part. His quick wit and boyish charm makes it impossible to dislike him, even while he's slicing off heads and impaling enemies.While it could be difficult to shine alongside the great casting that's been done with Reynolds as Deadpool, his co-stars do a great job. Morena Baccarin, a fan-favorite among geeks for her previous work in Firefly and Serenity, does excellent work as Deadpool's leading lady, Vanessa. With a level of crazy that "matches his crazy", their relationship is refreshingly authentic. TJ Miller plays the part of Deadpool's friend, aptly named Weasel. Funny and sarcastic, he commiserates with Deadpool, but makes no effort to actually stick his neck out for him. Rounding out the cast are X-men Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), who strangely seem to be the only two X-men in Xavier's school for gifted children; a fact that Deadpool snarkily addresses later in the film.
The quality of the action scenes are in line with Marvel's previous work. Deadpool's acrobatic martial-arts style combined with gun-fu makes for some exhilarating fight scenes. Colossus, brought to life through CGI, is the incarnation that many of us have hoped for since the early X-men films, when it seemed as though the technology wasn't quite ready for it. Hopefully this is a preview for the kind of action we can expect in the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse.Ultimately, the real draw for Deadpool isn't in the flashy effects or even over-the-top action scenes. It is the faithful adaptation of a ne'er do well anti-hero that is attracting people to the theater. Quite a few of them as well: Deadpool boasted nearly $12 million in ticket sales on Thursday night alone: the largest opening day for an R-rated movie, and the largest opening for a February release. With great casting, well-paced action and a healthy dose of comedy, Deadpool is sure to find its place within the Marvel pantheon; it may just not play nice with the other movies.
