Today’s quick review: Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a mercenary with a warped sense of humor, a sunny disposition, and a knack for hurting people. His storybook romance with the equally-twisted Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) turns into a tragedy when a terminal cancer diagnosis leaves him with months to live. Out of options and unwilling to let Vanessa see him grow sick, Wade signs up for a government program to activate any latent mutant powers he might have. The treatment is a success, and Wade receives the superhuman ability to regenerate from any wound, effectively curing his cancer. But the process leaves him horrifically disfigured and unable to return to Vanessa. Adopting the superhero name Deadpool and donning a red costume, Wade sets about hunting Francis (Ed Skrein), the man who disfigured him and the only one who can cure him.
Deadpool is a violent, perverse comedy that ties into Fox’s successful X-Men franchise. Based on the popular Marvel comics character, Deadpool is a movie packed with action, humor, and a surprisingly touching romance. The story is told through extended flashbacks interspersed with Wade’s hunt for Francis in the present. The humor is crude and hilarious, making full use of Deadpool’s ability to regenerate and amply earning the movie’s R rating. The character breaks the fourth wall regularly, making him the perfect self-aware narrator, while countless minor gags throughout the movie take shots at Ryan Reynolds’ acting history, the character’s comic book origins, and the X-Men franchise. The action is an entertaining blend of gun-toting, katana-wielding ninja stunts and body humor, with a few super-powered stunts thrown in. The medium-sized budget shows in places, particularly the token representation of the X-Men and the fairly unknown supporting cast, but the special effects work great for Deadpool’s gory, slow-mo brand of combat.
Ryan Reynolds delivers a hilarious performance that treads the difficult line between likable and psychopathic, managing to remain sympathetic without losing his edge. Reynolds clearly has a lot of fun with the part, as do the writers. One of the surprisingly compelling aspects of the movie is its love story. Though the story itself is fairly straightforward, Reynolds and Baccarin have great chemistry together. They clearly complete each other in their own twisted way, and that affection shines through more clearly than in many dedicated romcoms.
Deadpool is a must-see if you enjoy action and humor and don’t mind gore or innuendo. The film is easily the most explicit of any Marvel adaptation, but the payoff is laugh-out-loud humor, creative stunts, and overall a very fun experience. Sensitive viewers should stay far away, but those with the fortitude to sit through it should go see Deadpool, one of the strongest superhero films to date.
8.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 8.5 to 9.0 for sheer hilarity.