Thank you Ryan Reynolds for giving the Wade Wilson story a fair shake. The memory of sad Wade with his mouth sewn shut in Wolverine Origins is comfortably sitting in my recycle bin right now thanks to the over-the-top, blissfully gratuitous, blood-drunk and utterly hilarious "Deadpool". The perfect recipe for Valentines Day escapism!
Here is a movie that will appeal to comic book fans, especially the ones who were angered by the abuse of Deadpool in previous projects. It will also appeal to the people who hate all the Marvel sequels and comic book retreads because there is more self-aware humor and self-deprecation in this film than all the other Marvel films combined. Reynolds, along with director Tim Miller and writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, take shots at X-Men films, Wolverine, and other movies(Liam Neeson in "Taken" among them) here. It's a free-for-all. Nobody is protected and it's all done in the name of entertainment.
At its core, "Deadpool" is feverish entertainment that you can't find anywhere else. It may be a fast-talking and -moving movie about a mercenary full of cancer, dread and deadly thoughts who collects some revenge inside 108 minutes of screen time. It's also a really good time at the movies and one that will make you laugh out loud. For all of you who thought the red band trailers gave away too much humor and would overshadow the movie, rest easy my little chimichangas. This film isn't just packed with good one-liners that will make you grin. There are several scenes that will make you laugh repeatedly. It is more of a comedy than a serious Marvel film. And yes, it is a Marvel film because Stan Lee shows up.
The key to the madness is Reynolds. It took a truly rebellious spirit to get this material right. Several actors would have chewed up the material or merely try to spray Pam all over it and slide to a paycheck. Reynolds goes the other way and digs in. He wanted to make this movie 10 years ago and finally got some friendly faces to join in on the fun to make a seemingly low budget riot that gambled on an R rating and smashed box office records over the weekend thanks to its strong follow through.
Reynolds is a unique talent, built early on the strength of comedies like "National Lampoons Van Wilder", "Waiting" and "Just Friends" before growing into a versatile talent with films like "Buried", "Woman in Gold", and "Mississippi Grind". "Deadpool" was made for Reynolds. This is his home run swing and massive bat flip to the producers who don't know how to handle precious cargo. The actor expertly splices action, comedy and an easy going confidence into a grand performance that won't sing Oscar but instead roll in cash the rest of the month. Few times do an actor and a role seem made for each other, but the spices in the Deadpool recipe called for some Reynolds.
The supporting cast all bring different and much-needed strokes to the film. Ed Skrein("Transporter Refueled" and "Game of Thrones") is the perfect "British Villain". T.J. Miller and Reynolds have some of the best scenes between superhero and "much needed friend who owns a bar". Morena Baccarin("Homeland") adds something extra to the "hot girlfriend" role while Gina Carano, Brianna Hildebrand and the motion capture work of Stefan Kepicic add some more super hero flair.
After I left the movie, I texted my friend who hates anything and everything cinematic with comic book in the description and said this movie was made for him. "Deadpool" isn't just a good time at the movies. It's a dish that can be savored a few times because rarely do action, comics, comedy and self-awareness fit so comfortably together as they do here.
Take your friends and family to see it. It's something different and truly original in its makeup and execution. A unique blend of Marvel entertainment.
More than anything, "Deadpool" shows that when a studio treats a product with not only care, but respect really good things can happen.
