Lately, a lot of people have been suggesting that I watch Deadpool, so I checked it out and can now see why so many have enjoyed it. It has a high-octane frenetic pacing, entertaining dialogue, is a piece of cool filmmaking, and though it is a comic book movie, feels like the antithesis of most other Marvel and DC options.
Fast talking Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson (aka Deadpool), the most unethical superhero you are likely to meet. He has a foul mouth, shoots searing insults, says it like it is, and enjoys killing baddies at a rather alarming rate. As I said, this is not your typical Marvel comic book movie.
In a clever reworking of your standard opening credit scene, we watch as the stars’ and filmmakers’ names do not appear upon the screen (they have been replaced with things such as: starring “God’s perfect idiot”, “a hot chick”, “a British villain”, “a gratuitous cameo” . . . and directed by “an overpaid tool”). It is a fun way to start a film and break the typical monotony, plus it generally highlights the formula Hollywood has used for the last ninety or so years.
The story is not really what I want to spend my time on. Though the delivery is atypical, the tale generally follows a familiar arc. Reynolds’ Wilson has cancer and is given the chance to enter an unapproved trial treatment. He is healed (while also being given super re-healing powers), though in the process, is uglified (to use a fake word from C.S. Lewis’ “Voyage of the Dawn Treader”). He spends some time creating his superhero moniker (taking it from a macabre game that he and his bar buddies are playing – a contest where they bet on who will be the first to drop dead) and costume (choosing red as it does not show blood stains).
Of course, the fact that he disappears after going to an illegal underground cancer treatment facility has left his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin of Firefly and Homeland fame) in an unsettled mood, to say the least. She eventually gets kidnapped by the villainous British baddie Ajax (Ed Skrein), which leads Deadpool, as well as X-Men frenemy’s Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) on a mission to rescue the dame. This leads them towards the final explosive over the top battle, which in this film takes place in a giant ship building yard (though it looks an awful lot like the Helicarrier from other Marvel movies).
What really makes this Marvel flick stick out is its R-Rated shenanigans. You will see some graphic violence as well as some raucous sex scenes (there is also some time spent in a strip club). Yet, for such a violent, slanderous, action-packed movie, it is amazing how much comedy they are able to draw out of the material. I have never particularly found vulgar comedy that is done for no apparent reason to be all that funny, yet writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick fill their foul-mouthed script with so much clever, multi-faceted humour, that it works extremely well. Plus, there may be no one better than Ryan Reynolds for delivering such quick paced, witty repartee (other than maybe Vince Vaughn – though he probably wouldn’t have fit into the spandex quite as nicely). Even Stan Lee gets into the edgy action, playing the announcer at the strip club.
For those who have a rich understanding of pop culture, you will likely have picked up on a number of inside jokes, gags that pay homage to other classic films, as well as countless jabs at the Marvel cinematic universe and innumerable other things. I am going to list a few of my favourites – feel free to tell me about some of yours in the comment section down below. The first thing that comes to mind is the little brawl that occurs between Deadpool and Colossus. Each attack leaves our protagonist with one less usable limb than before, though he continuously shakes it off (a clear take on the legendary comedic bit between King Arthur and the Black Knight in Monty Python and the Holy Grail). Then, there is Deadpool’s breaking the barrier between himself and the audience (also known as the fourth wall or an aside). If you choose to fast forward to the post credit scene, you will see him approach the viewer in a robe and tell you to scram – an homage to Ferris Bueller at the very end of his ‘Day Off’. There are also some very Canadian jokes, some hilarious references to other X-Men, a remark on Basil Fawlty (John Cleese’s superb character that can be found in the excellent British comedy series Fawlty Towers), jokes about how they ever got the financing (or lack thereof) to make the movie, and jabs that Ryan Reynolds boomerangs at himself and his past film credits (i.e. Green Lantern). The final two scenes that I would like to highlight are when Deadpool is in the taxi with driver Dopinder (Karan Soni). Their chemistry is perfect, leading to two moments that are highly memorable. His two-faced chastising/support of Dopinder’s plan in the second ride is beautifully timed and pure comedic gold.
Then there is the spiffy dialogue. The writing team throw out lines such as: “guy came in here looking for you. Real Grim-Reaper-type. I don’t know. Might further the plot” – demonstrating how the audience does double duty by being on the inside as well as participating as the viewer. A more straightforward gag is used after Wilson has spoken to a sketchy individual at his beloved bar. Following the conversation, he returns to his bartending buddy and proclaims “his drink’s on him”. Dialogue such as this fits the movie, the character and the actor to a tee. I also got a kick out of when Wade tells Vanessa about his dream: “I had another Liam Neeson nightmare. I kidnapped his daughter and he just wasn’t having it. They made three of those movies. At some point you have to wonder if he’s just a bad parent”. Deadpool is riddled with these types of things, making it a treasure trove for those who consider themselves experts in the realm of movie and pop culture knowledge.
Deadpool is a fun and very different take on a comic book movie that is well worth viewing. It is perfect for those who like their action edgy and their comedy gritty and offbeat. It took ten years for it to get greenlit by the studios, making it an excellent example of how perseverance can pay off, while also giving us a varied and more original take on the comic book genre. So, place a bet on falling for this less-than-noble superhero and give this motion picture a chance; it is sure to regenerate your hope in comic book films.