Deadpool Review

     For the past decade or so, comic book and super hero movies have been all the rage. From the "The Dark Knight" to "The Avengers," many have been both critical and commercial successes. And if you asked me, the movie that kicked off this craze would have to be 2000's "X-Men." A serious and action packed adaptation of the comic series of the same name, the movie was a hit at the box office and spawned many more movies. Some were great like "First Class" and "Days of Future Past," and some were terrible such as "Origins: Wolverine" and "The Last Stand." There have been seven films from 2000 to 2014, all of which either follow the X-Men or the series main star Wolverine. But for years there have been rumors regarding spin offs that would follow other characters in the X-Men universe; and the most talked about one would have to be Deadpool. A film about the fourth wall breaking anti-hero has been talked about since the mid-2000s, Deadpool even had a role in "Origins: Wolverine" and was portrayed by Ryan Reynolds. But that interpretation of the character was panned by both critics and audiences, with particular criticism towards basically removing his personality. After that, a future Deadpool movie was basically dead. But in 2014, some visual effects footage of potential movie was leaked online; with the motion capture and voice done by Reynolds, it showed the titular hero cracking jokes while in an intense action sequence. Reception of the test footage was overwhelming, and caused many to call upon Fox for a full length film. Not long after that, it was confirmed that an R-rated Deadpool movie was in the works. One of the most talked about comic book movies in years, "Deadpool" looks to bring justice to one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel universe; and it manages to accomplish that goal, and then some.

     Wade Wilson is a former Special Forces operator living and working in Canada as a mercenary. He mostly takes low risk jobs intimating people that annoy his clients. One day while at a local bar he meets an escort named Vanessa. After making a memorable first impression, they realize that they work well together; with them complementing each other's crazy. They start a relationship, and he is the happiest he has ever been. But his life comes to a halt when he finds out he has cancer. Knowing there's no answer, Wilson goes into depression. One day at the bar where he met Vanessa, a man Wilson refers to as Mr. Smith comes to him offering a cure. He offers an experimental program that could cure his cancer. Thinking of Vanessa he agrees, but after going through the treatment he is less than satisfied with the results. A little angry and a lot crazy, he takes up the persona Deadpool; the merc with the mouth.

     Going into 2016 this was one of the movies I was most looking forward to, but at the same time I was rather unsure. I can't quite put my finger on what it was, but there was always a cloud of doubt hanging overhead. But to my own pleasure, I can safely say that "Deadpool" is fantastic. It went above and beyond all of my expectations, and is easily my new favorite super hero movie. First off, Ryan Reynolds. He was born to play the title character; he was so good that there is no other actor I could see playing Deadpool. And the casting was perfect, and every single actor gave a solid performance. The portrayals of the characters were also respectful and well done. In some previous super hero movies, most notably the ones Reynolds has been in, portrayals of the characters has been all over the place; but this movie does it right with everyone. Colossus was one of the real stand outs; for those who don't know Colossus is a member of the X-Men whose skin turns to metal and becomes incredibly strong. In the previous X-Men movies, the way he is shown is very different from the comics. Not just the way he looks, but the way he acts; but the writers got both of those perfectly here. And when you get right down to it, this is one of the best comic books to movie adaptations made in years. And like the comics it was based off of, "Deadpool" is absolutely hilarious. This is one of the funniest movies I've seen in years, and had busting a gut on more than one occasion. And with it's very fast pace; it is nonstop laughs and entertainment. Seriously, even the opening and closing credits are probably the funniest I've ever seen. And the post credits scene might be the best of any comic book movie. One of the most notable aspects of the Deadpool comics would be the fourth wall breaks, where Deadpool actually references the readers. And like the comics, this movie does that constantly. And the references and Easter eggs to the X-Men, the Avengers, and even the real world actors don't ever stop. I also loved the way that "Deadpool" tied in with the X-Men, because they do coexist. It adds an extra level of depth, and gave us some of the best jokes of the movie. Like basically every comic book movie, this one had a lot of visual effects work. Fortunately, they never overdue it with the CGI. And with a mix of practical effects, "Deadpool" looks good on the special effects front. One of the most surprising things about "Deadpool," would be the love story, it actually works. Reynolds and Morena Baccarin (the actress who plays Vanessa) had really good chemistry; and by the end you really care about their relationship. Originally I was afraid that the love story would be forced, but they made it work. Now, I finally get to talk about my favorite thing about this movie; its rating. "Deadpool" is rated R, and it is a hard R. There is intense violence, blood and gore, sex, nudity, and just about every profanity in the book. This is important because you really can't have a Deadpool movie without it being rated R. And since at one point Fox wanted to make it pg-13, I'm just glad they changed their mind. Someone worth recognition would have to be director Tim Miller, who did an excellent job with. They way characters delivered their lines, they look of the film, and several awesome action scenes, he did a fantastic job and I hope we see more of his work soon. I loved this movie, beginning to end I was always entertained. If I were to nitpick I would complain that the villains weren't particularly memorable, and that some jokes fall flat. Other than that, I was blown away. I should have never doubted the creative team, because you could tell this was a labor of love. And a special thanks to Reynolds himself, who fought with the studio for years to get this movie made. If you haven't already seen "Deadpool," go fix that. This is the movie that is worth your time and money over Valentine's Day weekend. And I'm already counting down the days until the sequel. 

Pros: Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool, perfect casting with solid performances, non-stop laughs, awesome action scenes, rated R, respectful representation of the characters, one of the best comic book to movie adaptations, well done CGI and visual effects, excellent directing from Tim Miller, love story actually works, fast pace and always entertaining, fantastic post credits scene, breaks the fourth wall, ties in well to X-Men, tons of Easter eggs and references.

Cons: Unmemorable villains, some jokes miss the mark.

4.5/5 Stars