Movie Review: Deadpool

Comedy/Action

Rated - MA15+

Duration - 1hr 48 mins

Release - Feb 2016

Director - Tim Miller
 
Cast - Ryan Reynolds, T.J. Miller, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein

 
Mr KNIGHT
 
Comic book fans rejoice. Finally the big screen has delivered us a not so super hero movie that has the action, the laughs and the freedom to not be held back with the restrictions of an M rating for the kiddies, splattering the cinema with blood, limbs and flippant coarse language.

Ryan Reynolds stars as the merc with the mouth, Wade Wilson, a former special ops assassin, turned mercenary, who gets struck down without warning by natures true nasties, cancer. In comes a sneaky, untrustworthy suit, who proposes an offer to Wade to make the sickness go away and add to it some super mutant perks.
 
As often most problems start with this, Wade decides to take on this experimental treatment for one main reason… the love in his life, Vanessa, the pixie looking (and in my opinion never aging vampire) Morena Baccarin.
 
Wade soon discovers the treatment isn’t all it's cracked up to be and despite it making him take on a super healing factor (much like Wolverine), it leaves his entire body, head to toe heavily scarred, looking as he describes himself “like a testicle with teeth.”
 
With the promise that he can have the damage reversed Wade hunts down his maker, with some gory kills and clever remarks along the way. The humour was intelligent and refreshing and throughout the movie, Wade, self-named Deadpool, talks to the audience as the story unfolds, adding an extra sliver of humour and ensuring the audience stays engaged.
 
Having seen Reynolds play Deadpool in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine with his role being somewhat different, Reynolds has stated to fans out there to pretty much erase that character from your memory and watch this movie with a untainted perspective. And that is exactly what I did.
 
The only flaw I really found with this movie is that I watched so many previews, clips and promotional material leading up to its release that a lot of the jokes weren’t new to me so the laughs didn’t come as strong and as often as it might have to someone who had never heard of this movie.
 
Despite that flaw in marketing and my over eagerness, I couldn’t find too much I didn’t like. The best friend Weasel, played by T.J. Miller also brought the laughs with some great descriptions of Wade’s post-experiment look.
 
Ed Skrein, seen in the latest and not very popular Transporter and as Daario Naharis in season 3 of Game of Thrones, plays Ajax our very nasty villain. I feel Skrein has potential but if he isn’t careful he may get typecast in this sort of role and might not get very far in Hollywood playing B-Grade roles. But I digress…
 
If you like the Marvel and DC franchise and you don’t mind a bit of dark humour and blood and guts get into the cinema and catch this one. This was the shake up the super hero movie world needed to get some real action, violence and laughs. No more deaths without blood and angry comments from heroes like “asshat!” 

Bravo Ryan Reynolds and bravo Deadpool. Stick around after the previews for two funny snippets at the end. Treat yourself.





 

Mrs KNIGHT
 
You don’t need me to tell you there has been A LOT of hype around the release of this film. The marketing started a year ago at least, possibly even longer. Deadpool is set in the Marvel Universe, specifically in the X-Men world. It tells the origin story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary Wade Wilson, who is played by Ryan Reynolds. After being used for an experiment to combat his cancer he is left with the ability to heal himself, which is where his alter ego Deadpool is born.
 
I know what you’re thinking, it sounds like every other superhero movie, so why is everyone raving? It's because this is the anti-hero movie. He is violent, crude and hilarious. This one is definitely an adults only comic-book movie.
 
The mood of the film is quickly established in the opening credits. It's very much a comedy as much as it is an action movie. The writers also did Zombieland which will give you an example of the type of gruesome and quick witted humour to expect, just amplified!
It is very quick paced with Green Lantern and X-Men Origins: Wolverine jokes scattered through it. So make sure you’re paying attention. It is in no way a sequel so even if you haven’t seen these previous movies, you will still enjoy it. Especially the Hugh Jackman references. 

I’m sure you have heard people say Deadpool is the role Ryan Reynolds was born to play. I would have to agree. I have always been a big fan of his, but he played this part perfectly. He was likeable and funny, while still being believable in the action scenes. His girlfriend Vanessa is played by Morena Baccarin who apparently has found the fountain of youth or as Mr Knight says is a vampire as she hasn’t aged a day. All the nerds out there will remember her from Firefly/Serenity or more recently the rest of you may have seen her in Homeland, as Brody’s wife. Either way, she also played her part extremely well and is a major babe.

I know this is a movie review, but may I take a moment to appreciate how damn good the marketing and publicity was. For example Hugh Jackman did a press tour being interviewed by media and by Ryan Reynolds himself, with only vague reference to the film. Let me just point out, Hugh Jackman isn't actually in the movie!  There were also Australia specific video footage, e.g. on Australia day and clever Valentines Day references. 

Overall, two thumbs up for Deadpool. I highly recommend you go see it if you don't get offended easily and can handle some gore. Now let's begin the countdown for Deadpool 2 in 2017!