If you’re heading to the movies in hopes of seeing a romantic comedy, or you’re searching for a family-friendly action movie, then do NOT go see Deadpool. If, however, you’re in the mood to laugh at an irreverent action-packed movie, then Deadpool at Village Theatre is for you.
Ryan Reynolds, named by People Magazine as both the “Sexiest Man Alive” in 2010 and then the “Sexiest Dad Alive” in February of 2016, plays Wade Wilson, a handsome, borderline-mercenary who turns into an unwilling hero named Deadpool, who can regenerate damaged or destroyed areas of his body faster than a mere human could.
The opening credits, which are packed with brutally honest yet hysterical descriptors of the cast and crew, immediately engages the viewers. My husband, who attended the movie with me, started laughing aloud before a single actor even spoke.
The opening sequence features a drawn-out, slow-motion scene with Deadpool wearing his signature red suit. The dramatic effect of zoomed-in shots and rotating panoramic views makes viewers question not only what they are looking at, but also what is happening in this action-packed scene. How did these characters end up in such an entangling encounter with one another?
It turns out that Deadpool is searching for his nemesis Francis, played by Ed Skrein. A nemesis named Francis may not sound very menacing, but Francis is the antagonist who is responsible for turning Wade Wilson, played by the yummy looking Ryan Reynolds, into someone who looks like he survived a horrible fire.
With the creative use of flashbacks, viewers will come to understand Deadpool’s grueling transformation from Wade Wilson into the disfigured loner searching for vengeance. In a touching scene, Wilson, head over heels in love with Vanessa, played by the beautiful and talented Morena Baccarin, is diagnosed with end-stage cancer. He’s willing to accept the horrific prognosis, but the hardest part for him is the realization that his untimely demise will leave Vanessa heartbroken.
It is for selfless reasons that Wilson, who is approached by a mysterious stranger, agrees to participate in a procedure that will not only cure him of cancer, but also transform him into a superhero. Wilson could care less about being a superhero; he just wants to live for Vanessa.
As it turns out, the mutation keeps him alive as promised, but at what cost? The only trait about himself that he still recognizes is his bitingly sarcastic sense of humor and irreverent wit. Aware of the stares and jaw-dropping looks of horror and pity from strangers he encounters, Wilson takes on the new persona Deadpool.
Weasel, played by T.J. Miller, is Deadpool’s bartender friend who knew him back when he was a mortal. Miller plays the perfect supporting character, as he comfortably and comically mocks Deadpool about his appearance while at the same time being there for Deadpool when he’s emotionally at his lowest point.
This superhero movie is different than most movies of this genre. Superman was quiet and well-mannered with piercingly blue eyes. Batman, no matter who has played him, is always brooding but quietly sexy. Deadpool is a foul-mouthed, physically deformed, deviant who couldn’t care less about helping the world. Rather than feign a sense of justice and honor, Deadpool is out for straight revenge in an unapologetic way.
The movie is definitely rated R appropriately as there are several self-gratification references, some nudity and sexual situations, expletives, and phrases that quite frankly I’m too afraid to even look up on Urban Dictionary. Depending on your movie preferences, these details can either be seen as another reason to enjoy the film or the reason you choose to see a different movie. While typically this genre isn’t my cup of tea, I’ll admit that I enjoyed it, and I found myself giggling as well as shaking my head at some of the offensive yet brilliant lines.
Deadpool had an interesting take on violence. There was A LOT of shooting, stabbing, punching, exploding, and any other form of -ing that goes along with it, but at no point, even when there was blood EVERYWHERE, did I feel queasy.
One aspect of Deadpool that I appreciated as a woman was the fact that there were strong female characters. In keeping with the Marvel tradition, female characters in Deadpool are seen in epic fight scenes holding their own against their adversaries, both male and female. Negasonic Teenage Warhead, played by Brianna Hildebrand, is the apprentice to Marvel character Colossus, played by Stefan Kapicic. Even though she’s young, she doesn’t back down from a battle with Francis’ gang, including Angel Dust, played by Gina Carano.
When asked how he liked Deadpool, my husband Mike said, “I liked learning the backstory of this Marvel character. I knew he was sarcastic and snarky, but I never knew why. I liked that the movie didn’t take itself too seriously. It playfully mocked Ryan Reynolds’ earlier superhero endeavors as the Green Lantern, but still told a compelling story.”
Before seeing Deadpool I already had a little crush on Ryan Reynolds. After seeing him looking nothing like his usual self, speaking with no abandon on topics that would make most people blush, and kicking butt left and right, I’ll admit that my crush was actually intensified. It takes some quality acting and film making to make Ryan Reynolds sexier than ever, especially when his natural good looks are literally masked. This film, while definitely an action movie, is unabashedly romantic as well. The director, Tim Miller, successfully pulls at viewers’ heartstrings while at the same time making them laugh at the inappropriateness on screen. Go ahead and laugh. I did.
To see local showtimes at Village Theatre click here.
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi (a little romance and comedy too)
Director: Tim Miller
Actors: Ryan Reynolds, Gina Carano, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Ed Skrein
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 h 48 min
