Ever since the atrocity that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it has been Ryan Reynolds’ mission to give fans the perfect Deadpool movie. For years, FOX has put it on hold. Maybe they didn’t want to go the R rated movie route, or maybe they weren’t confident in the character. But one would think, with FOX’s track record of more duds than good X-Men films, that a change would be welcomed.
And then, the “leaked” test footage came out.
Suddenly, social media exploded and Deadpool fans went crazy over how great it was. Let us not be fooled, FOX gets about 10% credit for Deadpool coming to the big screen. The film, the character, the marketing was all Ryan Reynolds. This was either going to be a major fail on him, or it was going to be the role that defines him.
I am happy to say that it was the latter.
Deadpool is a hilariously funny movie that is filled with humor, heart and–since it’s rated R–vulgarity. The thing is, the film never went overboard on the vulgarity. There is definitely strong language and some graphic violence, all expected with a character like Deadpool, but the “so called” nudity is very little. Ryan Reynolds could have easily went overboard on the vulgarity, but he reeled it in.
Deadpool tells us the story of a man who is more of an anti-hero than anything else. He’s a mercenary, with a non-stop wise cracking mouth. He will help the little guy with all their needs, for a fee of course. At the same time, he also has a heart and a soft spot. When he meets someone who’s as crazy as he is, your love story begins…and then quickly ends. After being diagnosed with rapidly spreading terminal cancer, he can’t think of anything else but to leave his woman in order to spare her the pain of watching him die…but she refuses to allow it. When he’s given an opportunity for a cure (even though it meant becoming the one thing he never really wanted to be), he takes it, if only for the chance at love it offers. Of course, nothing that sounds that good ever actually is. All of a sudden, the wise-cracking man is left disfigured, but with a power that allows him to heal or regenerate (like Wolverine). Disgusted in himself, and thinking that his love would never accept him how he is, his mission becomes finding the person who did this to him and get a cure. Throughout the film, he leaves a trail of dead bodies while still being the wise cracking “merc with the mouth” that fans have come to know from the comics. He has a run in with two X-Men, and also enlists their help to save his girl. It is a high octane, comedy-filled film that is a love story at it’s heart, as only Deadpool can tell.
Though, the big question is how can a R-rated Deadpool film have any redeeming qualities? I had that question going in, and as the movie went on I started to realize that you have to scale back and look at the story on a whole. Colossus was there as a moral voice in the film, but the film was more than just that. We have a love story in it’s true form. The film is a journey of how many view their lives when God calls them. They feel that they are too disfigured and too dirty and God would never accept them. The sickness of sin is so deep that they think they need to find a cure under their own will and power. Along the path, they constantly fail and take two steps back rather than a step forward. Meanwhile, that moral voice is there letting them know they can be more, if they just listen and ask for help. In the end, you come to a point where you have to come face to face with God and say sorry.
I’m sorry I walked away.
I’m sorry I stopped calling.
I thought I could fix me, and it turns out I can’t.
We don’t want Him to look at us, but God says “remove the mask, I accept you how you are because My love runs deeper”. Deadpool isn’t the ideal character where we would think we can find redeeming values, but then again, isn’t that how Jesus operated?
Deadpool does a great job in being a comic book film that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and rightfully so. Deadpool breaks the 4th wall, makes fun of X-Men films, Ryan Reynolds films, Wolverine and even Hugh Jackman. It’s what you expect Deadpool to do. The opening credits scene has you laughing from the get go and throughout the film there are several moments that make you want to fall out of your seat. Ryan Reynolds has found his role to the tone of Robert Downey Jr and Iron Man. TJ Miller was a great supporting actor in adding to the comedy. Stan Lee has his expected cameo and even Bob from Hydra (if you are a Deadpool fan you know who he is) makes an appearance.
The honest truth is, Deadpool is everything you will expect from a Deadpool film.
It’s up to you to figure out if that’s a good thing or bad thing.
Matt – this is almost exactly what we were saying about it after. The language and coarseness never went overboard. It all fit within the perimeters of the story/character.