I think it has become clear to most people that we are currently approaching superhero movie critical mass and that this ride can't last forever. The market is pretty much saturated with these movies and sooner or later, audiences are going to have their fill. However, the good thing about the abundance of these movies and TV shows is that studios are digging pretty deep to give us weirder and more interesting characters and stories like Guardians of the Galaxy, Ant-Man, Jessica Jones and the upcoming Suicide Squad. Marvel has always been pretty savvy about using wildly different genres and tones to diversify their movies and combat superhero fatigue.
Now Fox gives us Deadpool a movie that, while set in the X-Men Cinematic Universe(s), is about as wildly different from typical superhero fare as you can get. The first thing about the movie that stands out is that it is very much an "adult" R-rated action movie with tons of violence and nudity and almost non-stop use of the word "fuck." This certainly sets it apart from pretty much all other superhero movies which are made with an eye to being at least vaguely family-friendly. While this is not a selling point in itself, it does make the movie feel like a unique experience in the genre.
Deadpool himself is a unique and beloved character who has taken a tortuous path to having his own movie, which included a misguided stop in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Deadpool has the reputation of being sort of a hyper-violent Bugs Bunny in the Marvel universe. He's known for his wisecracks and for constantly breaking the fourth wall. In that sense the movie serves the character very well. Ryan Reynolds is really fun and terrific and you could even say it is the part he was born to play. I can't even say he's good in it because it seems so effortless for him as though Deadpool is an outgrowth of his public persona.
Also refreshing is Wade Wilson/Deadpool's relationship with his girlfriend Vanessa, which actually feels like a real human relationship instead of the generic love-interest relationships you see in genre movies. These feel like two very messed-up people who really share a genuine connection. It also helps that Reynolds and Morena Baccarin have wonderful chemistry together. Despite all of the foul language and graphic violence, this relationship is the most adult thing about the movie and one of the things that best differentiates itself from other superhero movies, in which female characters are little more than cardboard cutouts.
I'm also a fan of the sort of weird and indirect way in which the story unfolds. The movie uses flashbacks to tell a lot of the story somewhat like Iron Man 3 but in a more satisfying way which folds upon itself with lots of zipping around the plot. There comes a point where you almost feel like the movie is over but then it takes off in another direction. Overall, it is a well-paced movie.
Obviously, if you are a Deadpool fan you will be checking this movie out but if you are a more casual fan of superhero movies, Deadpool is definitely one to check out. I think it is a milestone in superhero movies and one who's apparent success will lead not only to it's own sequels but to studios seriously looking at more mature and R-rated content. While, one can make the argument that it is not wild or weird or queer enough, it is certainly a promising re-start to Deadpool's movie career and hopefully its success will lead to even more daring content in its sequel.
Patrick Garone
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