Review: 'Deadpool' Is a Profanity Filled Good Time

Scott Carney ’18 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer

In recent years, the superhero movie has become a genre as prominent as the horror film or the sappy romantic drama. Thus, several films have come along that have attempted to turn the genre on its head, an elite group of films that Deadpool hopes to join. The ultraviolent superhero film may not be a particularly new trend (films like Kick-Ass come to mind) but Deadpool does mark the first time that a Marvel film has delved into this particular subgenre, and the result is mostly successful.
Based on the comic book character of the same name, Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, who, after a cancer diagnosis, accepts an offer from a mysterious man who claims that he can cure him. After being betrayed, Wade is subjected to inhumane amounts of torture in order to turn him into a mutant soldier. After developing the ability to heal instantly (at the cost of a horrible face disfigurement), Wade escapes and seeks revenge on the men who wronged him, donning the identity of Deadpool.

If this sounds too bleak for you, not to worry; Deadpool is not The Revenant. That’s mainly because Wade Wilson is a raunchy wise cracker, with a new dirty joke per minute whether he’s being tortured or shooting someone as his alter ego. This type of character could become grating, but Reynolds, who has yet to expand his range as an actor, plays Deadpool with enough charisma and humor that the audience is willing to go along with his profane, violent rampage. It is when the movie totally relishes in its extreme dark humor that it shines. Some highlights include its fourth wall breaking, profanity filled opening credits (which I won’t spoil here, but it’s probably the funniest thing in the movie), as well as a scene where Wade and his friend Weasel (played by the great T.J. Miller) make grotesque comparisons about his disfigured face.
It is because these moments are so strong that the movie falls flat a little when it is trying to be sincere. Many of these elements come from Wade’s romance with Vanessa (Morena Baccarat). These serious moments are not bad, but they do seem a little out of place with a movie that prides itself in having little to no heart. For example, when Wade is first diagnosed with cancer, him and Vanessa have a conversation about Wade’s will to leave and it makes for a fairly intense and somewhat startling scene considering this is a film that plays murder for laughs. There is nothing wrong with combining dramatic and comedic scenes, in fact it can make for a stronger film, but the dramatic scenes are so overshadowed by the comedic scenes that there is a bit of a tonal inconsistency when they arrive.

Still, Deadpool is a heck of a fun time, and those who are fans of the comics will not be disappointed. It will be interesting to see where Marvel takes the character from here, but there is no doubt that audience will be left wanting more.
Overall grade: B
Watch The Trailer: 
[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyKWUTwSYAs[/embedyt]