by Matt Sernaker, Managing Editor
Grab some chimichangas and get ready, because the most anticipated movie of 2016 is about to hit theaters this week. That’s right true believers, Deadpool is finally here! Thanks to the relentless work of Actor Ryan Reynolds (Green Lantern, Blade Trinity) and Director Tim Miller, audiences will finally get to experience an incredibly faithful live action version of the Merc with a Mouth.
Very Minor Spoilers Below
Without any question, Deadpool easily exceeds all expectations, and succeeds at being the most accurate translation of a comic book character to the big screen to date. Sure, we have seen some great real world interpretations of comic characters with the recent influx of superhero films (Marvel’s The Avengers, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Ant-Man), but this is the first time where a movie absolutely nailed every single aspect about a character, his narrative voice, his supporting cast, and the world they inhabit. Ryan Reynolds has gone on record many times saying how important it was for him personally to portray the character accurately, and that attention to detail is extremely noticeable throughout the story. While there are several standard tropes of the superhero origin story scattered throughout the film, they are ultimately forgivable, as Deadpool takes every opportunity to twist expectations, and provides his own fourth wall commentary as he navigates through becoming the ultimate badass and fighting to save the girl.
Ryan Reynolds really should get an award for this film. He truly owned the Wade Wilson/Deadpool persona, much akin to how Heath Ledger took on The Joker in The Dark Knight. Ed Skrein (Game of Thrones) as Ajax worked as a viable threat for our favorite Anti-Hero to take on, and also furthered the stereotype of British villains in superhero films. Morena Baccarin (Gotham, Firefly) as Wade’s Fiancé Vanessa was the perfect partner for Wade, and was a very different and entertaining character for the actress to portray. T.J. Miller (How to Train Your Dragon) was a fantastic comedic foil for Reynolds, as the two actors always seem to try and one up each other in terms of the most ridiculous comments possible. I’m sure the studio probably has hours of recorded improvised lines just between the two actors (maybe we will get an Extended Edition of Deadpool with even more banter). The final two standouts from this release are the X-Men cameos: Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic, Fox’s 24) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand, Prism). While you probably haven’t heard of the latter of the two, you will not forget her after this appearance. The “New Mutant” in training is brought along on a mission with Colossus, who attempts to stop Wade’s killing spree (as seen in the original CGI test footage), and also encourages him to join the X-Men. The interaction between the three characters is priceless, and there are some amazing comments from Deadpool regarding the state of the X-Men movie universe.
Just a friendly reminder to all the parents out there who want to take your children to see Deadpool: the film is Rated-R for a reason. It is extremely vulgar, and it is not meant for kids. To everyone else who wants to see Deadpool: GOOD NEWS! Deadpool’s rating was actually a crucial element to why the film succeeds. Yes, the rating does allow for the character to swear unhampered, but it also makes for a more honest interpretation of Wade Wilson. If this was a censored version (say PG-13), it would not have worked. The connection to the audience would not have been as sincere, and it would have been similar to how John McClain wasn’t allowed to say his trade marked line “Yippie-Ki-Yay MotherF***er” in some of the more recent iterations of the Die Hard franchise. A different rating for this film would have cost us several utterly spectacular one-liners.
Overall
Deadpool is definitely going to be a win for the studio, the fans, and the audiences around the world (except China, because they banned the film from release) who will get to experience an incredible superhero comedy. We have never seen a film like this before, and I absolutely cannot wait to go watch the film again in theaters later this week. Ryan Reynolds and the team behind Deadpool have put together the perfect comic book movie.
ComicsOnline gives Deadpool – 5 out of 5 chimichangas.
Head out for more superhero adventures with your friends at ComicsOnline.com, and be sure to check back for more reviews, interviews, and everything geek pop culture!
