Movie Review: Deadpool
By Jonathan Fuchs, Copy Editor
[Marvel; 2016]
Rating: 4.5/5
So much could have gone wrong with Deadpool, the newest film from Marvel and quirky titular anti-hero’s first film appearance since the cinematic flop X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The film has been talked about all over Hollywood for years, and people have protested its R-rating while the superhero genre has slowly become filled with clichéd movies focused on making a profit instead of celebrating iconic characters and their source materials. Fortunately, Deadpool couldn’t have been more perfect, as it is true to the profane and violent character through witty humor, extremely fast pacing and amazing fourth-wall breaks.
One can sense the film’s humorous, fast-paced atmosphere just from the opening credits, which mock the cast and crew of superhero films by calling the producers “asshats,” the star “God’s perfect idiot” and the director “an overpaid tool.” This gives the viewer an overall feel for the rest of the film, as it pokes fun at the genre by making fun of films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Green Lantern (both of which star Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool here).
Ryan Reynolds perfects the character of Deadpool found in the comics, as his extreme profanity, over-the-top violence and humor presented through one-liners and fourth wall breaks are beautifully crafted for the big screen. The other actors, including T.J. Miller, Morena Baccarin, Stefan Kapicic and Brianna Hildebrand also do an excellent job of keeping the story interesting and fun.
The pacing of Deadpool is unlike anything you will ever see, as it makes other fast-paced superhero movies like Kick-Ass and Guardians of the Galaxy look slow in comparison. The film never feels like it stops, even in more serious scenes, and every action scene uses awesome special effects and clever camera angles to give new perspectives to each fight. The film also perfects the slow-motion shot, as it uses them to increase the violence and gore and show really cool stunt work.
Deadpool is for sure Marvel’s best movie, and it might even be the best superhero movie ever made. The energy of the film is contagious and addicting, as it keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats for the entire 108 minutes. It’s hilarious, it’s violent, it’s disgusting, it has Stan Lee’s best-ever cameo and most importantly, it couldn’t be more true to the character of Deadpool.
