I think the structure and payoffs surrounding this structural choice work (and fuel Wade's journey as Deadpool), but the film goes out of its way to subvert and reinvent so many expectations, and there are so few women in this story, I wonder if they could have gone a little further with a character that is so vividly written in the film's early scenes. If I had one question about the film's intentions, I wonder if the filmmakers could have found a way to avoid the damsel-in-distress elements. Honestly, my nine-year-old self is just as giddy about the whole thing as adult me. It's a film that takes well tread elements and polishes them up with a heaping pile of ball jokes and clever curse words. The eye-popping visuals, and ear-tastic sound mix punctuated by sarcasm and fourth wall breaking. Yes, there's a big action set-piece where heroes and villains in rubber suits SPOILER ALERT - fight - END SPOILERS, but the whole thing has a sense of importance. And I really, really admire how the film stays focused on personal stakes rather than blowing up to a Save The CGI Extras third act. Wade is a unique character, in that he's a bad dude who we root for. The action is well choreographed and clear. For me at least, the jokes hit hard enough to cause open laughter.
This flick pulls it off because, after millions of critical choices made by every person on the filmmaking team, they've arrived at what is best described as the perfect tone for this particular story. That nearly impossible balance of action, humor, and emotions mixed with another origin story. Seriously, I know there are some who aren't on board with this, but I'm amazed at how great 'Deadpool' turned out. Mix in the recent glut of superhero origin stories and adult themes (PG-13 movies generally make more money than R-rated films) and this is a challenging production to pull off.
The movie intercuts the events that follow Wade's diagnosis - Deadpool: Origins! - with Wade's present day quest to find the man who origined him into becoming Deadpool in the first place, all while struggling with his fear of going to see the love of his life again (his origining made him fugs).Īction comedies are one of my favorite genres, but they're nearly impossible to pull off because there is no guaranteed formula for balancing character, dramatic stakes, and jokes. Wade finds himself on the short end of a death sentence in the form of the Big C. One day the ever-sarcastic Wade meets Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), the call girl of his dreams. even though the jobs we see him take land in a morally grey, but generally positive realm. 'Deadpool' non-linearly recounts the tale of one Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), a vigilante for hire who's quick to say he's no hero. And not only did they produce a gleefully violent, R-rated, meta comic book movie that has gone on to be BOTH the number one R-rated film of all time AND the top 'X-Men' franchise grosser. Here we have a movie star, screenwriters, producers, and director who so believed in this version of 'Deadpool' they fought to get it made for some eight years.
I love it when a passion project comes together.