DEADPOOL
The hero America deserves
and the one it needs right now
Well here we are, kiddies! DEADPOOL is here! And not only is it NOT an incarnation of the sewn shut mutation you wish you could forget in Wolverine, it's in fact hands down the most cynical, juvenile, outrageously immature, pants-splitting hilarious comic book movie you'll ever see (for now anyway), filled with graphic, bloody violence, steamy (comical) nudity and a thirst for vengeful blood. Not a minute goes by without self aware jokes or wise cracks; every wall is broken (beyond the fourth) and just about every rule to filmmaking is completely shattered and mocked, making this not just the biggest joke on superheroes but arguably one of the best comic book movie experiences we will EVER be treated to in our lifetime.
I'm being 100% serious.
If you didn't like comic book movies, you will now. The whole movie is one big lampoon on the superhero genre. It's a middle finger to the style, the format and any form of super hero that's been spattered, reused and rehashed on the big screen for the last 15+ years, and not just regarding the X-Men (the universe Pool lives in) but to comic book heroes and superhero movies everywhere. It's the anti-hero movie in every way and it never stops cracking every possible joke it can along the way. It's a movie that treats itself like a movie and not like a story that we should be believably consumed in. It's the most meta comic book movie ever made. In fact, Deadpool is the most Deadpool movie ever made . Everything from the self reflective, time jumping narrative to Deadpool's informative speeches to the audience, his movie becomes more than a movie; it's a show; it is a literal experience.
Not only is nothing ever taken seriously in the film but it's as if the movie gets highjacked by Reynolds himself in what might be the man's defining role of his lifetime.
Everything from the arranged credit sequences ("directed by an overpaid tool" rather than Tim Miller would be an example) to Deadpool literally interacting with the camera (pulling gum off the lens, turning the camera away during gratuitous violence) only adds to the wink of the character of Pool and it's literally about time that someone had the balls to green light a movie this outrageously cynical, self aware and over the top. In fact, it's hardly a movie at all; it's a movie within a movie. No. A spoof of a movie within a movie. It's the Inception of comic book movies... Only really realized and really, really funny... That and a decent amount of dick jokes.
Literally born to play this role
Everything from the arranged credit sequences ("directed by an overpaid tool" rather than Tim Miller would be an example) to Deadpool literally interacting with the camera (pulling gum off the lens, turning the camera away during gratuitous violence) only adds to the wink of the character of Pool and it's literally about time that someone had the balls to green light a movie this outrageously cynical, self aware and over the top. In fact, it's hardly a movie at all; it's a movie within a movie. No. A spoof of a movie within a movie. It's the Inception of comic book movies... Only really realized and really, really funny... That and a decent amount of dick jokes.
The reason this movie works and works so damn well is that it ultimately does nothing different or original with the genre, the characters or the plot (main character left for dead, girlfriend gets kidnapped, main character seeks revenge yada yada yada. We've been here before) and yet because this is Deadpool's movie, literally EVERY rule you can think of is broken. Because Deadpool is as a meta, cynical bastard, and as much of a playful wise-ass as he is, the movie is entirely unpredictable. Even when it heads toward that big, seemingly predictable climax, events and jokes propel the film to literal heights that have us gasping in awe and shrieking like little school girls with milk-from-nose-worthy laughter. I've literally never laughed harder at a comic book movie in my entire life.
Even Superman IV: The Quest for Peace wasn't this funny
The movie is a swift kick in the nuts to literally EVERY other Marvel movie; even the ones that nail humor pretty damn well (Guardians of the Galaxy) and the ones that don't (Ant-Man), and puts said films to COMPLETE shame, dances circles around them, burns them and pisses on the ashes. Because THIS is actually funny. And not just funny but rude-funny; sick-and-twisted funny. Deadpool knows his audience and every singular moment of the film; every wisecrack, every pun, every moment of horribly mangled violence; every deformed baby hand (you'll understand when you see it) and every little anal bead of rich, juvenile middle school humor, is for that audience.
It's an unapologetic love letter to Mr. Pool; a long awaited slap in the face to anyone and everyone who takes the comic book genre too seriously. It's a movie made by fans for fans; No, it's a movie made by douchebags, for douchebags (it is NOT for the faint hearted), and that's literally the only way to introduce it. It's also a treat for anyone who's been in it for the long haul. And I do mean the LONG, long haul.
The movie (somehow) does take place within the continuity of the current X-Men films. How that's even a possibility, even for me, is a little mind boggling considering there's almost ten X-Men movies within a binding (though unapologetically loosely built) wall of stories there, however, this is very much so a "Deadpool movie," so it's allowed to break the fourth wall as well as any rules it wants because that's been the style of Mr. Pool from his incarnation, years and years ago. Let's ALSO not forget that the last X-Men movie used time travel to literally wipe out any old story lines so our characters could exist in new timelines (which would explain why 1980s mouth-sewn-shut-swords-for-arms Ryan Reynolds is now a 2016-living, very-much-so speaking incarnation of the Merc with the mouth that we have this Valentine's Day). This might ALSO explain why Colossus is given an entirely new take on the character, this incarnation not only being the closest to the comic book conception and arguably the best version but also has more screen time than 3+ X-Men movies combined (though none of it is an argument worth having), HOWEVER, don't try and wrap your head around any continuity. Accept the fourth wall being demolished and take all the jabs and stabs at the X-Men movies and the brilliant statements Fox Deadpool is making by not featuring other X-Men because the studio simply can't afford them (there are plenty of brilliant jokes regarding this in the film), and while those expecting a Wolverine cameo will be disappointed, they won't go without plenty of belly laughs at the plentiful Hugh Jackman jokes.
And when I say this is a movie for true fans who've been in it for the long haul, I don't just mean X-Men fans, I mean true, legitimate Deadpool fans. The reality is, I didn't grow up reading much Deadpool in the comics but I've always been aware of how the character is supposed to play out: cynical, always comical, playing with the audience; he's the wise-ass written into the Marvel universe; he's Stan Lee's incarnation of the man's mouthpiece who points out the sheer and utter ridiculousness of these stories while leaving no one safe of his crude jokes. And to say that this film does that character justice would be an understatement. This is everything and more that Deadpool FANS could ask for and enough of a statement that it will turn those uninterested into new followers of the film and it just might be enough to get people to start digging up old Deadpool comics for the first time.
The film is beautiful and it's a comic book occasion of our time. Living in an age amongst the "gritty realism" of The Dark Knight and the Saturday-morning-cartoon-feel of The Avengers, it's REALLY hard for comic book movies to feel original and because Deadpool is as self aware and just plain awesome as it is, it's definitely one of the biggest comic book game changers in history and while it may pale in comparison to the likes of the bigger and arguably better comic book movies, this is such a breath of fresh, funny air for the genre, that THIS is the kind of comic book movie we need right now. It's unapologetic and it's essentially a very hard R-rated version of the comic book movies you wish you'd have been watching all these years.
Every now and again, you'll hear fanboys be like "The next Avengers should be rated R because Thanos is so big and dark there's no way they can do the gritty comic justice without the brutality of the comic book," when EVERYONE knows that The Avengers will always strive for the innocence of a near PG-rated cartoon; and it's because Avengers doesn't NEED to be R-rated to get its audience. Deadpool NEEDS this R-rating. I believe that in order to get its point across, Suicide Squad needs the R-rating. Some comics just need it and no one has ever needed it more than the Merc with the mouth squeezing into the tight, red pants.
And it's SO much more than a comic book movie. As Pool narrates to the audience, it's a love story; a horror movie; a brutal f**king revenge story; and it's above all else, a comedy and not just a comedy but a comedy that knows how to doubly mix the comic-book action and the comical jokes. EVERYTHING about the movie works (and the shattering box office numbers are proving it) and yes, it's the perfect movie for Valentine's Day weekend. Take a loved one; take a friend; take yourself. It's funny as all hell; it's the funniest comic book movie ever made and in its playfully cynical essence, it's exactly the comic book comedy we've ALL been waiting for.
And there are PLENTIFUL Hugh Jackman jokes
And when I say this is a movie for true fans who've been in it for the long haul, I don't just mean X-Men fans, I mean true, legitimate Deadpool fans. The reality is, I didn't grow up reading much Deadpool in the comics but I've always been aware of how the character is supposed to play out: cynical, always comical, playing with the audience; he's the wise-ass written into the Marvel universe; he's Stan Lee's incarnation of the man's mouthpiece who points out the sheer and utter ridiculousness of these stories while leaving no one safe of his crude jokes. And to say that this film does that character justice would be an understatement. This is everything and more that Deadpool FANS could ask for and enough of a statement that it will turn those uninterested into new followers of the film and it just might be enough to get people to start digging up old Deadpool comics for the first time.
The film is beautiful and it's a comic book occasion of our time. Living in an age amongst the "gritty realism" of The Dark Knight and the Saturday-morning-cartoon-feel of The Avengers, it's REALLY hard for comic book movies to feel original and because Deadpool is as self aware and just plain awesome as it is, it's definitely one of the biggest comic book game changers in history and while it may pale in comparison to the likes of the bigger and arguably better comic book movies, this is such a breath of fresh, funny air for the genre, that THIS is the kind of comic book movie we need right now. It's unapologetic and it's essentially a very hard R-rated version of the comic book movies you wish you'd have been watching all these years.
Every now and again, you'll hear fanboys be like "The next Avengers should be rated R because Thanos is so big and dark there's no way they can do the gritty comic justice without the brutality of the comic book," when EVERYONE knows that The Avengers will always strive for the innocence of a near PG-rated cartoon; and it's because Avengers doesn't NEED to be R-rated to get its audience. Deadpool NEEDS this R-rating. I believe that in order to get its point across, Suicide Squad needs the R-rating. Some comics just need it and no one has ever needed it more than the Merc with the mouth squeezing into the tight, red pants.
And it's SO much more than a comic book movie. As Pool narrates to the audience, it's a love story; a horror movie; a brutal f**king revenge story; and it's above all else, a comedy and not just a comedy but a comedy that knows how to doubly mix the comic-book action and the comical jokes. EVERYTHING about the movie works (and the shattering box office numbers are proving it) and yes, it's the perfect movie for Valentine's Day weekend. Take a loved one; take a friend; take yourself. It's funny as all hell; it's the funniest comic book movie ever made and in its playfully cynical essence, it's exactly the comic book comedy we've ALL been waiting for.
Haters can suck it
