Deadpool

• Directed by Tim Miller, in his directorial debut
• February 8, 2016 (Le Grand Rex) / February 12, 2016 (US)
• Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld

Wade Wilson hunts the man responsible for triggering his mutant abilities and causing his scarred physical appearance.

I admit to not being a fan of the character of Deadpool. Having attended plenty of comic book conventions the people that dress up as the character are always the worst attendees to be around. They use the character as an excuse to be a jerk or just generally obnoxious. Which makes watching this weird for me since I actually liked Deadpool.

This is an origin story that also mocks the origin story. There are plenty of in-jokes and nods to the real-world origins of the character. Aside from creator Rob Liefield appearing as an emcee (I saw Stan Lee but not him), his name appears on a coffee cup and he is name dropped in a bar. This film quickly embraces the meta-aspects of the character which is perhaps the most significant trait of any Deadpool story.

If we are to be honest Deadpool is EVERY Ryan Rynolds character. The charming asshole he is in EVERY movie. The twist is here he has powers and is hyperviolent. Weirdly to me for a comedic movie about a hyperviolent asshole Deadpool has a level of heart one would not expect. Deadpool/Wade Wilson finds himself in his predicament because he has found love with a prostitute named Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). With a reason to live and no conventional hope of survival, he takes an offer that intersects him with the dangerous Francis (Ed Skrein) whose big plan is to fit him with a control collar and auction him off as he has with others.

Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead was a nice sendup of the brooding teen and a good foil to Deadpool. I wasn’t so thrilled with Colossus (Stefan Kapičić voice of Colossus/Andre Tricoteux body-double on set) though. Too much of an uptight douchebag. I guess I was the point, but it was just annoying. Why mock people who try to be good?

I do not think I had seen Leslie Uggams in anything in years before this. Thought she was dead honestly. She is perfect as Blind Al-an elderly blind woman and Deadpool’s roommate. She went from 70s/early 80s entertainment fixture to talented character actress! Along with Blind Al we get plenty of characters from the comics, but only enough to tell the story. This is not chock-full of needless cameos and pointless supporting characters just to let us know that it’s a comic book movie or expand the pool for future movies.

The humor is often that darkly humorous kind of violence that you don’t get very much anymore. Another important element brought into this is the fourth wall breaking. Aside from his absurd ability to heal, his ability is ALSO to understand he is a character in a movie much like in the comics where it appears he gets that he exists in a comic book.

This is a story that does not impact the world but does impact the world of those involved-something I often bring up. Not everything must be about the fate of humanity. Just focus on the fate of the characters and it will be big. Give it lasting consequences rather than being an inconsequential adventure.

Deadpool is probably one of the best comics to screen adaptions of a character in a very long time. It captures the essence and translates it very well to the big screen. And it’s a great action movie. Maybe not for kids but definitely for mature action fans.