Deadpool
Director: Tim Miller
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller
Duration: 108 mins
Class: 15
KRS Releasing Ltd

Deadpool is possibly Marvel Comics’ most unorthodox hero, more ‘anti’ than ‘super’, if you will. The film that bears his name tells the story of how he came to be, as former special forces operative Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), when diagnosed with terminal cancer, opts to undergo a secret experiment with a shadowy organisation that claims to hold a cure… but the organisation has a nefarious agenda.

Things go terribly wrong and, although he has been imbued with superhuman healing powers, Wilson’s face ends up horrifically scarred and his life in ruins, and, he sets out to wreak havoc on the man who brought him to this.

It is not the first time that Reynolds has played the character, having appeared alongside Hugh Jackman in the poorly received X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009. But Reynolds, a huge fan of the comic character, made enough of an impression in the role and holds enough clout to finally get a film of his own made. He had no less than X-Men co-creator and comic legend Stan Lee fighting his corner, Lee saying that “Ryan Reynolds plays him as though he was born to play the role. Just like Robert Downey, Jr was born to be Iron Man, you just can’t picture anybody else besides Ryan as Deadpool.”

That Reynolds is so well-suited for the role is the most striking aspect of the film. The actor, who thus far in his career has negotiated comic, dramatic and action roles with equal success combines elements of all three and slips into the role with consummate ease.

A character that is charming, funny, snarky and uncouth with an edge of smugness

He has created a character that is charming, funny, snarky and uncouth with an edge of smugness, yet thanks to the dynamic charisma of both actor and character you are immediately drawn to him despite his faults. Pushing the envelope further, Reynolds has no interest in making Deadpool either terribly heroic or completely likeable. You laugh with him while acknowledging that he can really be obnoxious; or cringe in disbelief as he reduces an adversary to a bloody pulp. He is undoubtedly a far cry from the glut of tortured superheroes brought to the screen so far, and his loudmouthed persona and edgy attitude are very refreshing, bringing an unexpected contrast to the noble heroics we have witnessed in the Marvel Universe to date.

What also sets Deadpool apart from his cohorts is that he is very self-aware – he knows he is essentially a comic book character in his own movie and often breaks the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience. This heightens the humour, somewhat, and you really couldn’t want for anyone better to be your MC on this wild, funny and violent ride.

Which brings me to the next point. Deadpool is bookended by two rather elaborately-staged scenes; the former as he very creatively and viciously takes out a cadre of bad guys at one end; and brutally battles it out with his nemesis at the other, with much more bone-crunching violent action in between.

Director Tim Miller and stunt team pull out all the stops in terms of weaponry and unfettered blood-letting in a demonstration of hyper-violence never seen in Marvel properties to date. It’s almost too much and, at a point, you realise that this onslaught of gleeful violence can’t disguise the fact that the plot is very thin. The script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick traces the well-trodden path of previous origin stories with a soupcon of the revenge thriller tropes thrown in and nothing more of substance. Luckily, it’s a three-star film with a five-star character, so I give it four.

Reynolds is very ably supported (in more ways than one) by Morena Baccarin who gives some depth to Vanessa, the hooker-with-a-heart who’s Wade’s love interest; Ed Skein a deliciously evil villain; while Deadpool is constantly shadowed by the CG-created Colossus (who looks very much like Hulk but with skin of steel and not of green) and his tough teenage sidekick with a mouthful of a moniker Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand) who are trying to recruit Deadpool into the X-Men programme.

Reynolds the actor has a hit on his hands, as witnessed by the record-breaking €240 million worldwide takings on the film’s opening weekend, ensuring the character gets a sequel. Reynolds the producer should ensure that when that happens, he gets the better script he deserves. I have no doubt it will only augment the Deadpool universe.