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Deadpool

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Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool. (Twentieth Century Fox Film)
Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool. (Twentieth Century Fox Film)

MOVIE:

Deadpool

OUR RATING

5/5 Stars

WHAT IT'S ABOUT:

Former Special Forces operative-turned-mercenary Wade Wilson is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, and he adopts the alter ego ‘Deadpool.’ Armed with his new abilities and a dark, twisted sense of humor, he hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

WHAT WE THOUGHT:

Deadpool has been dithering on the sidelines itching for his own movie for almost ten years, and finally this original foul-mouthed maniac with a killer sense of humour, will finally crash onto our screens over the most ironic, yet apt weekend of love. One of the most bizarre but beloved comic book characters, made even more notorious through the meme world of the Internet, Deadpool sticks holes not only in bad guys but in the superhero genre and classic film devices, and you’ll love him for it.

Wade is your average mercenary-for-hire with a heart of gold (mostly) who falls in love with the prostitute of his dreams. Everything seems great until Cancer shows up and Wade decides to take part in a super secret mutant experiment programme. Things do not go as planned (do they ever?) and Wade turns into the red menace that is Captain Deadpool. I mean Deadpool.

The only way Deadpool could stay true to its source material as a movie was by taking “creative control”, crumple it up, throw into the bin, set it on fire and bury its ashes somewhere dark. Fox thankfully made the right call and gave the filmmakers absolute freedom to do whatever the hell they want. The last couple of superhero movies have been very PG-13 for the most part, and Deadpool decided it’s time to rev things up a bit. Grotesque, gratuitous violence, explicit sexy sex scenes, swearing that is almost an art form and little regard for that fourth wall (or 16th wall), are all that make up the lovely little psycho-dipped lollipop that is this movie. Most directors might go a little too crazy with this kind of freedom, but first-time director Tim Miller excelled at keeping the crazy to a coherent format.

Admittedly, I was not that keen on Ryan Reynolds heading this lovely mess, but godlike marketing definitely changed my mind, and he did not disappoint at the finish line. At one point you aren’t even sure if Reynolds isn’t really Deadpool, pretending to be an actor to hide his identity. His enthusiasm for this role is unrestrained and it seeps into his performance like the gallons of fake blood used. As for his love interest, which could have easily been a bad move to include but ended up giving the film gravitas in-between the silly, Morena Baccarin’s character is as filthy-minded and hilarious as Wade, and their twisted chemistry actually helps give Deadpool reason for his madness. Releasing over a Valentine’s Day weekend is the fifth best thing they did with this movie (I could list the others, but where’s the fun in that?)

A big warning for all the parents out there who somehow managed to ignore the Internet – this superhero movie is not for your comic-book-hero-obsessed little ones. This movie was made for the grown-up kids, in all of its Rated R glory. Let’s also direct that warning for those with sensitive stomachs, ears and significant others. Don’t be a douche and pretend it’s a light-hearted romantic comedy, you’ll probably get punched.

For everyone else worried Deadpool is just a lame quick buck for Fox, do not fear. It’s everything and more, a perfectly unbalanced action comedy that sticks to its guns/blades and refuses to cop-out to a conventional redemptive narrative. Also naked fight scene. Need I say more?

P.S. Do stay for the end-credit scene. It’s very important.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE:



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