Movie Review: ‘Deadpool’ is unconventional in every sense of the word

Deadpool is full of crude humor and insane action scenes, which is why it is so incredible.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), a Special Forces operative turned mercenary, learns he has a fatal illness shortly after he finds the love of his life (Morena Baccarin). Wilson receives an anonymous tip that there is a place that can reverse his sickness. Instead, he finds himself being tortured by Ajax (Ed Skrein). The rogue experiment leaves him with accelerated healing powers and a disfigured body. He sets out on a mission of revenge as his alter ego, Deadpool.

Tim Miller’s Deadpool is not a conventional superhero movie. It breaks all boundaries in terms of humor and style. Most of the jokes have sexual undertones that are definitely intended for an older, more mature audience. If sexual innuendos are not being spoken, then the antics are poking fun at the movie industry itself. It frequently alludes to the X-Men franchise, which tries to recruit Deadpool throughout the film.

Ryan Reynolds breaks the fourth wall many times during the film. He speaks directly to the audience to explain what is going on and to add more comedic narration to the film. Reynolds even “moves the camera” to protect the audience from seeing a very grotesque scene. It can be very hard to execute that technique in film, but in Deadpool, the act is carried out perfectly. With a character such as Deadpool, it would be a shame not to have him engage with the audience.

From the beginning, the audience is thrown into the action with no explanation of the plot or characters. Director Tim Miller utilizes a non-linear plotline, allowing the audience to embrace Deadpool from the get-go and adding some mystery to the film. Through a series of flashbacks, viewers receive all of the important information needed to understand how Deadpool came to be the man he is, which is one the best anti-heros of all time. Deadpool’s crude humor and unconventional methods of attack captivate the audience from the minute the film begins.  

Reynolds delivers an exceptional performance as the title character. They could not have chosen a better actor to step into this character’s persona. His sarcastic sense of humor cuts through the screen and draws the audience in. His shining moments come when he is being tortured physically and emotionally. Deadpool is a very complex character, and Reynolds takes the character’s personality and runs with it.

The only things to critique in the film are the length and the goriness. The film could have been so much longer — it is under two hours long — and the progression of the film could have been a lot smoother. It jumps from the backstory to the finale in just a few scenes, leaving viewers to wonder, “How did we get here?” The movie is also insanely bloody. The level of goriness was acceptable in small doses. But in the few moments when brain matter and blood were being projected from the bodies of Deadpool’s victims, it went overboard. In the beginning, a man is splattered against a billboard, and the audience sees everything. The gruesome part is when Wade Wilson undergoes all of the tortuous methods, and his body is disfigured. The film is definitely rated R for this reason.

Deadpool is not a conventional superhero movie, therefore showgoers should not expect to see a film similar to Captain America or Thor. Deadpool is a comedy, action and romantic movie all rolled into one outlandish spectacle.   

Rating: 4/5