Deadpool knows that the way to this movie-lover's heart is through profane language and raunchy jokes about pegging (Google it. Not on your work computer).
I've never much been one for superhero movies, although between Jessica Jones on Netflix and Tim Miller's irreverent, fourth-wall breaking Deadpool in theatres, I'm realizing that there IS a place for me--someone who couldn't give a hoot about fight scenes and shit blowing up--in the vast superhero genre.
I like my heroes morally compromised. I don't want no goody two-shoes muscle man in a cape going around pulling kittens out of trees. I want my heroes to be hard-drinking, no bullshit, sarcastic, tortured, promiscuous smart asses. And Deadpool (as well as the above-mentioned Jones, which I shall review later) delivers.
Ryan Reynolds--the subject of a recent clickbait article on Jezebel where the author feels that much like Gretchen Weiner's use of the term "fetch", we should just stop trying to make Reynolds happen--plays Wade Wilson, an amoral mercenary who does things like rough up stalkers and other baddies for money and dates a beautiful, intelligent stripper (this is still a Hollywood fantasy after all). Things are going pretty well for Wade...until it is revealed that his extremely hot, jacked body is actually riddled with cancer.
Desperate to save his own life, he seeks out an experimental treatment that will supposedly not only cure his cancer, but give him incredible powers. The "treatment facility" ("torture dungeon" is really a more fitting description) is overseen by a sadistic man named Ajax whose goal is not to create superheroes, but super-slaves: people with amazing abilities who are so broken after endless rounds of torture that they become his obedient servants. Ajax promises to wipe the wiseass sense of humor out of Wade, who replies, "We'll see about that."
Ajax's methods do indeed bring out the powers in Wade--by the end of his "treatment", Wade is now indestructible. He cannot be killed. Cut off his hand and it grows back. Shoot him in the ass and the wound heals instantly. An unfortunate side effect is that Wade looks hideous--like he has third degree burns all over his body. He is convinced that his girlfriend, Vanessa, will never want to be with him again given his gruesome visage.
It's pretty cool that male body insecurities play a huge role in the plot of this film.
Now going by the name Deadpool, with a tight costume to show off his still quite amazing ass, Wade focuses his energies on finding Ajax and taking revenge. And unlike other superheroes who are morally averse to killing, Deadpool has no such code of honor, leaving a bloody trail behind him on his quest to find his tormentor.
Although some may find it tiring, the best thing about this film is its irreverent (I love that word) sense of humor. With apologies (or not) to the Jezebel article above, Reynolds is actually the perfect actor for this role. He is hilarious and sexy in a glib, wink-wink kind of way. Also, although the movie only hints at it, Deadpool is actually pansexual, which means he's into women, men, and all manner of people in between and outside of the gender spectrum. Reynolds portrays him as a flirt who cracks jokes about how his off switch is near his prostate--"Or is that the on switch?". But it's pretty cool to see such a fluidly sexual, over-the-top character, especially in a genre that is closely tied to traditional depictions of masculinity.
Deadpool was extremely entertaining and fun. Paired with last summer's Mad Max: Fury Road, it's yet another example of a genre film breaking the mold and achieving a level of innovation that's frankly fucking refreshing after a thousand dumb Marvel movies.
Grade: A-
And his costume makes him look like he's wearing nothing at all...nothing at all...nothing at all...
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