The latest film adaptation of a Marvel comic from 20th Century Fox, NOT Marvel Studios, is a little… different to the usual fare like Iron Man or Captain America. It’s littered with “salty” language that would make Captain American blush and while Tony Stark may kill a few terrorists here and there he doesn’t quite take as much glee in turning bad guys into shish kebobs as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool does.
Deadpool is also rated over 18’s, so this is one comic book movie that is definitely NOT for kids (although they will inevitably LOVE it when they inevitably sneak a peek)
Deadpool who?
If you’ve no idea who or what a “Deadpool” is, you can catch up using our handy Deadpool 101 guide here, but if that’s too long for you here’s the short version: Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a mercenary in a red suit who can recover from almost any injury thanks to a healing factor, just like Wolverine from the X-Men (although it is weird how the movies never mention that it was the Canadian weapons program that birthed these mutants.)
The process that gave Deadpool his healing factor also disfigured him, scarring him from head to toe. Our story begins with Wade on the trail of Ajax, the man who gave him his healing factor, torturing and scarring him in the process. (with the rest of his back story revealed in flashback).
The difference between this and any other dark, gritty, superhero revenge flick being that Wade never shuts up, even while he’s carving his way through henchmen or hacking off his own arm. Deadpool spouts hilarious one-liners, makes lewd comments, tals to the audience and references the other X-men movies (not the characters, the movies and the actors in them), annoying the hell out of pretty much everyone he comes into contact with.
Funny or Die?
This could get annoying very fast if the jokes weren’t funny but thanks to a witty script and Ryan Reynolds’ spot on performance as Deadpool, the film remains hilarious throughout.
Reynolds has wanted to bring Deadpool to the screen ever since he played an awful iteration of the character in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, even signing up as producer on this version and to give an idea how game Reynolds is, the film is littered with in-jokes and references to both his previous much hated Deadpool appearance and his part in the less than stellar DC comics adaptation Green Lantern.
While managing to retain the humour and zaniness of the character from the comic the film is no slough when it comes to action, particularly in a sequence where Wade has to take down a horde of heavily armed enemies with only 12 bullets (he keeps forgetting his ammo bag) along with numerous other sequences that are far too good to spoil in a review. The humour doesn’t let up in these sequences either, which can often be a problem with action comedies as they reach their climax.
Negasonic who?
While Reynolds carries the bulk of the movie, he’s ably assisted by a sultry Morena Baccarin as Wade’s old love interest Vanessa, T.J. miller as his friend Weasel, a fully CGI Colossus and a sulky Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand), his interactions with all of them providing numerous laugh out loud moments.
Ed Skrein and Gina Carano provide passable villains but this was always going to be Reynolds show, so they don’t need to much else except provide foils for Reynolds wit.
While multiple flashbacks fill out Wade’s past, the plot is laser focused on Wade’s quest for revenge and with it’s relatively small cast and focus, this can make the story feel a little light, however that’s no big deal when it’s being so funny. Not every Marvel related movie has to involve saving the world.
Hit or miss?
Deadpool is a hugely entertaining, adult (but in no way mature), super powered, NOT super heroic, action comedy that delivers on the promise of it’s excellent advertising campaign.
It’s hard to imagine a better adaptation than this.
Believe the hype.
Deadpool is released in Malaysian cinemas on 11th February 2016 with special sneak previews 9th & 10th February
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Ed Skrein, Morena Baccarin, Brianna Hildebrand, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano, Leslie Uggams
Directed by: Tim Miller
