I know buying a ticket to a FOX MARVEL film feels counter-intuitive, but FOX MARVEL just did something that I just can’t imagine DISNEY MARVEL doing. They just went HARD R on a character that absolutely calls for it. DEADPOOL is the Merc with the Mouth – and Mercs, by their nature…. Kill, Cuss & Fornicate – and DEADPOOL is no different.
Now I know, you might only be exposed to a kiddie version of DEADPOOL from an animated series, but you’re missing out on the gold of the character. When Rob Liefeld & Fabian Nicieza hatched this character, it was to be the ultimate teenage fantasy character. That has been realized on film.
Now – your kids are huge DEADPOOL fans – just know – going into this… In addition to limbs and heads being cut off, blown off and well, it’s all up for grabs – just know that at some point in the film, you’ll see Morena Baccarin’s VANESSA (Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson’s girl friend) fucking a vulnerable Wade up the keister. This is a part of a large fuck-a-thon that occurs in the film, wonderfully showing their passionate relationship before – well the plot twist that changes both of their lives forever occurs. But just know – if you’re not prepared to teach your child about adult sex games – well, you might want them to grow up a bit.
Harder than the imagery is the graphic nature of the humor that comes out of the characters’ mouths. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fucking foray in juvenile wallowing the likes of which things like KICK-ASS!
Now, before going to see the film, ol Father Geek had something he wanted me to clarify for him. He’d seen the trailers and ads and posters – and he asked, “Is it supposed to be funny?”
DEADPOOL – as shown in this film is irresistibly funny. In fact, if you’re not crying laughing before you even get through the opening credits – you could be an asshole. The audience I saw this with was in constant laughs… The credits are taking us on an absurdist carnage that Deadpool is unleashing upon that highway. It’s also FILLED with easter eggs in every single shot that makes you wonder how there could be a film that could follow this audacious satiric credits – which doesn’t actually give us the credits. Giggle.
Another thing you need to know going in… is… This is a NON-LINEAR STORY – which means the story is told out of sequence. The middle is where we come in, but since DEADPOOL is telling us this story directly… yes, breaking the 4th Wall like Bugs Bunny or Daffy Duck! You’ll come back to this middle sequence a few times – and it’s fantastic! If you think you’ve seen this sequence due to the million spots for the film, you’ve seen nothing. Trust me. There’s a fight between Deadpool and Colossus – that will make you forget about Leonardo’s getting in his car in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET – the physical humor is HILARIOUS!
And actually – the film is constantly fucking hilarious. So funny, that your own laughing will cause you to miss follow up gags that will get even larger laughs. It’s that densely packed with things to go crazy over.
It also has heart, which is crazy. Just crazy that they snuck the right amount of heart to make it all awesome. But without it, we’d never care. Wade and Vanessa magically find one another in this cineverse – where a Merc that kills and a Woman working in a strip club could find each other and build a relationship founded about who is more damaged and fucked up. It’s a beautiful relationship and the cause of its ending is something you’d never want to personally face, but it leads Wade into his transformation into DEADPOOL.
Essentially, when the evil scientists get their claws on Wade, it’s a mutant version of the Super Serum – only, to make it work, the person injected must be severely fucked with to cause the effects to cease being dormant. And yeah, it fucks Wade’s good looks up – and while there’s a good deal of humor about it – to me, it’s more like Ryan Reynolds caught Jack Palance’s Old Age.
As you watch this movie, you can probably imagine even larger action sequences, but that would be like watching BEVERLY HILLS COP and wishing for a bigger action sequence. What is here, kicks tons of ass. But there’s an unrestrained energy let loose upon the screen that you haven’t seen in any superhero film thus far. And I get it, you may take your comics seriously – and as an artform – I take my comics pretty seriously, unless you’re not meant to.
DEADPOOL has harder sexual humor than TRAIN WRECK gave us (and I loved that film), violence humor funnier than anything since those great days of Stephen Chow’s work, it shows true body horror work, it is sillier that you’re expecting, but in a surprisingly great manner. You’ll also have the best version of COLOSSUS on film, he’s absolutely terrific and is always CG – and works so damn well. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is a character you’re going to fall madly in love with as DEADPOOL attempts to kick Colossus’s ass!
Hell, the Cab humor is better in this than all those TAXI movies. Karan Soni is hilarious in simply playing the straight man opposite Ryan Reynolds’ DP. The Loud/Whisper work between DEADPOOL and him is very funny stuff.
You will go to a strip club that has actual naked ladies at it, but while we don’t see Ryan’s sausage, his chiseled ass is given quite a bit of time to marvel at. In fact – this is consistently R in a fashion I haven’t seen in a very long time. It just isn’t quite sleazy enough to compete with the heyday of Cannon Films – but I will tell you, I came home from this movie and put on YAKUZA APOCALYPSE as a chaser – and I still love DEADPOOL – and that’s saying something, cuz Miike’s YAKUZA APOCALYPSE is similar in silly, horror and action! DEADPOOL swings with more emotion & heart than that film though.
You’re going to end up watching the hell out of this movie. Throughout the film there’s hilarity in the production design, the casting, the soundtrack… seriously, they didn’t pull their punches – and if this movie can somehow make serious money – this could change everything for the properties over at Fox. And possibly even at Marvel. Not that they’re hurting over there. But to be honest, it’s like we finally got a Marvel movie without the Comic Code Authority censoring things.
The film plays like it’s a party unto itself that we’re invited to stand in the corner and laugh our asses off to! Suddenly, like when Chris Evans got to be a perfect CAPTAIN AMERICA, all ill feelings towards Ryan Reynolds evaporates. We need 10 DEADPOOL movies! We really do.
Also Leslie Uggams’ turn as Blind Al is to be cherished! She plays Wade’s roommate for a bit in this film – and their chemistry must be witnessed!
Oh – did I mention the film is a revenge film too… and a rescue film…. And after all the credits there’s a scene too. I’ve stayed away from spoilers here because you really do need to discover this film for yourself. Oh – and to High School Age teenagers – this could be the best film they’ve ever seen. I anticipate this movie racking up fans from teenagers to all of you that’s maturity peaked with your teenage years.
Now – support this hilariously awesome DEADPOOL movie!
Keep it cool,
Harry
