Deadpool - directed by Tim Miller
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano, T.J Miller, Ed Skrein, Brianna Hildebrand, Taylor Hickson, Jed Rees, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Rachel Sheen
Screenplay: Rhett Reece & Paul Wernick
Music Score by: Junkie XL
Cinematography: Ken Seng
Edited by: Julian Clarke
Running Time: 108 minutes
Rated: R16 - Splattery violence, nudity and lots of profanity
Marvel are in an extremely enviable position.
They not only have the juggernaut Avengers 'team' movies and the host of solo outings that lead up to them (and follow them) but some tasty little off-shoots like "Ant-Man" and the truly wonderful "Guardians of the Galaxy".
Well, now they can add another red-headed stepchild to the stable because here comes "Deadpool".
This franchise (and I feel pretty safe in calling it that already) is associated with the X-Men side of things and Fox Studios but still- it is a Marvel property.
They have such a range of characters with wildly different tones, intentions and stories that the sky would appear to be the limit. They have hardly put a foot wrong so far and the box office registers have rattled their approval constantly.
We can certainly look forward to many, many more movies to come from the Marvel franchises.
And that certainly seems likely to include "Deadpool" based on this frantic, ferociously fun little flick.
There is no doubt an interesting 'making of' documentary in the story of this film.
It has taken ten years to get Deadpool to the screen.
Yes, he appeared in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" but it was the slimmest facsimile of the character and it doesn't count.... never happened!
Certainly that is the attitude that this film takes.
Well, mostly.... it does find time to take a couple of nice shots at the previous iteration.
In fact it spends a large percentage of its time taking shots at everything in sight.
There are references to other superhero franchises left right and centre and even several barbs directed at actor Ryan Reynolds delivered by the character played by him!
The fourth wall is broken so often in "Deadpool" that the man himself even makes a joke about it - to the camera of course.
The tone of the movie is such that I cannot honestly imagine anyone but Reynolds playing this role.
It is very tightly bound to his laconic, smart-ass but charismatic persona.
So we get hyper violence, very potty mouthed dialogue, profanity galore, topless strippers and some very anti-social behaviour all round.
In other words - this is a Deadpool movie.
Not for the kids - definitely a hard R rating.
And that comes at a cost - budget.
This film was budgeted at $58,000,000 which is less than a quarter of what it took to bring the last Avengers movie to the screen.
But the smaller budget in order to stay true to the character is what makes "Deadpool" work.
The special effects and action sequences are very good but what really shines here is the dialogue and the attitude.
A simple five minute conversation in a bar between Reynolds and the great T.J Miller provides somewhere in the area of ten times the laughs that "Zoolander No. 2" managed in 102 minutes.
This is a very funny movie.
Even when the jokes don't quite land (and it happens several times) it is okay because so much does work that it isn't more than a minute or two until the laughs arrive again. And again.
There is the temptation to describe "Deadpool" as a comedy then and whilst this is probably the most suitable label if one feels compelled to apply one there are elements of serious action flick, horror movie and I kid you not - romantic comedy.
There are references to Stallone and Mel Gibson, both visual and spoken nudges to Freddy Krueger and even direct quotes from "Notting Hill" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".
If this sounds mad then good - it is and in the best possible way.
I kept thinking of another movie while I watched "Deadpool".
The 2007 Clive Owen / Monica Bellucci flick "Shoot Em Up".
It didn't perform at the box office but it is one of a handful of films that I watch two or three times a year because it is a guaranteed good time, cheer me up without fail.
I fully expect to find a "Deadpool" blu-ray pushed into similar service in due course.
I have heard films like these described as 'dumb' fun - switch off the brain and enjoy stuff.
I don't care for the description because in the crossfire it robs the filmmakers of the credit they deserve.
Making films like this takes determination and talent. It's a serious business making silly fun of this calibre.
"Deadpool" may be a riot of laughs, splatter and inappropriateness but this should in no way imply that it was cobbled together.
Beginning with a super slick slow motion pull back through a cartwheeling car full of dead and soon to be dead men to the sounds of Juice Newton's 'Angel of the Morning' my love for this film was confirmed at first sight.
The opening credits contain no actor or director names opting instead to throw aliases like Moody Teen, Gratuitous Cameo and Overpaid Asshat.
Obviously Reynolds was born to play Deadpool and it was never in doubt that he would he utterly nail the role.
In an out of the red spandex and the burn face makeup Reynolds appears to be able to do this stuff in his sleep. He is perfect- of course he is.
As much as I have always loved Morena Baccarin (I'm a Firefly nut- of course I do) I was still in awe of her playing of the love interest Vanessa.
She is a dirty mouthed stripper and the ideal woman for Wade Wilson. Some of the back and forth between them is jaw-dropping- particularly the anniversary sex scenes. Not the stuff of a Julia Roberts romance film!
In fact everything about "Deadpool" could be prefixed 'anti'.
It is an anti-superhero movie.
It is an anti-studio flick- R-rated to miss the PG-13 kiddie dollars.
And it is certainly an anti-romance movie even as it is being very, very romantic in its own very twisted way.
The flirty banter between Baccarin and Reynolds is one of the many treats that "Deadpool" has in store for the audience.
Another is T.J Miller as the best friend Weasel.
Miller is the perfect foil and a more than capable match for Reynolds.
The duo bounce off each as elegantly and effectively as any pairing in any Marvel property.
That bar scene is merely one example of many.
The marketing for "Deadpool" has been so well pitched and perfectly paced that I should warn against unreasonable expectation.
Don't get me wrong - this is a good movie- a damned good movie.
But it should be put in perspective.
It isn't perfect and it does creak and groan a little.
The villains are merely fine with Gina Carano the pick of the two main ones.
Some of the X-Men stuff is weak (only some) - specially Colossus - and effectively there are just two action scenes.
The film is clever at using this to its advantage by playing back and forth with the timeline to spread one of them out but don't expect super action spectacle.
Every single cent of its budget and more is on the screen and I feel a bit mean even mentioning it but the trailer would have you believe that this is a gun crazy bullet-fest and it really isn't.
It makes up for it by slathering on the jokes and one-liners - all delivered with glee from the perfect cast.
I liked "Deadpool" a lot - as much as Ant-Man and maybe even a little more.
It is single minded in its desire to entertain and it absolutely does that.
You will want to see it more than once for sure.
RATING: 80/ 100
CONCLUSION: Easily one of the most fun flicks playing at the moment. This constant riot of hard edged violence and comedy is Reynolds crowning glory as both star and producer. Terrifically, ferociously entertaining.
Screenplay: Rhett Reece & Paul Wernick
Music Score by: Junkie XL
Cinematography: Ken Seng
Edited by: Julian Clarke
Running Time: 108 minutes
Rated: R16 - Splattery violence, nudity and lots of profanity
Marvel are in an extremely enviable position.
They not only have the juggernaut Avengers 'team' movies and the host of solo outings that lead up to them (and follow them) but some tasty little off-shoots like "Ant-Man" and the truly wonderful "Guardians of the Galaxy".
Well, now they can add another red-headed stepchild to the stable because here comes "Deadpool".
This franchise (and I feel pretty safe in calling it that already) is associated with the X-Men side of things and Fox Studios but still- it is a Marvel property.
They have such a range of characters with wildly different tones, intentions and stories that the sky would appear to be the limit. They have hardly put a foot wrong so far and the box office registers have rattled their approval constantly.
We can certainly look forward to many, many more movies to come from the Marvel franchises.
And that certainly seems likely to include "Deadpool" based on this frantic, ferociously fun little flick.
There is no doubt an interesting 'making of' documentary in the story of this film.
It has taken ten years to get Deadpool to the screen.
Yes, he appeared in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" but it was the slimmest facsimile of the character and it doesn't count.... never happened!
Certainly that is the attitude that this film takes.
Well, mostly.... it does find time to take a couple of nice shots at the previous iteration.
In fact it spends a large percentage of its time taking shots at everything in sight.
There are references to other superhero franchises left right and centre and even several barbs directed at actor Ryan Reynolds delivered by the character played by him!
The fourth wall is broken so often in "Deadpool" that the man himself even makes a joke about it - to the camera of course.
The tone of the movie is such that I cannot honestly imagine anyone but Reynolds playing this role.
It is very tightly bound to his laconic, smart-ass but charismatic persona.
So we get hyper violence, very potty mouthed dialogue, profanity galore, topless strippers and some very anti-social behaviour all round.
In other words - this is a Deadpool movie.
Not for the kids - definitely a hard R rating.
And that comes at a cost - budget.
This film was budgeted at $58,000,000 which is less than a quarter of what it took to bring the last Avengers movie to the screen.
 |
| Deadpool - Ryan Reynolds crowning achievement.... until the sequel. |
The special effects and action sequences are very good but what really shines here is the dialogue and the attitude.
A simple five minute conversation in a bar between Reynolds and the great T.J Miller provides somewhere in the area of ten times the laughs that "Zoolander No. 2" managed in 102 minutes.
This is a very funny movie.
Even when the jokes don't quite land (and it happens several times) it is okay because so much does work that it isn't more than a minute or two until the laughs arrive again. And again.
There is the temptation to describe "Deadpool" as a comedy then and whilst this is probably the most suitable label if one feels compelled to apply one there are elements of serious action flick, horror movie and I kid you not - romantic comedy.
There are references to Stallone and Mel Gibson, both visual and spoken nudges to Freddy Krueger and even direct quotes from "Notting Hill" and "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".
If this sounds mad then good - it is and in the best possible way.
I kept thinking of another movie while I watched "Deadpool".
The 2007 Clive Owen / Monica Bellucci flick "Shoot Em Up".
It didn't perform at the box office but it is one of a handful of films that I watch two or three times a year because it is a guaranteed good time, cheer me up without fail.
 |
| T.J Miller - brilliant as always |
I have heard films like these described as 'dumb' fun - switch off the brain and enjoy stuff.
I don't care for the description because in the crossfire it robs the filmmakers of the credit they deserve.
Making films like this takes determination and talent. It's a serious business making silly fun of this calibre.
"Deadpool" may be a riot of laughs, splatter and inappropriateness but this should in no way imply that it was cobbled together.
Beginning with a super slick slow motion pull back through a cartwheeling car full of dead and soon to be dead men to the sounds of Juice Newton's 'Angel of the Morning' my love for this film was confirmed at first sight.
The opening credits contain no actor or director names opting instead to throw aliases like Moody Teen, Gratuitous Cameo and Overpaid Asshat.
Obviously Reynolds was born to play Deadpool and it was never in doubt that he would he utterly nail the role.
In an out of the red spandex and the burn face makeup Reynolds appears to be able to do this stuff in his sleep. He is perfect- of course he is.
As much as I have always loved Morena Baccarin (I'm a Firefly nut- of course I do) I was still in awe of her playing of the love interest Vanessa.
She is a dirty mouthed stripper and the ideal woman for Wade Wilson. Some of the back and forth between them is jaw-dropping- particularly the anniversary sex scenes. Not the stuff of a Julia Roberts romance film!
In fact everything about "Deadpool" could be prefixed 'anti'.
It is an anti-superhero movie.
It is an anti-studio flick- R-rated to miss the PG-13 kiddie dollars.
And it is certainly an anti-romance movie even as it is being very, very romantic in its own very twisted way.
The flirty banter between Baccarin and Reynolds is one of the many treats that "Deadpool" has in store for the audience.
Another is T.J Miller as the best friend Weasel.
Miller is the perfect foil and a more than capable match for Reynolds.
The duo bounce off each as elegantly and effectively as any pairing in any Marvel property.
That bar scene is merely one example of many.
 |
| Reynolds with the breathtaking Morena Baccarin as Vanessa |
Don't get me wrong - this is a good movie- a damned good movie.
But it should be put in perspective.
It isn't perfect and it does creak and groan a little.
The villains are merely fine with Gina Carano the pick of the two main ones.
Some of the X-Men stuff is weak (only some) - specially Colossus - and effectively there are just two action scenes.
The film is clever at using this to its advantage by playing back and forth with the timeline to spread one of them out but don't expect super action spectacle.
Every single cent of its budget and more is on the screen and I feel a bit mean even mentioning it but the trailer would have you believe that this is a gun crazy bullet-fest and it really isn't.
It makes up for it by slathering on the jokes and one-liners - all delivered with glee from the perfect cast.
I liked "Deadpool" a lot - as much as Ant-Man and maybe even a little more.
It is single minded in its desire to entertain and it absolutely does that.
You will want to see it more than once for sure.
I agree with you this is a franchise in the making. The only thing that could stop it is Ryan Reynolds getting badly injured. Much like RDJ and Iron Man, Ryan Reynolds IS Wade Wilson.
ReplyDeleteYeah- it is hard to think other characters so firmly tied to the actors..... maybe Indiana Jones and of course we are about to get a fifth one of those.....
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