The real heroes here

Rating: 7/10 (12 February 2016)

Greetings again from the darkness. Superhero movies have been dominating the box office for the better part of two decades, and most tend to lean towards moody and intense  though Iron-Man and The Avengers have certainly enjoyed adding searing one-liners to the mix. As for ratings, superheroes have steadfastly claimed PG-13 as the perfect blend of massive action, massive muscles and massive audiences. So it's a little surprising to find a movie about a relatively unknown superhero, that's the first feature from director Tim Miller (previously a visual effects guru), crashing through the R-rated barrier in no-holds-barred fashion. It's startling and refreshing to see a new take on what had become just a bit too familiar.
This is a movie for which you will want to actually read the opening credits and stay for the post credit scene (a 2-parter). Additionally, you will want to make sure you keep not only little kids away (remember the hard R-rating), but also any grown-ups who are offended by harsh language (on the Tarantino scale), ultra-violence (on the Kill Bill scale) or any combination of sex, sex talk or sex jokes (all at an entirely new level). To label this movie as crass or profane is like calling Chewbacca somewhat fuzzy. And while it pushes the raunch-o-meter, it's also blazingly funny at times (especially for a cancer movie).
The previously mentioned opening credits refer to the writers as "the real heroes here", and while the plot is pretty textbook superhero stuff, it's the barrage of one-liners and sight gags at which those writers so excel. They even make sure those unfamiliar with the Wade Wilson backstory understand that he is a former special forces operative turned mercenary for the average Joe's and Jane's. In no time, it's drilled into our heads that he is also a wiseacre, wisenheimer, wise-ass, wisecracker and any other adjective that means funny but not wise.
Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson/Deadpool and leaves no doubt that he has finally found the role that fits him as well as his red suit. If you are convulsing as you flashback to Mr. Reynolds as Green Lantern (2011), take solace in the fact that this movie fires a couple of deadly shots at that oh-so-disappointing effort. His girlfriend Vanessa is played by Morena Baccarin ("Homeland"), and his best buddy/bartender is played by TJ Miller ("Silicon Valley"). Since Reynolds had a brief appearance as Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), there are numerous nods to that franchise, including two key roles here for Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). The target of Deadpool's revenge comes in the form of Ed Skrein (The Transporter Refueled) as Ajax and Gina Carano as Angel Dust  accompanied by her theme song "Angel of the Morning" (unfortunately it's the Juice Newton version, and not the more powerful Merrillee Rush and the Turnabouts version). Lastly, it's pure joy to see Leslie Uggams cast in a spunky supporting role.
Your kid may have a Captain America figurine on their bookshelf, but the R-rating is solidified in the first 10 minutes, and is relentlessly reinforced until the movie ends. We can only imagine how much fun those old enough to watch are going to have, and brace yourself for an onslaught of Deadpool comebacks over the next few weeks  only hopefully not in church, at the office, in front of grandma, etc