A cheeky, funny and hugely entertaining superhero parody

Rating: 8/10 (2 July 2017)

Now that it's one of the most successful R-Rated movies of all time, and has started a new wave of comic book movies targeted at the older crowd (such as "Logan"), there is little doubt that Deadpool will be a cult classic in the future. So is it as good as you've heard? In spite of a few reservations... yes, it largely is. Right off the bat, Ryan Reynolds is the key to its success. His performance is a perfect match for the character of Deadpool, and is among the best portrayals of a comic book character on screen of all time. It's easy to see why he got a Golden Globe nomination. Still, not everything works. There's a little too much time spent on the origin story, and the villains are too weak. You get the impression that they're meant to be parodies of generic movie villains, but there's nothing particularly memorable about them, save for a few good scenes. This leads to a finale that isn't quite as subversive or clever as the rest of the film. Now, back to the positives. The action is stylish, particularly in the opening scene, and the jokes are mostly hilarious. Sure, some of them are a little crude, but whether it's breaking the fourth wall or poking fun at past X-Men movies, the gags Land more often than not. Overall, in spite of some shortcomings, Deadpool is a blast for comic book fans, and Ryan Reynolds is perfect as the title character. Looking forward to Deadpool 2!