Deadpool arrives on the big screen! Again...

Rating: 9/10 (21 February 2016)

Most fans would rather forget the character's first film appearance, but it was that appearance that did lead to this film. So while the character did not really get fleshed out all that much at the beginning of X-men Origins: Wolverine nor was he portrayed correctly at the end, the end result is one of the funniest movies I have seen at the theaters in many years. Truth be told though, I am not really big on comedies for the most part. Still, this film was a great spectacle to behold and it is nice seeing Ryan Reynold's film really take off. Not only because I always enjoy seeing him in films, but also because he made a comic book movie the right way, something Hollywood seems to scared to do. He made a comic book film where the character acts like he does in the comic, looks like he does in the comic and it has not been made for the general audience. No, we get Deadpool in all his crazed glory, doing what he does best...killing! When he is not killing, he is constantly breaking the fourth wall as Deadpool knows he is a comic book character and Reynold's portrays the crazed 'hero' with magnificent glee!
The story, well that is simple. Deadpool wants to kill someone! Why? Well, through a series of flashbacks we learn of the way the merc with a mouth has become the way he is and a love that is lost to him. To not only fix his deformed face, but to also get revenge he must find a guy named Ajax, who is actually named Francis. Deadpool will get help in the form of the mighty Colossus and his teenage protégé. He also has allies in a man who runs a bar that deals with problems, a cab driver who does not seem to mind getting paid in high fives and a blind roommate who enjoys cocaine. Yes, all the typical things one tends to find in comic book movies...not! Did I mention boobs? Yep, they're in there too! So Deadpool must go find the ones who wronged him and do some slicing and dicing too!
I am very happy with the film's success; unfortunately, I do believe that Hollywood will get the wrong idea by the results. They are going to just assume that making every comic book film with a slightly edgy character should contain gratuitous violence and nudity and all that when the real reason the film is doing well is the fact it was made for those of us who enjoy reading comics. Too often they soften up a character and completely change things to suit a wider audience, but this film proves that is not necessary. The characters have been portrayed a certain way and I find it insulting when those of us who read comics get dismissed and things added to other comic book films to attract say more female viewers. Seriously, did having Bruce Banner and the Black Widow have a thing really work? Never happened in the comics and this is just one example in one of the more recent comic book movies. Just look at Colossus in this movie. He finally has a Russian accent and he has a better fight scene here than he did in any of the X-men movies. This movie proves you can do things by the book and the film will do good, but the lesson they will learn is just to make everything R.
So, I enjoyed this film immensely. Had it opened last year it would have trailed only Mad Max: Fury Road as my favorite film of 2015. My only problems with the film are the fact I thought they showed a bit too much back story in how he became who he was as the film did have a bit of a romantic subplot going itself. Still, in the end it was about shooting and killing and learning that if you are going to be killing and bleeding a lot to make your costume red. This film took awhile to finally get off the ground and I am glad Ryan Reynolds did not give up as he made a very funny comic book film on a rather small budget by today's standards.