Deadcool!

Rating: 8/10 (22 February 2016)

Crude, crass and controversial. Hilarious, creative, fresh and violent. 'Deadpool' goes to a place where other superhero films don't dare to go and the result is a total laugh-out-loud, beat-them-up calamity that sucks the audience right in and refuses to let go. It doesn't mind in the slightest to make fun of itself, relayed brilliantly through the anti-hero star of the show, Deadpool himself. It sarcastically points the finger at the whole Marvel superhero world but never forgets that it still must deliver the riotous impact that the viewer is expecting. Like many people, I had never heard of Deadpool and was unfamiliar with his whole world. Even with a cameo in the 'Wolverine Origins' film as motor mouth Wade Wilson, this off-the-wall character never made it in my comic book collection.
'Deadpool's' debut on the silver screen coincides with first time Director, Tim Miller's virgin feature and what a way to announce your arrival. There is nothing safe about Miller's production and with an R rating, it couldn't have been anything less. 'Deadpool' simply needed to be let loose to see where this outrageous character would take the whole film and right from the very first scene the audience will know that they are in for one hell of a ride. Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and co had the very enviable task of being able to fabricate a narrative where the boundaries are not as constrained as its well known and famous rivals and the whole blasting spectacle benefits from the less conventional script.
For the first part of the film we are treated to a story that goes from the present back to the past and then returning to the explosive present until we have all caught up with the crazy, fast paced narrative (and able to suck in some much needed oxygen). Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a mercenary of sorts. He makes his living as a thug and stand-over man for those that will pay the right sum. Wade is also a smartarse, quick witted and crude but then one evening he meets his match in the form of the very beautiful Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). She has the ability to in successfully dealing with Wade's ways resulting in an adventurous and active relationship. This all turns to sewerage when Wade is diagnosed with a terminal illness that directly leads him to becoming the anti-hero, Deadpool with the help of an experimental 'cure' that transforms him into an unstoppable force. There is a side effect that quickly becomes obvious leading to carnage as Deadpool, with the help of some minor X-men, goes about amusingly righting the wrongs that were thrust upon him by Ajax (Ed Skrein) and save the woman he loves.
Ryan Reynolds is the only actor that could convincingly play this character. He has experience in the super hero genre when he jumped the fence and rode into DC world to strut around in green as the Lantern but it just didn't work out. Not to worry, he is known for his outlandish behaviour but it does seem as if 'Deadpool' was in some way auspiciously written for him. Reynolds doesn't disappoint, completely immersing himself in this performance that can only result in this very funny, action packed production. Everyone else that appears along side Ryan is there for the benefit of Deadpool's hilarious nature but by no means out of place. The characters come and go but all play their part, each providing moments of R rated controversy that will leave the audience in stitches. The narrative is simple but it drives the 'merc with a mouth' on a riotous journey to seek out his vengeance in typical Ryan Reynolds style. It is his film and he grabs it with both hands and feet. But remember.......he isn't a hero.