It is its own thing.

Rating: 8/10 (24 March 2016)

I don't read comics. I did when I was a kid, and that was so long ago that I don't want to even think about it. But I've always watched movies, and "Deadpool" hit a certain nerve in me. In a positive way.
Comic book movies seem to be all about franchises nowadays. "Building a universe". Setting up sequels, setting up spinoffs, setting up everything - and often forgetting to be a movie on their own, like what arguably happened with "Avengers: Age of Ultron".
I'm not surprised if Deadpool is heading straight into that circus of brands and formulaic nothingness, because at this point it's clear how successful this movie was. But I can hope for something better, because this movie was actually fun to watch.
This film is almost like a parody. It is not only self-aware, but painfully aware of the whole superhero movie business too. Expect some jokes about that. In Deadpool, our main characters often say what the audience is thinking. The fourth wall gets broken, and sometimes the movie feels like it's more of a weird mind game than a movie. The humor doesn't land all of the time, and sometimes it's a bit forced, but I got over it quickly.
While "Deadpool" doesn't take many things seriously, and it sure enough is not a serious movie, it still seems to take itself seriously in what it's trying to do. And somehow it works. R-rated violence, strong language, weird sense of humor and this lack of restraint of course helps, but there is a real heart to this movie that isn't defined by any of these things. Perhaps it's the source material and the respect director Miller, writers Reese+Wernick and actor/producer Reynolds pay to it. Perhaps it's the fact they wanted to make a fun movie, not just something for brand recognition. All I can say is that in a crazy movie like this, I don't expect to see any heartfelt, naturally emotional moments. But I did. This movie has a heart somewhere in it.
Reynolds is very entertaining as the main character, and right now I can't see anyone else pulling it off. Well done. Morena Baccarin is good, and the special mention goes to Brianna Hildebrand, I had fun with her playing her role straight in a movie like this. Actors do a fine job, and even the CGI Colossus didn't bother me too much.
One hour and a half went by quickly, and I got my money's worth. A simple, tight (albeit a little shallow and stupid) story that has fun with itself and the current state of superhero movies. Not once did I feel like there was a "message" being pounded to my head, and not once did I feel like I have to suffer formulaic boredom in the name of cinematic universes.
Fun fact: No cities get demolished in this movie. I have missed this kind of simplicity, where stories don't revolve around the whole world ending. Not all comic book movies need to have the same threats, same boring and grey 200 million dollar visuals of cities crumbling, and luckily Deadpool steers clear from all that stuff. The ending felt very fitting too, and overall I had a very good time in the theater.
"Deadpool" is a weird example of how less is more, and how at the same time daring to cross formulaic boundaries can be rewarding. So I hope that they don't try to "tame" Deadpool, or try to recreate a formula out of it. Let it be what it is. I don't even know what it is, but I like it this way.