Deadpool Movie Review
Directed by: Tim Miller
Written by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick
Staring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, and T.J. Miller
Music by: Tom Holkenborg
Cinematography by: Ken Seng
Genre: Action, Adventure, and Comedy
Release Date: February 12th, 2016
Rating: R
Some movies are great for their stories, some are great for the comedy, and some are true to their iterations in other media. The Deadpool movie does all that and more. . .
Fair warning this movie is a hard-R for very obvious reasons, and this review will be touching on many aspects of that R rating, so read ahead with caution.
Deadpool was first introduced in February of 1991, so this movie launch also marks the 25th anniversary of the loud mouth character. Comic book variations of Deadpool all share the qualities of being self aware, meaning that he breaks the fourth wall and talks to the audience as if he were sitting next you giving a play by play of each panel in the comic book, having a healing factor, and his quick wit. If you are interested in picking up some Deadpool comics go find your local comic book store.
As far as setting the tone, when you watch the opening credits instead of the typical “Directed by Tim Miller, Staring Ryan Reynolds, and Morena Baccarin” there are instead insults and jokes about the cast and crew, so pay attention and you’ll get pains in your sides before the main story line even kicks in.
The movie has a nonlinear timeline for about the first hour, meaning that the story jumps around from present to past and back and forth. Most movies that adopt this style require a second, third or even fourth watch to actually understand (I’m looking at you Pulp Fiction), however in Deadpool’s case of fourth wall breaking narration it can be fully comprehended in one viewing. Since this is Deadpool’s origin story they do spend the flashbacks focusing on the question of ‘how did Deadpool get his powers?’
There are too many referential jokes to count, so read up on the actors and X-men lore. More specifically look into Ryan Reynolds’s role in Green Lantern (just watch the first thirty minutes and you’ll understand those references).