Movie Review: "Deadpool" (Tim Miller, 2016)

X-MEN GON’ GIVE IT TO YA by Mo Shaunette

Above: Ryan Reynolds stars in Mr. Miller’s film.  Photo ©20^TH Century Fox.

Unlike many of my fellow comic book nerds, I initially had reservations about the idea of a “Deadpool” movie.  Why?  Partially because the character is a piece of ‘90’s trash that became a cult favorite only when written by someone other than his creators; partially because the “X-Men” movies are an uneven bunch with a few too many misses (including the “Origins: Wolverine” movie where Deadpool made his big screen debut). 

However, the biggest thing hampering my excitement for “Deadpool” was a simple question: could a superhero movie sustain itself for 100 minutes on dick and fart jokes and pop-culture shout-outs?  And would the film’s R-rating be just an excuse to pander to older comic fans?  Could a “Deadpool” movie actually work? 

To my surprise, yes, it could.  “Deadpool” isn’t the game-changing smack down against more conventional superhero flicks that fans may have hoped for, but it’s a fun diversion and a decidedly different entry in the superhero genre. 

Ryan Reynolds stars in the film as Wade Wilson, a former Special Forces soldier turned mercenary who, after proposing to his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) is diagnosed with terminal cancer.  Desperate not to abandon his fiancée, Wade agrees to undergo an experimental treatment that will not only rid him of his cancer, but make him a superhero.

This, of course, is too good to be true, as it turns out that evil scientists Ajax (Ed Skrein) and Angel Dust (Gina Carano) are attempting to transform Wade into a mind-controlled super soldier to be sold to the highest bidder.  Their experiment grants Wade healing powers, mutilates his body, and drives him partially insane.  Yet Wade escapes to seek vengeance, donning a crimson spandex bodysuit and taking up the moniker “Deadpool.”

It’s a shame that this saga is beset with such an uneven script.  A little bit of Deadpool goes a long way, a fact that screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (“Zombieland,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation”) attempt to compensate for by giving us surprisingly little Deadpool.  After kicking off the film with an admittedly well-choreographed extended fight scene, they wallow in awkward flashbacks to Wade’s pre-Deadpool life. 

The result?  A film whose first act swallows half the movie and whose second act blows by almost imperceptibly.  This flaw could be a clever gambit; if “Deadpool” is meant to be a takedown of the juggernaut that is Marvel Studios, then it only stands to reason that the middle of the movie would be a dead zone. 

But that theory gives “Deadpool” filmmaker Tim Miller (a special effects artist making his directing debut) too much credit.  Mr. Miller doesn’t raise a middle finger to superhero movies (despite the title character literally doing just that at one point); his film is simply designed as a vehicle for entertainment and a showcase for a beloved character.  By that count at least, it mostly succeeds. 

Mr. Reynolds certainly has a ball.  He has a gift for comedy that most movies don’t tap into. Yet in “Deadpool,” he shines, infusing the jokes with genuine emotion and sadness.  He also capably shares the screen with actual X-Men Colossus (Stefan Kapičić) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand).  The three characters plays off each other well, with Colossus acting as an idealistic papa bear hoping to bring Deadpool onto the side of the angels and Negasonic—a jaded millennial—dismissing Deadpool’s antics and calling him out on his B.S.  I'd love to see more of these characters in future "X-Men" movies.

It’s worth noting that “Deadpool” is not an incisive satire, but a broad parody full of hit-or-miss jokes; the film’s quips (including an out-of-place joke about the “Taken” movies) can sometimes be pointless, and all too eager to pander with cheaply entertaining gags about Mr. Reynolds’ rocky acting career (seriously, the rest of the world is willing to forget “Green Lantern” happened; why can’t Mr. Miller?).  

That said, “Deadpool” has enough laughs, action beats, strong performances, and—shockingly—genuine heart unmarred by snark to make it worth your time.  If you’re in the market for a silly, adult-oriented alternative to another “Wolverine” or “Iron Man” feature, check it out.