Rank: 4.5/5
“Deadpool,” not your run-of-the-mill superhero movie, takes aim at the stereotypical comic ideals present in “The Avengers” and “Batman” with its gruesome, racy, crude and fourth-wall breaking qualities.
The Marvel film was released in America on Feb. 12 and grossed $147.6 million worldwide on its opening weekend. Predicting its success, 20th Century Fox already has a sequel in the works.
Wade Wilson, a former mercenary played by Ryan Reynolds, learns that he has late-stage terminal cancer of the brain, lungs, liver and prostate. The film not only stays true to its origin story but also lives up to the excellent marketing by Fox.
He agrees to partake in a secret program that would give him superhuman abilities in exchange for a cancer-free diagnosis. The experiments entail Wilson enduring tremendous torture from a villain, Ajax, played by Ed Skrein.
He experiences a side effect of the treatment which leaves his skin horrendously disfigured, but he successfully mutates and becomes cancer free. His cells continuously regenerate as they’re attacked by the cancer, which gives him a healing factor. This regeneration gives him the ability to cut off his own hand and see it grow back.
He escapes from the nefarious lab after trying to kill Ajax. Wilson spares his life only because Ajax ensured him he could remedy his appearance. Ajax, unaware of Wilson’s immortality, leaves him for dead in the burning down lab.
Wilson transforms himself into the Deadpool persona, donning a red suit to hide his hideous appearance and showing no mercy. He spends the duration of the film hunting down Ajax and killing everyone standing in his way.
Prior to his cancer diagnosis, Wilson began a relationship with Vanessa, an escort, played by Morena Baccarin. He is unable to come to terms with his complexion and keeps himself away from her. Meanwhile, she assumes he has succumbed to his illness.
Throughout the film, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warheadurge Deadpool to join the X-Men team, but he refuses. Eventually, he realizes that he can’t defeat Ajax alone and elicits their help to save Vanessa, who was kidnapped by Ajax.
While action-filled and highly-anticipated, “Deadpool” seemed a little too caught up in its comedic aspects. The punchlines and fourth-wall breaks lost the impact they could have had if they weren’t so numerous.
Even so, Ryan Reynolds perfectly captured the self-deprecating anti-hero, and “Deadpool” was exactly the movie Marvel fans have been hoping for. Part superhero, part romance, part Tarantino, “Deadpool” is all good.