A comedically refreshing spin-off from the myriad Marvel superhero movies produced every few months, Deadpool brings a fan favorite into the spotlight. Deadpool is a movie with a great emphasis on humor through satire and charming pop culture references but with weaknesses in a bland plot and a lack of other Marvel characters whom would make Deadpool’s offbeat humor shine.
Comedy was definitely the centerpiece of Deadpool, and lead actor Ryan Reynolds perfected his role as a vulgar antihero. While the movie definitely deserved the MPAA R rating for its extensive usage of profanities, the comic relief was not diminished in the slightest. Deadpool’s most humorous moments were allusions made to Reynolds’ past career with DC Comics. In the past, Reynolds failed to impress in any role as a superhero, but in Deadpool, Reynolds used cleverly placed witty references and sardonic humor to gain the audience’s trust as the right person to play Deadpool.
Deadpool succeeded in making captivating and visually stimulating scenes of battle and action. The introductory sequence, which was a slow pan of a fight between Deadpool and some goons in an SUV, poked fun at the opening credits and made for a surreal view of the events at hand. Recent Marvel films like The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man pushed the limits of special effects to great success, but regardless of how fancy scenes may look, the most important aspect of adapting comic books to the silver screen is pertinence to the protagonist’s history.
However, as unique as Deadpool’s character may be, the plot for Deadpool was still archetypal for Marvel movies; after undergoing a personal existential struggle, Deadpool was faced with a damsel-in-distress situation with his girlfriend, all the while pursuing his evil nemesis to right past wrongs. Marvel was loyal to its fans when it kept with Deadpool’s Weapon X history, but his story could have been expanded to depict more of his time as a mercenary, not just his beginnings as an experiment. If Marvel was going to rename Deadpool, the movie should be rebranded, Origins: Deadpool.
Just as Deadpool’s story was limited, its inclusion of other Marvel superheroes or villains was also restricted. Even though the movie is intended to focus solely on Deadpool’s story, having other Marvel characters is necessary to follow the storyline of the comics and seeing another superhero’s face on the screen is always a happy moment for the loyal viewer. The movie did feature a few X-Men and Wolverine was referenced by Deadpool on various occasions, but it would have completed the movie to see at least a glimpse of the clawed, Adamantium-reinforced killing machine.
However, the end of the movie hinted at a possibility of a sequel with Cable, another Marvel superhero and the child of two other well recognized superheroes, Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor. His mention not only excites the audience but also promises continuity with the comic-book storyline, meaning Marvel is willing to see Deadpool’s story thought out in full.
All in all, “Deadpool” is a versatile movie; while scenes of gore and violence may discourage the weak of heart, Deadpool himself says that this movie is technically a love story. A first date for two Marvel savvy nerds seeking the action of a Marvel movie and the romance of Reynolds’ performance in a nice ninety-minute package would go splendidly with this movie. Or one can enjoy Deadpool alone and still experience the same satisfaction as a couple would; just like Deadpool did in the movie with his unicorn.
