The stars have aligned for Deadpool to finally come to fruition, but as one of Marvel’s more comic additions, can it rival Antman or Guardians of the Galaxy?…
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a small-time thug with a penchant for feel-good jobs; defender of the weak, he makes his money beating up bullies and creeps. His life takes a positive turn as he finds a companion that compliments his bittersweet outlook on life. However, a mixture of bad luck and worse decisions ruin more than just his face, creating the cynical, post-modern anti-hero loved by so many.
Falling for the role after discovering the characters description in the comic books is “Ryan Reynolds crossed with a Shar-pei”, Reynolds gives the part his whole-hearted effort and it is a delight to watch, filling the character’s boots with such comfortable ease you forget he was ever anything else. The viciously quick black humour and gratuitous violence are well tuned to the comics for those in the know, combined with a carelessly dark tone. The film plays down the violent excesses, minimising the potential for boredom that often plagues Hollywood action films. Morena Baccarin plays Wilson’s naughty-but-nice girlfriend, Vanessa. As a smart, original character she deserves equal measures of praise, making the very typical superhero plot highly enjoyable and emotionally investable.
On a much smaller budget than some of its Marvel counterparts, Deadpool never feels like corners have been cut. A large part of the film’s attraction comes from the characters themselves rather than outlandish and expensive graphics, something that no doubt factors in the movie’s high accolade and success at the box office. Cleverly cutting back to its more expensive CGI opening section, the self-aware scripting makes no excuses for clichés and economy with sets or characters, referencing at one point that it is almost like the studio couldn’t afford more than two X-Men.
The soundtrack echoes the farcical nature of Deadpool perfectly, badass tunes like DMX – ‘X Gon Give It To Ya’ juxtaposed with the likes of Wham – ‘Careless Whisper’ exudes cavalier abandon and comedy. The heavy use of 80s synthesisers gives a unique and gritty tonality to the film, separating Deadpool in music and morals from the orchestra-backed X-Men.
Unrepentant in its sense of humour and character, Deadpool carves out a place for itself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While it will not be everybody’s cup of tea, its self-enthusiasm will endear Deadpool to more than just lovers of the original comics. Joking about its production team as ‘jerks’ and the stupidity of the script, even those who can’t abide Marvel must surely crack a smile.
Author – Joe, Bath store
