By Joshua Geblein
Deadpool is the crude/bloody/violent/revengeful love story of Wade Wilson (aka Deadpool). This latest Marvel Franchise stars Ryan Reynolds as the “Merc with a mouth.” He is very crude, and very “hot.” Wade is diagnosed with cancer, and as a way to stay alive for the girl he loves, Vanessa, he lets scientists turn him into a superhero. However, after things go south, Wade is out for revenge as Deadpool, and won’t stop until he is returned to his original state.
If you are like me, you don’t really read Marvel’s comics, you just sit through their typical two-and-a-half hour action flick, with some really cool action figures, a pretty unbelievable plot that always ends the same way, and a villain that is almost indestructible until the last five minutes because, heck, it’s Marvel and they can do stuff like that. However, this is the Marvel movie that disrupted the formula.
Deadpool is violent. No more Pg-13 crap. No more only the hero can seriously injure his enemy. Deadpool is R-rated (don’t even try to sneak in without an adult, kids), immediately setting it apart; even the opening credits are hilarious and bloody, which real action fans will love.
Deadpool is uproarious. The comedy in this movie is perfect. It makes fun of other movies, it makes fun of real people, it makes fun of actors, and the best part is it makes fun of itself and Ryan Reynolds. It is filled with crude, self-deprecating, offensive, and genuinely funny comedy.
Behind all the bullet holes, severed limbs, foul language, and raucous humor, Deadpool is actually a really interesting love story. Wade Wilson is in love with Vanessa, a former exotic dancer, and when the people that turned Wade into the ugly, monstrous-looking Deadpool kidnap his girl, the story becomes surprisingly romantic. I was shocked at how much this movie actually emotionally hooked me in. I felt the pain Wade feels, and the anger Vanessa feels. Again, this breaks from the typical template for comic book movies which don’t engage the viewer in more than a superficially sympathetic way. We’re forced to engage with them empathetically. At one point, Deadpool is in tears, crying in secret, while his girlfriend sleeps near him.
Another unique way this movie separates itself, is through the main villain, Ajax, a mutant who, despite his super power, seems very human. This allows an audience to connect emotionally, as opposed to the robot Ultron in Avengers II: Age of Ultron. Ajax was strong as a villain not because of his power but because of his psychologically disturbing character and dialogue. He wasn’t all that powerful, but he was the perfect villain for Deadpool because the conflict wasn’t about physical clashes as much as it was about getting under each other’s skin, and pushing each other to the edge.
Deadpool truly sets itself apart. But what else would you expect from a movie about a character who breaks the fourth wall and knows just that: he is a character.
Joshua Geblein is a senior vocal student at Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. He will be attending Belmont University in Nashville to study film after he graduates.
Post Script Magazine. 