Deadpool

After recently viewing the Marvel film Deadpool, I noticed that the actor portraying the titular Deadpool was Ryan Reynolds, who also played him in another Marvel film, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Even during his first pass as the mercenary it can be seen that Reynolds, despite the incredibly little screen time afforded to him  within that particular film, is well suited for the role. This has been one of the factors that has made Deadpool such an eagerly awaited arrival.

The film itself was released in early February and, as a Marvel fan from birth, I was not disappointed. The film was hilarious from start to finish, with every element retaining the unique brand of insanity that Marvel fans of all generations have come to recognise as the calling card of the “Merc with a Mouth”. The humour, though crude at every turn, making it quite different to the film’s predecessors, was in tune with the soul of Deadpool and made the movie an amazing experience. Reynolds was the perfect choice to portray Mr Wade Wilson, which he did with such precision and grace as if he truly was our favourite mercenary, a performance uncannily matched by the gentlemanly portrayal of everyone’s favourite metal giant Colossus (voiced by Stefan Kapicic). The X-Man was created using brilliant CG effects, and, even if we can still see that it is not an actual person on screen, he was a great addition to the film.  The actor Ed Skrein was another excellent addition to the cast of the film, playing the villain responsible for much of Deadpool’s suffering with believable apathy and finesse.

The many meta-humour jokes or fourth wall breaks, though expected, were still a great addition to the movie, as well as being a major tool in furthering the plot that many would criticise as lazy directing but without which a Deadpool film would not be true to itself. The film was an experience I would gladly revisit again and again, not only for the hilarity and sheer insanity of it, but also for all for the small inside jokes that seasoned Marvel fans will appreciate for years to come.

The film was traditionally like the Deadpool comics in the sense that it jumped straight into the action, leaving the explanation for the violence, which we know is inevitable once we see the familiar red and black suit, to later. The reason for this violence seems to humanise the exceedingly eccentric character, which I was not actually prepared for when I initially watched the film. Although he is still the insane mercenary we all love, it was strange to see him truly open up to anyone as he does within the film. However, the acting more than makes up for the whole experience of the movie, as can we empathise with the characters on a level that allows us as viewers to understand some of the inner-workings of Wade’s mind. The main plot was a simple one, which was to be expected of Deadpool. However, his complex origin sub-plot takes up much of the film’s screen time. This is understandable though as it is the only movie so far to explore Deadpool in any real depth within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I do hope, however, to see more of the unique brand of insanity that is Deadpool in the sequel we will hopefully receive. The film itself is a brilliant addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and it will be interesting to see where it is taken within the universe given how different Deadpool is from the average Marvel character.

Beth Collins