Hot Take: Even though Deadpool isn’t great (it’s entertaining and good but not great), it is the best movie of 2016 so far and best comic-based film since The Dark Knight. But then again, 2016 has started slowly and most of the comic book films are slightly overrated.
Did you enjoy the trailer for Deadpool or anything else revealed during it’s intense (and obviously highly successful) marketing blitz? If you did, it’s not misleading. You’ll get more of the same. That’s not particularly a bad thing. However, even though I was seeing Deadpool for the first time, it felt a little bit like seeing a movie for the second time.
The odd part about Deadpool is it’s sort of throwback feel. While it is vastly dissimilar to the recent wave of comic book movies (outside of Ant-Man and maybe Guardians of the Galaxy), it felt like it could have been made in the 90s (and that’s just based on some of the soundtrack choices). It spends most of the movie flipping off other comic book films in a snarky and indirect way but those familiar with the comic version should expect and applaud this approach. It’s one of the better adaptions of a comic to date.
The more I talk about Deadpool, the more I appreciate the finished product. At first watch, it felt like a funny, satisfying comic-to-cinema conversion. Taking a step back, it is more than that and definitely delivers on a few other levels. If you’re a fan of the comic version or need some comic relief before the comic cinematic universe gets super serious with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Captain America: Civil War and X-Men: Apocalypse, Deadpool is a must see. (Look, I realize I might have flip flopped a few times during this review but by the looks of things maybe 10 people are reading these reviews right now, so who’s really paying attention here?)
“Spoiler Free” Pros
- Breaking the 4th Wall
The scenes where Deadpool talks to the audience are some of the more entertaining ones. Ryan Reynolds has a very keen knack for this approach and feels born to play the part. - Sma-R-t
Deadpool is unavoidably rated “R”. The “R” rated material is not gratuitous or overused and is well placed within the action and humor. - The Satire
I doubt I’ll get around to it (mainly because of that whole 10 reader thing and how that ain’t going to pay the bills which requires me to have an actual real job) but someone will likely make a list of all of the films (not just superhero films either) that Deadpool mocks. It might need to wait until DVD though as it’s hard to get a glimpse of those on the dead pool list above the bar (I saw B. Cosby and C. Sheen). Have fun finding the Ferris Bueller joke.
“Spoiler Free” Cons
- The Marketing Blitz Spoils the Freshness
If only I could have avoided the clips and trailers and interviews and billboards done for the movies, it would have been that much more fun. The movie didn’t even bother to switch up the soundtrack from the trailer.