Don't know how you do the voodoo that you do so well it's a spell...
Going in to see Deadpool, I had no expectations. The trailer looked great but, despite the Marvel seal of approval, I am not a Ryan Reynolds fan. He always strikes me as smarmy (even when he’s trying to be charming) and that just irks me. Also, I don’t think he’s done anything decent since 2 Guys, A Girl, And A Pizza Place…and, if I’m being honest, I only watched that show for Nathan Fillion.
I love going in to things with low expectations: it can surprise you, which is always nice; or it can completely justify all the ill-feelings you had to begin with, which is also nice.
The opening sequence is one of the best I have ever seen. In super ultra slow-mo, we find ourselves at the centre of a badass freeway fight scene with blood, bullets and coffee suspended in mid-air. As the camera winds its way through the car, credits roll with introductions like, Male Lead: God's Perfect Idiot, Female Lead: Hot Chick, Writers: The Real Heroes Here, Producers: Asshats, etc.
From there, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and takes us back in time to view the catalyst for launching this over-the-top, vicious, violent, and deadly one-man assault. That's when we meet his former self, the good-natured mercenary Wade, who meets his match in Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) when they begin an unconventional romance.
Almost a year later, Wade is diagnosed with cancer and he leaves Vanessa to seek a possible treatment (under the guise of wanting to be remembered as his former self). The 'treatment' is torture with the apparent purpose of triggering a mutation. While the program delivers, Wade is left disfigured and spends the film seeking vengeance and a cure so he can return to his lover.
I am a huge fan of all the MCU films, but they are very much 'save the world' and it was so refreshing to see someone with 'powers' just pine for something personal, something selfish, for someone.
I used to be a huge fan of the X-Men franchise (the first two films and the last two films more than anything; X3 was an embarrassing train-wreck) so I was excited when they cut to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. By the end of the film, I wished they'd never been brought into the fold. The two characters were hokey and one-dimensional and didn't contribute anything to the greater story.
Reynolds is flawless as the crass humourist, balancing his charm with the often outrageous dialogue. He had great chemistry with Baccarin, which made their biting exchanges all the more enjoyable, especially the one where she finally sees his mutated face.
I was largely impressed by the lack of drag-time. Most pacy films simply can't maintain that momentum and the point it stops can really drag until it picks up again. I felt that Deadpool was always moving and when there was a "lull", it was necessary and still contained the tension, or humour, or intrigue to keep the audience engaged. Fantastic!
I love going in to things with low expectations: it can surprise you, which is always nice; or it can completely justify all the ill-feelings you had to begin with, which is also nice.
The opening sequence is one of the best I have ever seen. In super ultra slow-mo, we find ourselves at the centre of a badass freeway fight scene with blood, bullets and coffee suspended in mid-air. As the camera winds its way through the car, credits roll with introductions like, Male Lead: God's Perfect Idiot, Female Lead: Hot Chick, Writers: The Real Heroes Here, Producers: Asshats, etc.
From there, Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and takes us back in time to view the catalyst for launching this over-the-top, vicious, violent, and deadly one-man assault. That's when we meet his former self, the good-natured mercenary Wade, who meets his match in Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) when they begin an unconventional romance.
Almost a year later, Wade is diagnosed with cancer and he leaves Vanessa to seek a possible treatment (under the guise of wanting to be remembered as his former self). The 'treatment' is torture with the apparent purpose of triggering a mutation. While the program delivers, Wade is left disfigured and spends the film seeking vengeance and a cure so he can return to his lover.
I am a huge fan of all the MCU films, but they are very much 'save the world' and it was so refreshing to see someone with 'powers' just pine for something personal, something selfish, for someone.
I used to be a huge fan of the X-Men franchise (the first two films and the last two films more than anything; X3 was an embarrassing train-wreck) so I was excited when they cut to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. By the end of the film, I wished they'd never been brought into the fold. The two characters were hokey and one-dimensional and didn't contribute anything to the greater story.
Reynolds is flawless as the crass humourist, balancing his charm with the often outrageous dialogue. He had great chemistry with Baccarin, which made their biting exchanges all the more enjoyable, especially the one where she finally sees his mutated face.
I was largely impressed by the lack of drag-time. Most pacy films simply can't maintain that momentum and the point it stops can really drag until it picks up again. I felt that Deadpool was always moving and when there was a "lull", it was necessary and still contained the tension, or humour, or intrigue to keep the audience engaged. Fantastic!
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