With the deaths of several beloved celebrities, the Zika virus on the rise and the genuine possibility of a Trump presidency, 2016 has delivered on the promise of being genuinely insane even when we're only two months in. Luckily, Marvel has come to comfort us with someone who is just as insane as 2016 feels.
"Deadpool" is by no means the first R-rated superhero film, but it is the first solo film for it's protagonist Wade Wilson, and the effective apology by Fox for the travesty that was 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." Even though it's not a Marvel film proper (by the actual Marvel Studios), "Deadpool" gives me hope for the future of the comic book films.
P.S. It makes me really happy it was hard to find gifs that were sufficiently profanity-and-violence-less for my audience. This is a family platform, after all.
1. The Face Makes the Mask
I'm not just talking about Ryan Reynold's handsome mug. True, it seems universally acknowledged that he was genetically bred to play in "Deadpool," but it's more than that. Comic-book movies are easy money nowadays because the folks at Marvel and DC know they have childhood dreams of millions of children and adults in their hands. Everyone's clamoring to strap into the spandex, but not everyone can do it.
That's what makes this casting so great. One of the reasons it didn't happen sooner was because the studio was concerned that having Reynold's hide behind a mask for the majority of a film would kill their profit margin. "Deadpool" will show studios that what they need to do is invest in the right person for the right character, and the checks will fill themselves out.
2. They Know Their Audience
One of the contributors for "Deadpool"'s success is because it taps into a lot of the anti-establishment sentiments in the population. It's not just with the election. Comic-book movies, even the industry as a whole, has shown an attitude that shows they aren't looking for originality so much as franchise potential. It's like going to an experimental restaurant to find out they only serve McDonalds.
"Deadpool" gives the audience an outlet for those feelings to be addressed and assuaged. Isn't it funny that all the villains seem to be generic British guys? We know you know, and we can laugh about it together. It makes the audience feel smart and informed, even if deep down they know that Fox is taking advantage of that feeling.
It's the trade-off the audience makes in the movie theater.
3. What Fourth Wall?
Nothing's more fun than breaking a cardinal rule and having that be the joke. It's Deadpool's main attraction as a character, and the film uses it at every opportunity.
Also, it didn't hurt that the film's marketing was absolutely genius.
4. Interesting Female Characters...Finally
Not that there are a lot of problem's with Marvel ladies, but ... the four featured in "Deadpool" are very enjoyable without being completely one-note. In total, they are the love interest, the main henchwoman, a mentor-type and the sidekick. At the end of the day, they are all supporting characters, and the film doesn't have any interest or time to develop them further.
But that's not a bad thing. Even when the core of the character is cliche, it seems that the film takes an opportunity to make a joke for the audience in order to acknowledge their part of the problem.
Just because they're female doesn't mean they need a complex background. They're too busy getting things done.
5. You Shall Believe in Death Again!
One of my biggest gripes with comic-book movies is that the death of a character is either rendered meaningless by resurrections or is done to the wrong character at the wrong time. If there's no sense of danger, why should I bother getting invested?
Who knew it would take a guy in spandex committing legitimate homicide for that feeling to go away?
Part of that is due to Reynold's performance. Deadpool's facade of confidence is what makes him great, but it slips enough to make the audience care when he's hurt or in constant pain. There's a point when he breaks, and the crowd will break with him.
That's what we need in a genre where anything and everything is possible. It grounds us in a brave new world.
