Movie Review: Deadpool

Ever since Deadpool was officially greenlit back in September 2014, star Ryan Reynolds promised audiences a film that was true to the comic's obscene roots. Now that the film has finally arrived in theaters, it can be officially be confirmed that Reynolds' promise wasn't merely lip service. Deadpool is every bit of the no-holds-barred, fourth-wall-breaking comic book film fans wanted and expected it to be. The film isn't as clever, unique or brutal as other recent R-rated superhero films like Kick-Ass and Super, but it was still cool to see a Marvel-backed film with action scenes and jokes that weren't watered-down for a family audience. Of course, the film's meta-humor and bloody action sequences wouldn't have been nearly as effective without Reynolds' tremendous performance as the titular character. His perfect understanding of the film's self-aware tone and lowbrow sense of humor allows him to absolutely own the character and bring the fast-talking, smartass shtick he's utilized in comedic roles throughout his career to soaring new heights. While it's a blast to Reynolds tear through faceless bad guys and deliver sarcastic one-liners at a bullet train-esque pace, Deadpool is somewhat held back by how familiar it feels. Behind the bursts of graphic violence, steady stream of f-bombs and self-deprecating tone, this is just another Marvel film with a cliched origin story-plot and a forgettable villain-played by charisma-free British newcomer Ed Skrein-with motivations that make little-to-no-sense. I didn't find Deadpool to be the game-changing masterpiece a lot of other people have proclaimed to be, but it's definitely a very entertaining and amusing superhero film that is better than a vast majority of the projects Marvel has pumped out in the past half-decade.   
4/5 Stars