The perfect movie comes along only every so often. I know that this movie came out over a month ago and I'm writing about it just now, but here's the thing: people are still talking about it and it just crossed over $600 million dollars at the worldwide box office. Let that sink in: an R-RATED superhero film did this for the first time. The Merc with a Mouth finally did what we thought was impossible.
Deadpool hit theaters on February 12, and has been a cultural phenomenon ever since the first red-band trailer debuted at San Diego Comic-Con this past summer. Ever since Ryan Reynolds and his team campaigned fiercely to bring a hard, R-rated version of Deadpool to the screen (the one we all know from the comic books), fans have been standing right behind him. This is undoubtedly a film for the fans.
Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, a mercenary living in New York City. Wade soon meets the love of his life, Vanessa (played by Morena Baccarin), and they fall madly in love, a love that anyone would be envious of. But tragedy strikes as Wade is diagnosed suddenly with life-threatening, terminal cancer. While hanging out at his favorite shady bar and chatting with his best friend, Weasel (played hilariously by T.J. Miller), Wade is approached by a recruiter who makes him offer to cure his cancer. He reluctantly accepts, and soon discovers that he has fallen victim to Ajax (Ed Skrein), a villain who has been "recruiting" people to turn into superhuman slaves that will auctioned off to wealthy buyers.
Ajax leaves Wade to die, but something happens during that period of time: Wade's body develops in a way that his body is able to cure and repair itself of any medical ailment, with the side effect being that it leaves his face and body completely disfigured. Hellbent on getting revenge on Ajax and getting his girl back, Wade dons a fancy leather suit and mask, and goes by the name of Deadpool.
I said earlier that the movie is perfect, and I stand by that statement. The violence is relentless but purposed. The comedy is fantastic and placed in just the right moments. It's the movie that not only fans, but moviegoers, have deserved for many, many years. Marvel has been on an incredible role lately. We're not going to get another Marvel film in the style of Deadpool, but I'm almost confident we can get one with similar humor, compelling plot, and some kind of ass-kicking.
Oh, and we get that badass sequel. (Stay after the credits.)
Deadpool is playing in theaters everywhere. For movie info and show time information, visit www.fandango.com
This has been another Shameless Promotion.