imperfection is perfection
Sporadic film reviews by a wanna-be filmmaker
DEADPOOL [2016]
Directed by Tim Miller
Written by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano
Deadpool somewhat claims to be an anti-hero, a superhero movie that isn’t like all the others. Yet for all its self-awareness, self-deprecation and constant shattering of the fourth wall, what we end up with is a rather conventional superhero film, with a bit of naughtiness thrown in for kicks.
Over-long origin story? Check. Really strong superheroes throwing around other really strong superheroes? Check. Mass destruction using CGI? Check and check!
I find it kinda funny that despite its intentions, this film plays out like any other superhero movie, not that I have seen many, but the ones I have seen were all the same. I went to see this because I thought it was different. It was ‘vulgar’. I did not see these qualities at all. Hell, Trainwreck was more vulgar than this movie and that was horrible. I don’t recall laughing after the opening credits, where the the film acknowledged that the writers do most of the work. I loved that, but that was where the love stopped.
The constant disregard for the fourth wall didn’t work for me at all, and actually got extremely grating towards the end. It isn’t easy to do it right, and this movie does it right for about 30 minutes, but just doesn’t know when to stop. This problem is helped though by Ryan Reynolds, who thoroughly owns this role from the opening scene. He is by far the best thing about the movie.
As much as I enjoy films that toy with different time-lines, the way it is executed here actually ruins the action. One moment he is skewering a bad guy with his swords, the next he is home with his girlfriend, with an over-long love sequence to really slow things down. The flashback to his origins happen more than once, which of course kills any momentum built up by the action set pieces, which are actually quite good.
These origin-story flashbacks are again are incredibly typical of the Marvel films that Deadpool is supposedly poking fun at. I am obviously missing the joke.
As for the humour, I suppose it is just me but I didn’t laugh much at all. Sure, it is different from the user-friendly humour that plagues other superhero films like death-rats, but being different doesn’t make it good. Dick jokes and sex jokes aren’t vulgar to me, they just seem immature. And the humour dies down as the common, everyday superhero story begins to take over during the final half. In fact, the last act was so incredibly clichéd I almost fell asleep.
“Superhero fatigue?”
No, I have only seen four or five superhero films and I didn’t really like any of them. This film is not bucking a trend; for all its ‘attitude’, Deadpool isn’t much different from any other superhero flick I have seen. It certainly is not nearly as subversive as it likes to think it is.
36 Comments on “DEADPOOL [2016]”
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imperfection is perfection 
Well sorry you didn’t love this movie as much as everyone else did. But yes if you’re not a fan of superhero movies you may have not caught on to the jokes that were presented. This one made me laugh a lot, but comedy is a subjective thing
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I caught the jokes, and for the first 30 minutes or so it was amusing…. but after a while it seemed to me that the movie wasn’t much different from the other movies it makes fun of.
That’s just me though. I know a lotta people liked this one. I really do want to find a superhero movie I can like…. Suicide Squad looks interesting
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Nice review man. I am a big fan of T.J. Miller’s (Silicon Valley for my money is by far the funniest show on TV) but my dislike for Ryan Reynolds and superhero movies in general are keeping me away from this. The trailers failed to impress me and despite the fan reception this seems like a pass for me.
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Yeah I went along with a friend who wanted to see it…. he loved it, so it was a good experience. I just didn’t laugh a lot, and it became extremely obvious by the last act that its just a by-the-numbers superhero movie anyway. No matter how much it makes fun of the common superhero movie clichés, if those clichés dominate the movie then IMO the intent of the film hasn’t quite worked.
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Yeah Deadpool is kind of an ironic movie. It thinks its special but it’s really just a good incentive for families to leave their ADHD-addled kids at home. This thing is so stuffed to the brim with jokes, meta-awareness and all that that it does effectivey obscure the real issues the film has (i.e. unoriginality!!!) I gave it a pretty decent rating because I really dig the work of Ryan Reynolds. His sass is kick-ass. Hey that rhymes.
Btw, what happened to your rating thing at the bottom? I miss those six packs bro!
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I thought Reynolds was fantastic. After seeing the captive and the voices I am now a fan.
As for the scores, haha I dunno man, I guess I wanted to try and write differently and not critique the film as much as just writing about it. If that makes any sense at all.
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I like the way the story was told actually, but it still is a superhero origin movie. I loved Reynolds in this too, though. Possibly his best work?
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I reeeeally liked him in The Voices, but here he just OWNS this role. I mean I didn’t like it a whole lot but there is no doubt that he killed with that role. I think it is his best, for sure.
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Good review Todd! I enjoyed Deadpool myself but can totally get why it doesn’t work for others. It didn’t break superhero movie conventions like I thought it might, it did make fun of them. RR is really good in this, I haven’t seen a film of his in a long time. He’s a great fit for Deadpool.
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Good review. The nice kick in the rear-end that the superhero genre so desperately needed.
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Personally I’d have like to have seen a movie that made fun of the clichés, but then executed an original superhero story. To me this is just another like the rest unfortunately.
I reckon that would reeeeally give the genre a kick in the back-side
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Yeah, I completely get where you’re coming from here, although I was more entertained than you. Some of the jokes landed for me, but it is frustrating that when you boil it down it ends up being the same as the films it’s supposed to be taking down.
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Yeah, which is a shame as a movie that made fun of the clichés and then executed an original movie could have been quite something
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It would…I’ve all but given up hope now though.
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haha, yep, me too. I’m gonna give the whole thing one last chance with Suicide Squad. The other ones for this year look awful
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Gotta agree somewhat Jordan. I liked this more than you, but it’s certainly not ground-breaking nor hilarious. I did laugh though, and Reynolds is terrific.
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Reynolds is indeed terrific. I laughed a bit but it would have been nice to see a truly different super-hero flick. Suicide Squad will be the last chance I give the genre
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You into the Marvel stuff? Captain America etc? I think they do that pretty well.
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Nah I’ve tried to watch a few but they didn’t really interest me. Winter Soldier was okay but they aren’t movies I often go out to see
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Fair enough, variety makes cinema. 🙂
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indeed it does! 😀
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I thought Deadpool was very good, but not perfect. I think If Paul Verhoeven (Robocop and Starship Troopers) was the director, it would have been even more subversive, but compared to Guardians of the Galaxy which I did not enjoy, Deadpool is a film that I will gladly take over that 🙂 Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂 P.S. I agree though that superhero movies are starting to run on empty 🙂
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That is an interesting thought, Verhoeven directing. Hmm, that could definitely have been interesting. Compared to Guardians it certainly is good, I couldn’t stand that movie
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Well reasoned review, Jordan. I don’t agree, but I enjoyed reading this. I am another one who loves this movie. All the meta stuff works perfectly for me. In this case, I don’t think it was supposed to be different than other origin stories, but pointing out the absurdity of what is. It knows its playing by the same rules and utilizing the same tropes as others, but laughing about it just the same. I liken it to Scream in that way. Scream made fun of and pointed out all the silly things about slasher flicks, uet still did them and made them work. Deadpool accomplished this, too.
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Fair call mate. The humour didn’t work for me a whole lot, which is the main reason I didn’t enjoy it (that and it was almost like every other superhero movie). It is interesting that you compare it to Scream, good comparison… I didn’t like that one either 😛
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I definitely didn’t dislike this as much as you did but I thought it was totally overhyped.
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It is a bit… I’m guessing I’ll never like a superhero movie! I’m giving the genre one last chance with Suicide Squad this year…
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There aren’t many critics that saw through the film’s R-rated gimmick to see how it wasn’t any different than other comic book movies. But you nailed my exact thoughts.
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I’m surprised that critics didn’t see it because to my eyes it was blindingly obvious. All the meta/fourth wall/self awareness distracts from the fact that its just another Marvel film and not much more. I did laugh a few times but I don’t find sex jokes funny. They amount to toilet humour to me. I much prefer dark/black comedy… make a superhero movie with a really, really dark, messed up sense of humour and I’d probably like it. But the humour here… its not all that different from other US comedies.
Sorry for the essay of a reply there 🙂
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It’s cool. Yeah, the humour was really on the edge pandering. I had a discussion with another comics Deadpool fan (he sorta liked the film) and he agreed the humour was too juvenile.
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yeah i’d agree, it wasn’t so much vulgar as immature. I much prefer dark comdies
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Thought I’d check on one of your reviews before I hit the hay. I am deeply offended that you didn’t want to marry this movie 😦
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Hahaha!! That gave me a laugh. Yeah I seem to be one of those buzz-kills who doesn’t like the comic book stuff. I am looking forward to Suicide Squad though, mainly cos I’ve played through every Batman videogame. That’s the last chance I’ll give the genre 😛
Thanks for stopping by mate! 🙂 Have a good night
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