Friday, 12 February 2016

Film Review: "Deadpool" (2016).



"With great power comes great irresponsibility", "Witness the beginning of a happy ending", "Bad ass. Smart ass. Great ass", "Wait 'til you get a load of me", "Justice has a new face" and "Feel the love Valentine's Day". These taglines make up the insanity and the wild ride that is Deadpool. This superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. It is the eighth installment in the X-Men film series. The film is directed by Tim Miller, with a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The film follows Wade Wilson who, after being subjected to an experiment that leaves him with new abilities, hunts down the man who nearly destroyed his life.

Deadpool is the fictional antihero created by writer Fabian Nicieza and artist/writer Rob Liefeld, and published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in The New Mutants #98 in Feb. 1991 (Which means the film was released exactly 25 years after Deadpool's first appearance). Initially Deadpool was depicted as a supervillain when he made his first appearance in The New Mutants and later in issues of X-Force, but has since evolved into the role of an antihero. He was named as an homage/parody to Slade Wilson, aka the mercenary Deathstroke from DC Comics. Deadpool is a disfigured and mentally unstable mercenary with the superhuman ability of an accelerated healing factorand physical prowess. He is known as the "Merc with a Mouth" because of his talkative nature and tendency to break the fourth wall, which is used by writers to create humorous effect.

In May 2000, Artisan Entertainment announced a deal with Marvel Entertainment to coproduce, finance and distribute a film based on Deadpool. In February 2004, development for the film began with New Line Cinema. However, in March 2005, New Line Cinema put the film in turnaround and 20th Century Fox became interested. In May 2009, 20th Century Fox lent the film to writers, and in April 2011, Tim Miller was hired to direct. A 3 minute test reel was shot in January 2012 in an attempt to convince the heads of the studio to move forward with the movie. On August 1st 2014, the footage was released to the public, and based on the overwhelmingly positive response from fans, the film finally began production. The footage was so popular that part of it was recreated for the actual film. Ryan Reynolds is such a fan of Deadpool, that he was lobbying for a film since 2005. Reynolds was involved with revising the script with the writers. Cast members were allowed to improvise in some scenes. Reynolds describes Deadpool's "breaking the fourth wall" ability as a reflection of his wit: "He's funny and acerbic and a little bit of a head case. But he's also not trying to be liked, he's intentionally trying to annoy everyone". On April Fool's Day 2015, Reynolds posted on Twitter that the film would be rated PG-13, which prompted fan backlash as the Deadpool character often swears and commits acts of graphic violence. Later that day, Reynolds confirmed that it was a prank and the film would be R rated. In December 2014, Reynolds was confirmed to reprise his role as Wade Wilson / Deadpool. In February 2015, Gina Carano was cast as Angel Dust. In March, T. J. Miller was cast as Weasel, while Morena Baccarat was cast as Vanessa Carlysle. Later that month, Brianna Hildebrand was cast as Negasonic Teenage Warhead. In April, Ed Skrein was cast as Ajax. In July, Leslie Uggams confirmed she will be portraying Blind Al. Daniel Cudmore was approached to reprise his role as Colossus from the previous X-Men films, but declined when he learned that he was not being asked to voice the character as well. Instead, Stefan Kapičić will voice Colossus, with Andre Tricoteux providing the motion capture performance. Principal photography commenced in Vancouver, Canada, in March 2015 and ended in May.

The film stars Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T. J. Miller, Gina Carano, Brianna Hildebrand, Stefan Kapičić, and Leslie Uggams. The cast gave spectacular performances, with Reynolds as the film's stand-out as the "Merc with a mouth". After the two bombs that were Green Lantern (2011) and X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), he has fully redeemed himself in this role that he was born to play. Each cast member brought their unique flair to their roles and scenes, especially Miller who brought the film's comic relief and the some of the best jokes I've heard in a long time.

 Deadpool is a blood-soaked valentine to comic book movies. It is admittedly little more than a stylish revenge thriller -- albeit one that benefits from a wildly inventive surfeit of style. It's so well-written in a scruffy, fanzine way that you want to rub noses in it - the noses of those zombie writers who take 'screenwriting' classes that teach them the formulas for 'hit films. It dares Hollywood films to be this smart about going this far. If studios accept the film's implicit challenge, the movie theater could again be a great place to live in. The miracle of the film is how, being composed of secondhand, debased parts, it succeeds in gleaming like something new. You get intoxicated by it, high on the rediscovery of how pleasurable a movie can be. I'm not sure I've ever encountered a film that combined discipline and control with sheer wild-ass joy the way that this one does. There's a special kick that comes from watching something this thrillingly alive, is indisputably great. The violent intensity of the film calls to mind other violent watershed films that were considered classics in their time and still are. A Clockwork Orange (1971), Pulp Fiction (1994) and Fight Club (1999). Each film shook up a tired, bloated movie industry and used a world of lively lowlifes to reflect how dull other movies had become. And that, I predict, will be the ultimate honor for Deadpool. Like all great films, it criticizes other movies It towers over the year's other movies as majestically and menacingly as a gang lord at a preschool.

Simon says Deadpool receives:


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