DEADPOOL: Making a Marvelous Murderer

NOTE: Spoiler alert, munchkins.

"This is a different kind of superhero story."

- Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), Deadpool

2009 was an event year for both Ryan Reynolds and two screenwriters, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. A long-time comic book fan, Reynolds co-starred in the movie X-Men Origins: Wolverine, alongside the face of the franchise, Hugh Jackman. The film made a decent amount at the box office, but fans were up in arms over the treatment of Reynolds’ character. Months later, Zombieland, a film Reese and Wernick co-wrote hit the stratosphere. But times were about to change for all of them: Reynolds’ box-office clout hit rock bottom after the dismal release of another comic book film, Green Lantern (despite its failure, it resulted in the marriage of Reynolds and co-star Blake Lively). While waiting for their sequel to Zombieland to be made, Reese and Wernick wrote G.I. Joe: Retaliation, a film that tried to improve on its predecessor but wound up being quickly forgotten (even after being delayed for a year). None of these three men ever dreamed they would be working together. Especially on the same character that Reynolds had played seven years earlier. But that’s the thing about Deadpool: he is utterly unpredictable.

Deadpool was created by writer/artist Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza in 1991 for Marvel Comics as a part of their “New Mutants” series. At first, he was a straightforward villain for the mutant protagonists; he was designed with a head-to-toe red and black super-suit and dual katanas. But as Liefeld and Nicieza continued, they saw that the character slowly grew a following; almost a Boba Fett-like effect. They decided to do something that really had never been done (outside of She-Hulk): they gave the character the ability to break through the fourth wall. Suddenly, Deadpool knew he was in a comic book. That sort of thing will drive you insane, and so a new personality for the character was born. To be sure, he was not an out-and-out good guy, but he was more likable than he had been.

Getting Deadpool his own movie was not easy. As mentioned earlier, the fan reaction to the use of Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was vitriolic: Reynolds played Wade Wilson as the badass mercenary they knew from the comics but he never wore the suit and, even worse, he was transformed against his will into a mindless assassin with a sewn-up mouth. In 2012, Disney bought Marvel Comics and almost immediately, cries went up in concerns to their lesser family-friendly characters. Though Disney owned the characters, the film rights were another story and Fox was not about to let them go (except “Daredevil”). They tapped Reese and Wernick, hot off of Zombieland, to write the script. After they finished, the script was leaked online and fans were pleased with their take. Even legendary directors like James Cameron and David Fincher – neither of whom has ever (or likely will ever) direct a superhero movie – gave their thumbs up to the screenplay. Visual effects artist Tim Miller was hired to make his directorial debut with Deadpool. But Fox was still not willing to pull the trigger (pun intended) on Deadpool if the filmmakers were not willing to give the film a PG-13 rating with their R-rated character.

Things looked rather dire for the Merc with a Mouth’s movie. That is, until 2014. A video detailing test footage from two years earlier found its way online around Comic-Con time. Ryan Reynolds reprised his role in motion capture form, with the digital Deadpool suit being constructed around him. The scene detailed Deadpool’s attack on a group of henchmen in their van, complete with wise-cracks and breaking the fourth wall (most notably his greeting to the former head of 20th Century Fox, Tom Rothman). Fans were ecstatic, proclaiming this is exactly what they wanted to see. How and why the footage was released (and indeed who was responsible) remains a mystery to this day. But the response was enough; Fox finally greenlit the film with Reynolds proudly set to star. Ready or not, the world was about to be saved by Deadpool.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a mercenary who is good at what he does; but, because of the violence involved in his work, is doomed to a life of loneliness. That is, until he meets Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) whose infatuation with him brings him the happiest times in his life. Sadly, they both discover Wade has been diagnosed with cancer. Wade decides to leave her to spare her the pain of watching him die. While commiserating his sorrows, Wade meets a mysterious man (Jed Rees; BTW he's the lead alien from Galaxy Quest) who tells him of an organization that can both cure his cancer and give him phenomenal abilities. Wade reluctantly agrees but quickly discovers that he has unknowingly sold his body to the sadistic Ajax (Ed Skrein) and his henchwoman Angel Dust (Gina Carano). Together they inject Wade with a serum to turn him into a mutate (someone with mutant powers who was not born a mutant) and put him through every torture one can think of. Eventually, the serum works but deforms Wade's skin to near unrecognizable levels. Furious at what they have done to him, Wade escapes and plots his revenge while adopting a vigilante persona: Deadpool. 

Let's cut to the chase: this movie is hilarious. Uproarously and relentlessly hilarious. Ryan Reynolds has done what he promised and delivered a no-holds-barred superhero film. This is the movie I thought Kick-Ass was gonna be years ago. Often the humor comes in a single line, a single reaction or even a single shot. When you can get laughs from something simple, your movie is working. Tim Miller constructs his movie very well, because he had plenty of time to do so and was not racing to catch up to a release date. You would never think he was a first-time director. It is startling to think that this was the same studio that released Fantastic Four a year ago to very public derision and rejection. What the difference is in this case is that enough effort was put into the characters and the story by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. The movie does go into dramatic moments and does not shy away from how dark it is in places. The villain Ajax is a rather simply-written villain, but man is he utterly hateful. T.J. Miller as Weasel was not as well utilized as I would have hoped (I kinda only know about him from the more family-friendly video game "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance"), but he is a guy who is in Wade's corner when he has no one else. It was cool to see Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead to help tie it back into the larger X-Men movie universe ("We're taking you back to see the Professor." "McAvoy or Stewart?").

The superhero movie that could has finally arrived and the world has gone as nuts as the title character for it. Ryan Reynolds is a successful movie star again and everybody is moving to Ryanville. For years he was one of the few voices in Hollywood advocating for a R-rated Deadpool movie; he finally got it made and it was a smash hit. This is another positive step forward in the argument against "superhero movies are utter nonsense and anyone who participates in them are idiots". There's not much else to say but, do yourself a favor and see this movie. AND SIT THROUGH THE WHOLE THING. There is a very important public service message in the last 30-45 seconds of the film that had me outright cheering.