Review: Deadpool BD + Screen Caps

THE MOVIE – 3.5/5

Fox’s Deadpool breaks the hum-drum of the superhero genre taking shots at itself and others and amidst all the jokes, one-liners and Reynolds’ unique comedic timing, there’s a nice heart at its core. Now, this is my second viewing since seeing it in the theater (a rare experience nowadays) and it still has the entertainment factor even when the jokes don’t land quite land.

The story is, pleasantly, short and sweet (it is refreshing to see a superhero clock in under two hours) and follows mercenary-for-hire Wade Wilson (RYAN REYNOLDS) who, in between wise-cracks and zingers, cracks heads and shoots bullets in his persona as Deadpool following lengthy torture by Ajax (ED SKREIN) – a mutant who feels no pain – when Wilson volunteered to undergo a procedure that would cure him of a recent cancer diagnosis and turn him into a superhero. The film also has a love story at its core between Wade and classic hooker with a heart of gold Vanessa (MORENA BACCARIN), and the two have instant chemistry as demonstrated with a sex sequence just about covering every position…

In any case, the procedure Wilson thought would cure him instead was done to bring out the mutant gene after which Ajax, with his sidekick Angel Dust (GINA CERANO) – who has superhuman strength – would place a collar on the subject and ship them off to the highest bidder. So Wilson’s mutant gene transforms him into, basically, an avocado but gives him healing powers which stave off the cancer. However, in his present state, he can’t bear to see Vanessa again and instead spends his time, as Deadpool and his nifty red suit, going through the food chain to chase down Ajax in the hopes he can reverse his condition.

Deadpool, directed by Tim Miller in his feature-length debut, has been gestation for over a decade and was in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Reynolds, but that adaptation of the character was for intent and purpose, bastardized and I’m not even sure that entire movie is canon within the X-Universe… This version, though, seems to do the character right and kudos to the studio for going with the R-rating as a PG-13 version would water down the character to the point where fans will reject him and the movie as a whole would’ve been utterly forgettable. Now we get a foul-mouthed anti-superhero to go along with strong graphic violence and sexual content that aids in the movie’s darkish humor.

Beyond the graphic content, where Deadpool especially succeeds is with Ryan Reynolds himself, tailor made for the role and without whom the movie might’ve never been made, and propelled thanks to the “leaked” test footage a couple years back. Reynolds, much like Downey Jr. and Jackman before him, owns the role and goes all out. The character and the humor just suits Reynolds brand of comedy.

Another highlight, albeit limited in her role, Morena Baccarin serves well as the love interest/damsel in distress working nicely opposite Reynolds. It’s nothing memorable but she has the sexiness and emotional strength giving Wilson some much needed humanity and eventual heartache upon his cancer diagnosis.

Now for the downside, and it’s one that has plagued Marvel (both MCU and Fox). The villains are absolutely bland and utterly forgettable. Here we get Ajax aka Francis who cannot feel pain, a plight we’ve already seen 17 years ago in The World is Not Enough. Ajax’s right-hand woman portrayed by Gina Carano, has super-strength. Neither of them are formidable foes to Deadpool or his two X-Men helpers, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, the latter probably one of the cooler inclusions in the film.

The other issue I had was that in spite of how much fun I had watching Deadpool on its opening weekend, the same jokes and one-liners that worked the first go-around didn’t quite resonate this time. Even the clever “opening credits” didn’t do much for me, though anyone going in fresh will get a blast out of it all. I will have to watch again in a year or so, but my initial impression is the movie doesn’t have the same replay value as, say, X-Men: Days of Future Past or MCU’s Captain America: Winter Soldier.

In the end, even though the jokes don’t quite work like they did the first go around, Deadpool is still a perfectly entertaining flick that albeit a primer plotline and bland villains does something new in a genre where few risks are taken.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 5.0/5

This 2-disc release comes with a nice embossed slip cover. Inside is the redemption code for the Digital Copy as well as the DVD Copy.

Audio Commentaries – There are two tracks available, one with Producer/Star Ryan Reynolds & Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick and the other with Director Tim Miller and ‘Deadpool’ Co-Creator/Comics Artist Rob Liefeld. Both are pretty informative but light-hearted enough to be enjoyable.

Deleted/Extended Scenes (19:14; HD) – 10 scenes were either cut down or removed, nothing especially noteworthy but worth watching. There is an optional commentary with Tim Miller.

Gag Reel (6:12; HD) features plenty line-flubs and on-set shenanigans.

From Comics to Screen… to Screen (1:20:00; HD) is a comprehensive behind-the-scenes featurette (documentary actually) with interviews by the cast and crew including Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller, Tim Miller and plenty others as they discuss the story behind the movie. THIS is how you make a BTS feature…

Gallery has concept art, costumes, storyboards, pre-vis and stunt-vis (shipyard)

Under Deadpool’s Fun Sack we get a collection of Videos (23:54; HD) with an interview by Ryan Reynolds on a variety of shows and some adverts with Deadpool and there are also some advertisement Stills.

Lastly, there are some Sneak Peeks at X-Men: Apocalypse and an ad to Discover Digital HD.

VIDEO – 4.75/5

AUDIO – 4.75/5

OVERALL – 4.0/5