Make no mistake; this is a love story. With sole regard to its plot structure, it is a simple and relatively formulaic romantic comedy. However, with its superb writing and persistent hilarity, it’s quite subversive. Frequent yet unpredictable destruction of the fourth wall leads to a bewildering and unique experience. It’s comparable to Blazing Saddles, which is a classic and delightful comedy. Furthermore, Ryan Reynolds is perfectly comfortable, or rather, it’s as if the role were made for him and vice versa. His deadpan Deadpool (irresistable opportunity) is consistently witty and brazen, while never becoming crude enough to be slovenly or repulsive. The writing for Reynolds’ character appears delicately amalgamated, albeit strikingly absurd.
Still, as an action film, Deadpool flounders; while certainly entertaining, there’s precious little to behold to match said genre, resulting in my recommendation to view the film expecting a romantic comedy. Additionally, the antagonist is subpar in characterization and dialogue, coming across as a fairly unremarkable and highly standardized villain, without depth. The villain is not alone in that aspect; several characters were virtually without depth or coverage in the film, seemingly tossed in for an increased runtime and joke count. Though said jokes are enjoyable, the characters are all but wasted, which, considering the prospective potential, is disappointing.
Nonetheless, Deadpool is an astounding and stylistically particular film, and its humor is marvelous. (double entendre absolutely intended)
