The week has finally arrived for the first superhero movie of the year to hit the big screen. Deadpool is prepared to impress, led by first-time director Tim Miller and Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Reynolds. The Merc with a Mouth made his film debut in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (also played by Reynolds), but left much to be desired following an uncharacteristically passive performance. Now Marvel’s anti-hero has a chance to redeem himself in his first solo feature, which opens this Friday.
A slew of major entertainment outlets have published their reviews for the upcoming film. Let’s see how the critics feel about the highly-anticipated Deadpool:
Deadpool Review Roundup
“The first reel is superb, but the generally entertaining and occasionally clever superhero comedy is nearly undone by a paint-by-the-numbers origin story formula.”
“By the time the film reaches its big-battle climax—divested of world-saving stakes for once, at least—no number of lopped-off limbs, four-letter words, or in-joke sops to the faithful can oppress the stench of formula. Deadpool wants it both ways: The character is at once a sociopathic, narrative-bending imp and potential team material, in the same way that his starring vehicle thumbs its nose at the same hero’s arc to which it’s basically adhering. “
"Fast, ferocious and inevitably a bit too pleased with its own cleverness, this Fox-produced offshoot of the “X-Men” series nevertheless can’t help but feel like a nasty, nose-thumbing tonic next to the shinier delegations of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as represented by Disney’s “Avengers” franchise (and its various subfranchises) and Sony’s not-so-amazing “Spider-Man” movies. Better still, “Deadpool” knows exactly how to use Reynolds, an actor whose smooth leading-man good looks have long disguised one of the sharpest funnyman sensibilities in the business, as fans of “The Proposal,” “Definitely, Maybe” and the underrated “Just Friends” can attest."
"Wade Wilson has been successfully revived on the big screen in a movie that’s full of amusing one-liners, stylish action, and heaps of fan service. Weak villains and an unsatisfying revenge plot ultimately hold it back from being something more distinctive, but Deadpool delivers a large dose of unwholesome fun."
The Guardian: 4 out of 5 stars
“Deadpool is neurotic and needy – and very entertaining. An innocent pleasure. Reynolds deploys likable Clooneyesque goof in this shriekingly self-aware and very violent super-antihero Marvel vehicle”
"If nothing else, Deadpool is a breath of relatively fresh air. It's past time that cinematic audiences were shown that there's moral space in superhero universes between the Hero Who Saves the Day (Even If Reluctantly) and the sadistic, all-life-destroying villain. Those characters often reveal more about the nature of superheroism than their nobler counterparts. And they're often a lot of fun."
"The jokes in Deadpool are delivered with such a sly, smart-aleck wink that it takes a while to figure out that it’s selling a jokey tone rather than actual jokes half the time. But it’s got the perfect salesman in Reynolds. Even with a face that’s been horrifically crispified into what his pal (Silicon Valley’s T.J. Miller) likens to the offspring of an avocado that had sex with an older avocado, Reynolds and his character are a blast of laughing gas in a genre that tends to take itself way too seriously. Deadpool may not be a cutting-edge comedy, but it is a cutting-edge Marvel movie. And right now, that’s something."
"Deadpool takes some getting used to, and though not every joke lands as dead-on as his blades and bullets, the characterization and visual creativity — paired with Reynolds' commitment and comfort with the character — make for an ultimately satisfying version of the Merc With the Mouth."
"If you loved the way “Guardians of the Galaxy” turned the standard superhero formula on its spandex-covered ear — and you’re old enough to handle some very R-rated language and violence — “Deadpool” delivers a similarly delightful surprise."
"Compared to the market-dominating blockbusters of Disney’s Avengers franchise, the Batman and Superman-led flicks hot on their heels at Warner Bros., Sony’s Spider-Man reboots, and Fox’s own X-Men films, it’s wildly subversive, if slight when it comes to story."
