Deadpool (2016)Deadpool is the film that proved the R-rated superhero movie could be a mainstream blockbuster, released in 2016 and directed by Tim Miller, with a screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Ryan Reynolds plays Wade Wilson, a wisecracking mercenary who undergoes an experimental procedure that leaves him with accelerated healing powers and a severely disfigured face — and a burning desire for revenge against the man who did it, Ajax (Ed Skrein). The film is relentlessly self-aware, breaking the fourth wall constantly, mocking superhero movie conventions at every turn and deploying Reynolds' comic timing with surgical precision. It grossed over $783 million worldwide on a $58 million budget, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history at the time of release and fundamentally changing what studios believed audiences would accept from the genre. A genuinely funny, inventively structured and surprisingly touching film beneath the profanity and ultraviolence.Highlights Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool — The role Reynolds was born to play and spent years fighting to make; his comic timing, physical commitment and genuine affection for the character give the film an energy and authenticity that no other actor could have provided. The performance is the film. The fourth-wall breaking — Reese and Wernick's screenplay uses Deadpool's meta-awareness with real wit and invention; the jokes about the X-Men budget, the digs at Reynolds' own career and the direct addresses to the audience are consistently funny and never feel like a gimmick. The non-linear structure — Miller and the writers tell Wade's origin story in flashback, intercutting it with the present-day action; the structure keeps the film's energy high and avoids the origin-story drag that afflicts so many superhero films. The opening highway sequence — One of the great superhero action openings; the frozen-in-time tableau that opens the film, followed by the highway fight, establishes the film's tone, humour and action credentials simultaneously and with complete confidence. The romance with Vanessa — Morena Baccarin's Vanessa gives the film its emotional anchor; the relationship between Wade and Vanessa is genuinely warm and funny, and the film's willingness to make their love story as important as the action gives it a heart that distinguishes it from pure parody. Disc Details Title: Deadpool Year: 2016 Director: Tim Miller Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Brianna Hildebrand, Gina Carano Studio: 20th Century Fox / Marvel Entertainment Certificate: 15 Region: Region B (UK) Format: Blu-ray Runtime: 108 minutes Genre: Superhero / Action Comedy Barcode: 0024543104346 ConditionCondition: VG/VG — see our Condition Grading Guide.Browse our full range of Blu-ray titles. You might also enjoy our Compact Discs or Vinyl Records.
