Deadpool – Blu-Ray Movie Review

Wade is a local mercenary making a living by taking on small jobs. One night he meets the girl of his dreams in a bar and they fall madly in love. Just when things couldn’t get any better, Wade learns he has terminal cancer. Suddenly a mysterious man appears and offers to make him better than just cured. Wade agrees and finds himself subjected to horrific experiments that leave him disfigured. But he’s also gained miraculous healing powers by unlocking a mutation. Yes, this is the X-Men universe. Wade swears revenge on the villain that imprisoned him and bets it all on a final showdown.

I’m glad to see Marvel Studios taking a few risks with this film. It’s not like they need to since every movie they make turns into a blockbuster. What they’ve done here is toss all tradition out the window. The hero is a completely sexist slob with little to care about beyond himself, although that changes when he meets Vanessa, played to perfection by Morena Baccarin. Ryan Reynolds handles sophomoric humor with a practiced hand; to the point where I didn’t feel like I was watching a frat-house movie. Even though sexism and innuendo are rampant, it never crosses the line into useless raunchiness.

There is no doubt however that Deadpool is an adult film. I never saw the graphic nudity proclaimed by the MPAA guidance though you will see a lot of Ryan Reynolds posterior. (OK, there’s a brief scene in a strip club.) And the sex scenes are more comical than erotic. But there is plenty of violence – flying body parts, blood spatter, bad guys dying in many nasty ways; you get the idea. There are a fair number of f-bombs as well though I’ve seen far worse.

If you liked Ant-Man, you’ll like this movie. The story is told with the same irreverence and humor. Reynolds often breaks the fourth wall as he narrates the story. In fact, he frequently reminds you that you’re actually watching a movie. It’s certainly a refreshing take on the formulaic super-hero flick. Kudos to Marvel for taking chances with an adult-oriented production. Their creativity has certainly paid off. Highly recommended.

The image is reference quality in all respects. Color is never altered to the point where it reduces the fine detail seen throughout. A variety of palettes are used ranging from warm interior shots to the steely gray of outdoor scenes. Flesh tones are always natural and the picture never takes on a monochromatic look. Contrast is among the best I’ve seen from any Blu-ray and it serves to enhance the razor-sharp detail.

The same cannot be said for the sound track. While it has no real flaws, it didn’t wow me like I expected. It seems they saved the big stuff for the end where the final battle scene will most definitely heat up your amplifiers and get your sub a-poundin’. If the rest of the film had been as visceral and impactful as the last 20 minutes, a five-star rating would have been assured.

Bonus features include an hour-and-twenty minute behind-the-scenes feature and audio commentary by director Tim Miller and creator/artist Rob Liefeld. You also get a six-minute gag reel and 19 minutes of deleted scenes. Still picture galleries include storyboards, costume designs and concept art. Finally, there is a feature called Deadpool’s Fun Sack which contains 20 minutes of video interviews and other off-the-cuff material along with some on-set still photos.