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Reel Reviews: Ryan Reynolds needed another hero

Ryan Reynolds super anti-hero Deadpool beats out the Green Lantern.
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Ryan Reynolds lands a franchise that sticks with Deadpool.

Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) is a former Special Forces operative with a knack for beating people up, despite being a pretty nice guy.

A self-made mercenary, his dark life in the dirty city takes a turn for the brighter when he meets and falls for Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). Unfortunately, Wade soon after discovers he has terminal cancer.

A mysterious stranger offers to cure his cancer in exchange for Wilson becoming a genetic experiment that could lead to his being cured or killed. The experiment turns him into a mutant, disfigured and powerful.

Wilson decides to become Deadpool, a super anti-hero. He seeks revenge against the man who did this to him, hoping to one day return to Vanessa.

We say, “Deadpool is a fun film for fans.”

HOWE: So Ryan Reynolds gets a second crack at being a superhero, but was he any better at being Deadpool rather than the Green flashlight?

I can’t honestly answer that because I heard the Green Lantern was so bad, I never bothered watching it. But I did find Deadpool very entertaining for the first 10-to-15 minutes, then it seemed to just annoy me.

It was just the same, over and over again: Stupid one liners that weren’t that funny, ignorant sarcasm towards others, surrounded by ‘80s music.

Don’t get me wrong the music was fine, it’s just that Marvel had used this gimmick in Guardians of the Galaxy.

TAYLOR: I could see thinking that Deadpool tries awfully hard. It is very catchy, quirky and “on” both in character and film. It’s a comic-book movie, so this is OK. I didn’t have any expectations other than to have fun, which I did.

There really isn’t need for things to make sense in a story like this. The main character has enough regenerative power to grow a new hand for instance, yet can’t rejuvenate his disfigured skin. Don’t think about it, just see it because it’s fun and funny. It’s much funnier than Zoolander 2.

HOWE: A couple of things I did like was the use of 3D, or should I say the lack of it. Too many times we have complained about the use of 3D and Deadpool did us a favour by not making us part with an extra $3 for that useless cash grab.

The other plus point was the special effects. The opening scene with its slow motion and continuous camera shot was nicely done.

TAYLOR: I liked it. It was entertaining, silly, sexy, action packed and fun. I also like that they made the film for a lot less than every other comic book movie. Deadpool achieves more than its contemporaries.

HOWE: Just one last thing; a friend of mine went last Sunday and he was surprised at the amount of kids watching it. Just a quick message to parents: Deadpool isn’t like Thor or Spiderman. It’s an adult themed comic book film, with sex, nudity, swearing and some mildly mindless violence. I am just saying I wouldn’t be taking my eight year old.

– Taylor gives Deadpool 3.5 stuffed unicorns out of 5.

– Howe gives it 2.5 pairs of Crocs out of 5.

Reel Reviews with Brian Taylor and Peter Howe appears in The Morning Star every Friday and Sunday.