Deadpool: a whole new formula

By Sophia Doshi

Any Marvel fan knows that every movie in the MCU follows a formula—a do-good hero with some internal and external struggles faces a previously formidable force, and by using those so-called flaws, defeats this force. Look at The Avengers, Captain Marvel, and Black Panther. They all follow this formula. Then, Marvel came out with Deadpool, which changed everything. 

Directed by Tim Miller and starring Ryan Reynolds as the leading character, the film tells the origin story of Wade Wilson, a former Special Forces operative turned mercenary who undergoes an experimental procedure to cure his cancer. The procedure leaves him disfigured but grants him accelerated healing powers, which he chooses to channel into his new alter-ego Deadpool. Seeking revenge against the man responsible for his transformation, Deadpool embarks on a chaotic and humorous journey, breaking the fourth wall and engaging in witty banter throughout. 

I loved this movie, because 1) Marvel did something completely different with this character, who is less of a heroic figure and more of a vigilante, and 2) it is incredibly funny. The movie crosses all of Disney's previously drawn lines, incorporating swearing, sex, graphic violence, and everything in between, making for a great movie that caters to more than just children or people who've been following the comic books since they were first published under Stan Lee. The golden goose of this movie is Ryan Reynolds; no one can do it like he does. He literally plays himself in every movie that he's in, which doesn't make for too much range, but attracts audiences who admire his work. 

An endearing part of the movie is how Deadpool breaks the fourth wall, which no other Marvel character did up until this point (later on, Wanda, Agatha, and Vision broke the fourth wall in Wandavision), and these fourth wall breaks add layers of humor to the movie. Usually, when you see his red mask turning slowly toward the camera, you know something devious is about to exit his mouth—that's (likely) why the movie is rated R. 

Marvel knew they were taking a risk with this movie, but it really paid off. I, like many others, love his character, wit, and quests for revenge against the man who performed the supposed curing experiments on him. As a reward for reading this article, enjoy some of my favorite Deadpool clips below:

Cover image from FilmAffinity