Deadpool Review:

Pros:
The film was incredibly well written. The dialogue was tight, and many of the cultural references were well timed. Ryan Reynolds fits the role of Deadpool really well, and his performance was very good. The story was basic but understandable -- its just a standard revenge story line -- and whether or not you agree with Deadpool's ethics, it's hard to slight him for his decision to hunt down the people who ruined his life. In a lot of ways, he's a relatable character (or relatable to the 15 year old you) and he says a lot of things that the audience is thinking. This humor works really well through most of the movie. Although much gorier than previous super hero films, the violence is more tolerable due to Deadpool's constant joking and wisecracking (it takes the edge off of it a little bit). Whether or not that's a good thing is up to you, but I didn't find the violence or gore to be too offensive. The soundtrack choice was also terrifically chosen and portrayed the general feel of the movie very well.

Cons:
There was a ton of redundant nudity, sex, and sex-themed jokes. I understand that Deadpool as a character is irreverant and crude, but I think they went a little overkill. The stripclub scene was unnecessary to the storyline (we already know that his girlfriend is a prostitute. They already had this conversation at the beginning of the film). I honestly feel like the scene existed just to throw as much nudity into a superhero movie as possible (a sort of middle finger to the brand as a whole if you will). Also, there were a few of the jokes that were a little too much. Innuendos are one thing, but incessantly blatant jokes about masturbation, oral sex, etc etc etc was a little too much. Frankly, I think that the oversaturation of sex in this film weakened the film as a whole -- not just from a content standpoint -- and it made the humor seem a lot more juvenile. Also, the character development beyond Ryan Reynold's Deadpool was very weak. Colossus was especially weak and felt very two dimensional (maybe this was intentional as Deadpool probably sees most of the X-men as flat, goody-two shoes characters).

Overall:
A very enjoyable film if it's the kind of thing you are in to. The humor is very specific to cultural references and Deadpool's characteristic breaking through of the fourth wall is interesting and fun. While not perfect, it resembles an even more irreverent version of Guardians of the Galaxy -- more nudity, more sex/ sex jokes, more violence, and more vulgarity -- but complete with strong character development (at least for the main character), fresh humor, jokes at the film/film industries expense, and a perfectly selected soundtrack that fits the mood perfectly. While not a perfect film, if you are a fan of comedy or of the super hero genre it is worth checking out. If the content makes you uncomfortable, I would suggest waiting til Vidangel releases it to eliminate the raunchy material. I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending the theatrical version to anybody I know under the age of 21.

Grade: B-