Maybe studios should listen to fans more often.

“Deadpool” stars Ryan Reynolds as the titular superhero (well, antihero), who after being the subject of an experiment that gives him superhuman abilities, sets out on a path of revenge against the man who almost ruined his life (Ed Skrein).  Morena Baccarin, T. J. Miller, and Gina Carano also star as Tim Miller makes his directorial debut.

There has been a lot of talk about a Deadpool film for almost 10 years. After they horribly botched the character in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Reynolds has been trying to do the fans justice and give us a proper depiction of the foul-mouthed mercenary. So after some positive feedback from leaked test footage, Fox finally greenlit the project. And what we ended up getting is everything anyone could have ever wanted in a Deadpool movie (gore, f-bombs, and crudeness), even if it is a basic origin story/revenge tale.

Reynolds was the reason this movie got made and he is without a doubt its best attribute. His dedication (or should I say, DEAD-ication!) to the role and the natural tongue-in-cheek attitude he usually brings to the screen make his Deadpool a highly entertaining and meta character, spewing off insulting one-liners even in the most dire of situations.

The script, written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (who wrote “Zombieland”), is very funny and constantly breaks the fourth wall (a Deadpool trademark), even going as far as referencing the actors who portray X-Men characters (it’s never fully stated whether this is in the exact same universe as the current X-Men films). The script also has a few genuinely sweet and touching moments, although it sometimes does rely too heavily on certain jokes (they really beat one involving the main villain’s name over the head, although it does produce one of the film’s biggest laughs).

I would say “Deadpool’s” biggest problem lies more its narrative than anything else. It likes to boast that it is “a different kind of superhero story,” but when you get right down to it, it is about a guy who gets powers and must set out after the man who did him wrong (so just like Batman, Spider-Man, the Punisher…). It throws in a few twists and turns, but the film is never as fun or clever as it thinks it’s being (it almost comes off as self-congratulatory, to be honest).

I liked, not loved “Deadpool,” which is a bit disheartening but I am just one man with one opinion. I know many people will not care that the film has a basic plotline, and if that’s you, great. I still had a smirk on my face for a majority of the film, and it lays down great groundwork for what should be a very good sequel (this is going to slaughter the box office, so “Deadpool 2” is all but a certainty). If you’re getting sick of all the Avengers films then this one should be a nice refreshing drink; if you just enjoy watching guys in red spandex punt people’s heads like footballs then all the better.

Critics Rating: 7/10

Variety