DEADPOOL : Saturday 13th February 2016.

'DEADPOOL' - which I saw over the weekend is the latest big screen adaptation to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe that will also see  another 'Captain America' instalment come April, 'X-Men : Apocalypse' following in May, 'Doctor Strange' in October, and 'Daredevil' on Netflix in March. Back though to the matter in hand! This is not the first time we have seen 'Deadpool' on the big screen, with the character making his first appearance in 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine' in 2009 when Ryan Reynolds portrayed this character back then too. Development of this first film kicked off way back in 2000, initially stalling and then passing through several Studios and Writers along the way. Tim Miller was hired to Direct in 2011 with filming starting in Canada in early 2015. Reynolds had always wanted to play the character of Wade Wilson/Deadpool since 2003 and was assigned to the project as it went though numerous iterations over the years. With this film greenlit, he stated that this adaptation of the Superhero character would be more authentic than the role he portrayed in the earlier 2009 'Wolverine' outing, and so he we are, and it certainly is that! Probably like no other 'superhero' we have seen before! Made for US$58M the film has so far grossed US$60M since it opened internationally from 10th February, and is expected to do great things financially.

The film opens with a credit sequence depicting an action scene frozen in time with the camera panning though the minute details of the carnage that would go otherwise unnoticed at full speed, as very tongue in cheek credits scroll across the screen that raised more than smile from the largely gathered male teenage audience I was sat amongst. This sets the tone for a very different Marvel Studio's adaptation of the latest character to get its own big screen treatment, and, it's a welcome change.

Once the opening title sequence is done, the action ramps up to the minutes before that frozen in time title sequence occurred, and we meet our character Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) sat in the back of a yellow cab driven by Dopinder (Karan Soni). The two strike up a conversation, like it's an every day occurrence that a masked man in a red and black suit brandishing samurai swords, semi automatic hand guns and knives, around what each of them do in their lives and what has brought them to this point - to create a bit of back story. When Deadpool needs to exit the cab on a bridge above a very busy freeway, he does so and jumps off the bridge and into the seat of a black 4WD below, which is part of fleet of such cars and motorcycle outriders headed up by the villain in the piece Ajax/Francis Freeman (Ed Skrein). The carnage that follows is loud, proud, brutal and bloody as our main man Deadpool dispenses with the bad guys in all manner of ways that leave nothing to the imagination - it's great fun! This then brings us up to speed with that frozen its time opening title sequence, and by now we can piece together the events that led us to this point, but there are more gaps still to be filled in.

After this, it's time to slow things down apace and we go back two years for the origins of how Wade Wilson became Deadpool. A former special ops soldier turned mercenary when his active duty came to an end, he now spends his time protecting young girls from stalkers and low-lifes in New York City. One night he meets up with Vanessa Carlysle (Morena Baccarin) an escort, and they quickly hit it off, and they spend the next twelve months having gratuitous sex. One night Wade proposes marriage to Vanessa, and after she accepts, he collapses and passes out. Consultation later with a Doctor reveals that he has terminal cancer.

Later still, Wilson retreats to the bar where he first met Vanessa and is met by The Recruiter (Jed Rees) who offers him a cure and enhanced powers if he undergoes experimental surgery, which Wilson scoffs at and says thanks but no thanks. He leaves, but with The Recruiters calling card. Days later, he has a change of heart when considering what will become of him and Vanessa as the cancer takes hold. He is taken to a 'hospital' where 'Project X' experiments, tests and surgery is conducted on both willing and unwilling patients to either reveal or harness that mutative powers, and where many perish. Wilson is strapped down, and injected with a special serum by Ajax/Francis Freeman overseen by Angel Dust (Gina Curano), who then sets about a series of 'tortures' lasting several weeks in order that his mutations may manifest themselves. With no success after this time Wilson is strapped into an airtight chamber and deprived of oxygen in a final attempt to release his mutations. This is successful which gives him increased strength, the ability to heal quickly, disfigures his skin in the process, and even more twisted sarcastic quick witted sense of humour than he possessed before. He is able to break out of the chamber and bring the facility down in an explosion which sees Ajax and Wilson face off, leaving Wilson for dead as the building burns around him and he is left impaled on an iron bar. But, Wilson is now immortal, and can heal from anything - even from impalings and being burned alive it would seem.

As we progress Wilson adopts the name 'Deadpool' after discussion with his friend and bar owner Weasel (T.J.Miller) who also runs a running bet in his bar on who of the mercenaries who frequent his fine establishment will die next - hence 'Deadpool'. Determined to wreak his revenge on Ajax/Francis, Deadpool begins taking out various underworld syndicates and lynchpins to determine the whereabouts of his ultimate quarry. One by one they meet with a grizzly and merciless end, as Deadpool refines his image and the practicalities of his suit and weaponry. Meanwhile we have come to know that Ajax is a mutant too with an inability to feel any pain - physical and emotional, and also has enhanced strength, and Angel Dust has superhuman strength and speed. However, maintaining the 'X-Men' tie-in quite nicely, Wilson visits the home of Charles Xavier and seeks the previously offered support of Peter Rasputin/Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and his teenage trainee mutant sidekick Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand). We are not introduced to any other X-Men, but there is ongoing reference to them throughout the film - Wolverine especially.

By now we've pretty much got the whole back story, and we come full circle to the opening scenes again where we have just Deadpool and Ajax remaining, but with Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead intervening, Ajax is able to escape. Ajax then wants to dispense with Deadpool once and for all and so hatches a plan to kidnap Vanessa and lure Deadpool out into the open for the final showdown. Of course the final set piece is delivered in spectacular Marvel fashion with Deadpool, Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead facing off against Ajax and Angel Dust and a whole bunch of goons who all buy the farm in no uncertain terms. Deadpan gets his revenge, Vanessa and Wilson are reunited at which point she learns the truth about what he has been thorough and what has happened to him as a result, and the way is paved for Deadpool to join the X-Men as a bona fide paid up card carrying member of that elite team.

Throughout the film Wilson/Deadpool gives us a running commentary of his views on life, plot developments, back story, the X-Men, Wolverine, the film making process, his love of 80's popsters 'Wham', and his general wise cracks, quips, anecdotes and smart ass comments. Often he talks directly to the camera and references breaking the fourth wall several times, and it is this narration that sets 'Deadpool' aside from almost all of its predecessors (aside from 'Kick-Ass' perhaps!), plus the more graphic violence that is not seen in other Marvel offerings to the same extent.

Deadpool is a smart-ass bad-ass wise-cracking take no prisoners down to Earth grounded reluctant sexed-up rude crude superhero, that has knocked convention on the head and taken us along for a roller coater ride of bloody violent fast paced action, humour and pathos. It is great fun, not to be missed, and with a sequel already greenlit and Director Tim Miller offered the gig too, then the second instalment can't come soon enough. Watch out for the obligatory Stan Lee cameo, and if you can sit though the closing credits right to the end there is a final sequence involving Deadpool wearing a dressing gown and slippers setting the scene for a sequel, maybe, and a few other tongue in cheek messages to take home!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-