Deadpool

Smart aleck Wade Wilson has a problem.  Diagnosed with terminal cancer, his hope is all but gone when he meets a stranger promising a cure- and more.  Having no choice, he submits to treatment . . . and becomes Deadpool, the 'merc with a mouth.'  Now invincible but physically deformed, he swears vengeance upon Francis, the 'doctor' who treated him.  He carries out his quest with  his trademark sarcasm and vulgarity.  Can he prevail?  Who the @#$% cares?

Deadpool is a very different kind of superhero movie (as the pictures convey).  It is rated R for a reason (for mostly language and graphic violence, with a dash of nudity).  This is not something you want your kids to see.  That said, Deadpool's 'no-filter' approach to life is strangely refreshing.  It's undeniably amusing, with several laugh-out-loud moments.  The movie doesn't take itself too seriously, with Deadpool acknowledging the audience several times, and there are lots of pop culture references that require some general cultural awareness to fully enjoy.  It also has its disturbing, disgusting, and/or unnecessarily graphic or crude moments.  Overall, it's a movie you enjoy, but feel guilty doing so.

I left the theater feeling uncertain about how I should feel about this film.  Why does such behavior so amuse us?  And what does this, in turn, reveal about our nature?  Are our true natures so shackled by cultural/behavioral expectations that things like this are a breath of fresh air, even if we feel it's inappropriate?  Is it healthy to see (or practice) such a lack of self-restraint?  Is Deadpool's 'devil-may-care' attitude something we yearn to exhibit?  If so, why?  I feel like there's something deep here, but I'm tired and have to think more on it.

Rating: A-