Trailing Off: "Deadpool" (2016)

Ryan Reynolds

Welcome to the weekly column Trailing Off in which I take a look at a trailer from the past week and analyze its potential. This will be done using an obnoxious amount of analyzing and personal thoughts on the cast and crew as well as expectations. Coming every Sunday (it's called Trailing Off for a reason), I will attempt to highlight films ranging from new blockbusters to lesser known indies and give them their due. Partially to spread awareness, I do believe that there is an art to the sell and will do my best to highlight why these trailers matter or don't with approval (trove) or disapproval (trash). So please stop by, recommend some trailers, and I will see you next time.

Trailer in Discussion

Directed By: Tim Miller

Written By: Rhett Reese (screenplay), Paul Wernick (screenplay)

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Gina Carano

- Preamble -

There's an obvious popular notion on Optigrab. I don't love superhero movies as much as the general public. In fact, I cannot say that I get excited for most of Marvel's recent output. That doesn't mean that I don't occasionally enjoy them (The Avengers: Age of Ultron was pretty good). It just means that I have better things to do than worry about who is cast in what and where what is doing this. It is a confusing mess that takes away from watching indie films and other titles that deserve more of your time. I know that it seems sacrilegious then to focus on one of the big superhero films of next year, but I do have a fair reason for wanting this to be an above average film. 

I want to note that we're living in an alternate timeline where Ryan Reynolds is not a star. While I cannot say that he is often great, he is mostly an interesting screen presence because his film choices are so bizarre that you often want to be in those pitch meetings. I am talking about what drove him to make mishmash films like The Voices, where he plays a man who goes on murdering sprees because of his cat. I want to know what lead him to do Buried (arguably his high point in the past decade). He isn't lacking in compelling roles. He's just doing something surreal in a way that isn't always interesting.

I am not the biggest Reynolds fan, but I also find him compelling for being so audacious in his choices. It also seems like no matter how far he has come from Van Wilder and how few people have subsequently seen Van Wilder, he seems to be inherently Van Wilder in every role. He is cocky frat boy humor that feels mismanaged most times outside of the romantic comedy genre. It may be one (of a couple barrels full) reason that The Green Lantern hasn't quite worked so well. He was very Reynolds in a film that didn't give him much to chew on. It may be why X-Men: Origins - Wolverine didn't initially do Deadpool any justice.

Finally, I don't know anything about Deadpool. He is just a character to me. I have seen the social media presence in the past year, which has been fun. I like what he is going for with the role. He clearly wants to make superhero films fun again. I can respect that. I can even respect making an R-Rated superhero film a'la Kick-Ass. I am reluctant partially because his frat boy humor may yet again be misused. But for now, I am left hoping for something that could be a lot more fun than throwing out the same conventions time after time after time.

- Dissection -

I will confession something that I usually don't do in Trailing Off. I usually watch the trailers fresh and give honest, spontaneous commentary. In reality, I watched this trailer when it leaked at Comic Con last month. At the time, I was "enthusiastic." That basically means that of the many trailers that premiered, I liked it the best. Likewise, Suicide Squad had a lot of memorable moments, but I just loved that Deadpool had personality. It could just be that I was left with something promising in the murky camera view of which I first saw it. However, I do think that the month and having seen it now three times has unfairly made it hard to properly judge without noticing its flaws.
Let me just say that I am a fan of making a superhero film that is rebellious to the format. I like that he is commenting on Reynolds' career. I like that there's a sense of playfulness to the whole thing and that the violence is kind of overkill. This is a film that is trying to get your attention, and the use of DMX kind of works. I really am curious to see the film based on the attitude of it all. I do think that there's too much reliance on references to make it a total success, but I do think that it may end up being enjoyable.
At least, that's my initial impression. Having seen it a few times, I notice that the frat boy humor is just as distracting this time around. There's jokes about brown pants and Rosie O'Donnell. What worked initially doesn't quite hold up and is instead clunky humor the second time around. Even the interesting bats with T.J. Miller have a certain groan factor the second time around. I don't find the jokes that funny.
So, it is the middle of the road question. Is it worth watching because it has personality, or will Reynolds' humor be misused yet again? I do think that the heart behind the film is in the right place, but the bawdy nature doesn't quite captivate me beyond its stylized action. I am curious and I may keep it on my radar, but I need to try and never choose a trailer that I have seen a few times ever again. For what it's worth, it could be an interesting watch.

- Trove or Trash -

TROVE

I don't quite have the same enthusiasm for it that I did when I initially saw it, but I do think that it looks to be an enjoyable matinee priced film when all is said and done.