Deadpool Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.5

Deadpool Blu-ray Movie Review

Putting the comic back into comics.

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman May 7, 2016

Are we over the #OscarsSoWhite controversy? Well, even if we’re not, I’d like to propose a whole new brouhaha that can be hashtagged as #WhyNoAwardforCredits. While the Academy Awards are certainly not as hilariously “dense” in terms of awards categories in the same way the Emmy Awards and even the Golden Globes Awards are, it might be time to consider adding a trophy for most creative credits sequence (maybe an honorary Saul Bass Award to go along with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award could be an option). As a first prospective nominee in this yet to be created category, I hereby offer Deadpool, whose opening riff on the typical summer blockbuster superhero film credits sequence is one of the funniest things in a film filled to the brim with great little comedic bits. The conceit of the credits sequence won’t be spoiled here for those who haven’t yet seen the film, but suffice it to say the jokes on tap don’t just set up the tone of this Marvel entry pretty near perfectly, they also let the audience know from the get go that this is going to be a “meta” outing of near epic proportions, and one where the filmmakers and cast themselves are not taking themselves seriously. As such, it might be seen as the antithesis for the weighty, ponderously dramatic attempts of other superhero films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. When one Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds—do even actors require alliteration in the Marvel universe?) suffers a horrifying chain of events which leave him badly scarred if more or less immortal and able to magically heal (shades of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where Reynolds first essayed this character), he adopts the cheeky name Deadpool as his alter ego. “Sounds like a franchise,” he and his buddy Weasel (T.J. Miller) quip, in just one of many “extracurricular” jokes that play on the audience’s built in appreciation for the ever expanding world of interlinked Marvel characters, especially those who populate the X-Men series. While many X-Men outings have featured their fair share of humor, Deadpool takes things to a whole new level, with physical shtick and rapid fire verbal humor (often fairly bursting through the fourth wall) sparring for dominance at virtually every turn. The result is quite unlike any recent superhero flick, including any other X-Men entry.

Deadpool virtually delights in skewing preconceived notions about how a superhero film is “supposed” to be, especially a so-called “origin story”. In fact Wade’s metamorphosis into Deadpool doesn’t happen for quite a while in the film’s disjointed (but never confusing) narrative, actually a good long time after Deadpool has already been seen in action. The film begins with one of the most blistering and blisteringly funny action sequences in recent memory, with Deadpool taking a taxi drive to catch up to some nefarious bad guy who is initially identified only as Francis. That turns out to be one Francis Freeman (Ed Skrein), who, in typical Marvel fashion, also goes by the sobriquet Ajax. As Deadpool details in a series of interlocked flashbacks, it was Francis who was responsible for turning Wade into the red spandex suited Deadpool, and Deadpool is none too happy about it (at least the horrible scarring part).

There have evidently been some complaints that Deadpool ends up being too formulaic for its own good, but from my perspective, that’s part and parcel of the whole “joke”, as evidenced by the credits themselves. The credits are, after all, the first statement the filmmakers offer which clearly indicates, "Hey, we know you've seen all this before, we get it." You know going into one of these “franchise” films what you’re going to get (more or less, anyway), and one of Deadpool’s “wink-iest” aspects is that it knows it, too, and plays with that foreknowledge in some very appealing ways. That includes toying with the narrative structure so that things aren’t strictly chronological, as well as introducing all sorts of “meta” material that should win the favor of more ironically disposed post-modern types. Some of these elements flit by in the blink of an eye (watch for a quick reference to Reynolds’ “other” superhero, Green Lantern 3D), while others are made a pointed part of the dialogue (when Deadpool is being “escorted” back to supposedly be counseled by Charles Xavier, he asks “Stewart or McAvoy?”).

And it’s the humor which tends to keep Deadpool floating right past its genre conventions. There’s nothing at all surprising about the overall plot arc of this film, something that may or may not disappoint some fans, but the tone of Deadpool is completely singular and (for certain types, anyway) inescapably hilarious. This is not a superhero flick for the younger kiddies by any stretch, and concerned parents are encouraged to check it out before letting any tots view it. But that very irreverence is what makes Deadpool such a bracing entertainment. Reynolds brings a perfect combination of snark and vulnerability to the role, and the large supporting cast provides ample color and spark to an admittedly somewhat rote storyline. Somewhat amazingly, Deadpool is director Tim Miller’s first at bat helming a major feature film (he has a background in shorts, including an Oscar nomination, as well as video games and—wait for it—designing credits sequences). Miller manages the film’s set pieces with goofy élan, and even coaxes a surprisingly effective performance out of Reynolds, who (as Deadpool) is forced to emote with a spandex mask covering his face.

Deadpool Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Deadpool is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Shot digitally with the Arri Alexa XT Plus, Deadpool was (according to the IMDb) caputured at 3.4K and finished at 4K for its DI, so it will be really interesting to see what Deadpool 4K will look like (I'll have a review up for that as soon as product has arrived). The Blu-ray looks fantastic virtually every step of the way, and one of the clearest indications of its level of detail and resolution is in Deadpool's suit itself. This is one superhero outfit that has seen some wear and tear, and everything from the rubbery texture of the spandex to its smudges, fraying and other signs of intense use are put on regular display. While there is a bit of coolness to some of the color grading being utilized, on the whole Deadpool boasts a relatively natural looking palette, and that helps makes elements like the Deadpool costume's weathered red pop quite convincingly. Occasional FX shots aren't overly sharp looking (see screenshots 2 and 9) and I was frankly a little underwhelmed with the CGI Colossus (see screenshot 8), especially with regard to lip movements matching dialogue. On the other hand, the character's steely surface is impeccably rendered in some close-ups and provides a nice comedic sequence when Deadpool tries to fight with him. A few interior scenes are just slightly murky looking, though shadow detail remains commendably high throughout most of the presentation. Some of the green screen backgrounds can look (typically) soft, especially in wide shots. Finally, there are no issues with image instability and no hurdles to overcome with regard to compression anomalies.

Deadpool Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Deadpool features an extremely aggressive DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track which is a riot of surround activity and some very forceful LFE. Things get off to a fantastic start with a fight on the freeway, one which offers everything from excellent panning effects as various vehicles meet their doom to some massive crash sounds and, later, more "subtle" effects like bones breaking and blades penetrating flesh. There's an overt hyperbolism to the sound design here that plays into the film's overall amped up intentions, and even relatively "quiet" scenes like some dialogue moments between Deadpool and Weasel in the bar offer a glut of background noises dotting the surrounds. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly, even in the long spells when Reynolds mouth is buried beneath spandex. Even though the film is often relentlessly noisy, prioritization is first rate and fidelity top notch throughout the audio presentation.

Deadpool Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted/Extended Scenes (1080p; 19:14) feature optional commentary by director Tim Miller.


• Gag Reel (1080p; 6:12)


• From Comics to Screen. . .to Screen (1080p; 1:20:00) is a set of five interesting and at times intentionally comical featurettes that cover a wide range of subjects, including backstory and special effects.


• Audio Commentaries

  "Wade"/"Deadpool"/Producer Ryan Reynolds and Screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

  Director Tim Miller and Deadpool Co-Creator/Comics Artist Rob Liefeld

• Gallery

  Concept Art

  Freeway (1080p; 00:20)

  X-Mansion Hangar (1080p; 00:20)

  Workshop (1080p; 00:55)

  Shipyard (1080p; 00:35)

  Costumes

  Deadpool (1080p; 00:50)

  Ajax (1080p; 00:15)

  Colossus (1080p; 00:25)

  Negasonic Teenage Warhead (1080p; 00:15)

  Angel Dust (1080p; 00:15)

  Storyboards

  Freeway (1080p; 16:56)

  En Route to Shipyard (1080p; 3:50)

  Shipyard - Mercenary Fight (1080p; 22:11)

  Shipyard - Aftermath (1080p; 11:00)

  Pre-Vis (1080p; 7:08)

  
  

  Stunt-Vis Shipyard (1080i; 2:03)

• Deadpool's Fun Sack

  Videos (1080p; 23:54) features things like Mario Lopez interviewing Ryan Reynolds.

  Stills (1080p; 00:40)

Note: First of all, major kudos to Fox for finally offering a Blu-ray that boots right to the Main Menu instead of forcing the viewer to either watch or skip a litany of previews (this "new" gambit is also commendably how Joy boots). However, the authoring of the supplements is pretty clunky, especially with regard to the many galleries, which need to be accessed separately instead of having a Play All option. All of the many galleries feature both Auto Advance and Manual Advance options. The timings are for the Auto Advance options.

Deadpool Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Those who prefer their superheroes movies on the portentous side may want to stick with the efforts of folks like Zach Snyder, but for those who have yearned for a Pirandello-esque smartass (and who amongst us hasn't?), there's probably no finer example in contemporary film than Deadpool. When analyzed purely on the nuts and bolts of its story arc, it's true that Deadpool doesn't do anything "new", but that's part of the joke, and one which the film delivers expertly both through its skewed narrative style as well as its frequently akimbo tone. A lot of superhero flicks pile on the SFX wonderment and mythologizing to impeccable degrees, but they frequently miss one salient element that Deadpool has, well, dead right—it's fun. Technical merits are first rate, and Deadpool comes Highly recommended.