Deadpool - Movie Review

Deadpool is a superhero movie based off the popular character of the same name, the character’s popularity comes from him being an crazy assassin who breaks the 4^th wall, quips and has random jokes induced all over him.

Deadpool is played by Ryan Reynolds, who as the mercenary with a heart of gold falls in deep love to a hooker with the heart of gold, Vanessa. (Played by Morena Baccarin)

The chemistry between Reynolds and Baccarin is so genuine, that it truly embraces the romantic comedy aspect of it all, which therefore makes this one badass romantic comedy with heavy amount of vulgarity and brutality mixed together in it.

The three biggest heroes the movie has are firstly, the writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. Adapting Joe Kelly’s Deadpool comic series and making their own spin at it.

 The 3^rd hero is the editor Julian Clarke. Without Clarke’s cutting and editing of this movie, it really wouldn’t have worked the same way, because the balance between action, drama and comedy is quite near perfectly tuned for a 2 hour joyride.

The movie is a directorial debut of visual effects specialist Tim Miller. The action sequences are a mix of sword fights and gun shootouts, the highlight of both being the vulgar grotesqueness of the slices and bullet wounds.

It aims to show this brutal spectacle instead of impressing the audience with high-octane action choreography, one which presumably can be faulted on the movie’s budget and time constraints. Still, it is disappointing for not having a sequence of well-choreographed action between actors where the action is centre framed. 

Instead we’re left with multiple shots put together to create “excitement” as actors are replaced by a CGI motion, and continued by a short lived choreographed display until the next CGI move occurs. It doesn’t fill you with a sense of excitement or tension, which quite essentially makes the action just flat out pointless, but at least it is funny to look at. 

It’s definitely exciting to hear Deadpool is breaking records globally, because we need a variety of different kind of superhero movies for everyone. I look forward to the sequel, as with a bigger budget it can have a longer shooting time, better spectacle and action choreography.

Deadpool is a highly recommended superhero movie on par with movies like Kick-Ass and Blade, just flat-out balls to the wall fun.

The Hateful Eight – Movie Review

Tarantino’s latest movie isn’t on the “epic” scale of the French and Jews murdering Nazis, nor is it the valiant knight Django saving Broomhilda from the Dragon in hellfire. No, we’re going back to basics! To the Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction-era of Tarantino.

   

The movie begins with wide shots of the snowy mountains, forests and a wooden carving of crucified Jesus Christ covered in snow… and then! Ennio Morricone’s composed soundtrack  for the Hateful Eight begins, kicking off the Snow Western in gear.

It’s the post-civil-war America and what happens when you put 8 strangers: Joh Ruth the Hangman (Played by Kurt Russell), Major Marquis Warren the Bounty Hunter (played by Samuel L. Jackson), Chris Mannix the Sheriff (played by Walton Goggins), Daisy Domergue the Prisoner (played by Jennifer Jason Leigh), a Little British man, a Mexican, the Cow Puncher and a Confederate General in the same room with guns for a hellish blizzard night? You’re going to have some dead bodies rolling over!

Samuel L. Jackson steals the whole show alongside Walton Goggins, they receive the best snippets of dialogue, character exchanges and the jokes, but holy shit does Jennifer Jason Leigh transform into a monster through the movie, she is the nastiest vile bitch I’ve seen in a long while when it comes to horror.

Before continuing, I’m now giving a spoiler warning. I will now discuss about the characters, the plot and the themes the movie is trying to invoke with the audience. I do not wish for anyone to spoil themselves of the movie or have any prejudices when seeing the Hateful Eight.

John Ruth is an advocate of civil liberties and opposes slavery, but has never talked to any African American before meeting with Marquis; and even still only shows respect to him, because he is pen pals with Abraham Lincoln.

Whereas the Southern Sheriff Chris Mannix, a once high ranking member of the Mannix Marauders, who we could identify as sort of pre-KKK organization. Slaughtered a fair share of African American slaves, reassures he only fought in the far because the North demanded too much from their Southern brothers.

Even the Warren himself, brags proudly how he joined the military just to murder white people, regardless of their faction on the cause.

Then we have Daisy Domergue, who is race is hating criminal with no moral compass, but she is the most honest of them all. She isn’t hiding behind anything political or higher moral, she is just out there for herself and is willing to kill everyone who steps on her way.

The main gist of the movie, the very core and heart of the movie is, how we have separated ourselves by race and politics; while we should strive for the dreams and idealisms we’re constantly yanking all about. 

That is why the reveal of the Lincoln letter that Marquis possesses is so important to the movie, you just want to keep hear reading it.

I have seen Hateful Eight twice by now and would like to see it again, because the ideas the movie invokes just engages for conversation more than those Academy award begging flicks.