DEADPOOL is going to be shaking things up in the super-hero realm, and you’re going to be impressed…

About ten minutes into this unique, inventive, and ultimately very satisfying super-hero movie I was struck by a stunning revelation: Ryan Reynolds is FINALLY going to be a bona fide movie star. It is a well deserved achievement for what’s been an uphill slog that included surviving THE GREEN LANTERN, R.I.P.D., and navigating this comeback into the world of comic book franchises. He’s 75% of why this film works so well. And… damn he’s a doll.

“Deadpool” is the nickname for one “Wade Wilson”, former Special Ops–oh who cares? The long and the short of it all is that a forced genetic mutation turns Wade into the sexiest third degree burn victim in history with Herculean super-strength and quite the sense of humor to boot. Think Spiderman only hotter, wittier and with an ingeniously filthy mouth.

This brings me to my next point: DEADPOOL IS NOT A FAMILY MOVIE. It has an “R” rating for several good reasons. The violence is sleek and brutal plus there are more dick jokes than a Farrelly Brothers romp, not to mention an impressive number of oral sex references. You’ll have a lot of explaining to do for a pre-teen, believe me. This is not your comic-geek uncle’s X-MEN. The tone and wit are decidedly adult, which is one of the many refreshing things about the enterprise. There hasn’t been a successful super-hero film with quite this flavor before and I think it’s going to bring in a lot of repeat viewers in the same way THE AVENGER movies have managed to pull off.

From the fun opening credits you simply know the whole project is going to work. The director (Tim Miller) has done an amazing thing in that he’s created a film aimed at 20-30 year-old Marvel devotees but accessible to the masses–adult masses that is. The self-referential humor could have easily been a little too precious for its own good or slid into being camp. But, no, this is masterful direction that also brings the film in at a lean one hour and forty minutes. Perfection.

Now I know that it’s become trendy in some circles to hate on Ryan Reynolds in the same way that shade is recklessly thrown Anne Hathaway’s direction. I’ll say it again–this endeavor would not have worked nearly as well without Ryan’s omni-sexual, hunky, at times fey and joyful performance. And the body doesn’t hurt either. Cut him a break. So I say run out and see this, stay to the very end and, once again, really reconsider taking a kid under twelve, however mid-adolescents will love you for taking them.

(Loudinni specializes in movie reviews 500 words or less, sans spoilers.)