The opening credits of “Deadpool” begin with the words “Some Douchebag’s Film.” Maybe it was because of this self-deprecation that overseas audiences found the film refreshing. Especially since in another recent superhero blockbuster, a billionaire vigilante pontificates on morality using the “one percent doctrine” as an example, while an omnipotent alien looks dour and hopeless when he is unable to save everyone from a bombing.
“Deadpool,” directed by newcomer “douchebag” Tim Miller and starring Ryan Reynolds, was in development for more than a decade before finally making it to theaters (the film opens in Japan on June 1.) In hindsight, those years must seem like a godsend for those involved in the project. The superhero genre has gone through several changes in that time, and a large portion of the film works because of it.
Continue reading: https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2016/05/25/films/hollywood-takes-wisecracking-hero-seriously/