What “Deadpool” and “John Wick” taught me
It Pays to Be Yourself
SPOILER ALERT (albeit I doubt it’s necessary), but one fact about myself is that I love movies. My penchant is impartial to any genre, as long as it presents a thrilling storyline and stunning visuals. I haven’t binged in a minute because of my hectic work schedule and several assignations. Also, and as most movie cognoscenties can attest, there are more disappointing rather than binge-worthy titles, as most nascent movies are either egregious reboots, monotonous reimaginations, or cringey readaptations.
However, as an avid Marvel fan and due to the ludicrous viral marketing and rave previews of the third Deadpool movie (thanks to the genius of Ryan Reynolds), I had to investigate the hype. Somehow, I found myself at the cinema, eating popcorn and barely tapping my phone throughout the runtime of the flick. Beyond the movie’s nostalgic aura, I was stupefied that the movie had all the quic quips, illustrious cameos, salacious language, and sanguinary fight scenes archetypal of a Deadpool movie, especially as Disney rarely endorses R-rated movies. At that moment, I realized why fans love Deadpool— the character is immutable.
The franchise veritably portrays what the character is — loud, hillarious, ruthless, morally flexible— no more, no less. Marvel Studios could have altered some of the character’s attributes and made the movie less violent and lewd, but that would probably continue the studio’s recent streak of unpalatable, predictable movies and TV shows. It probably wouldn’t become the second movie to cross the $1 billion threshold in 2024. But it was a box office hit, a comeback for Marvel, and placated the fans because the movie preserved the amoral, anti-heroic, and unconventional personality of the character.
This is akin to the John Wick character effortlessly portrayed by Keanu Reeves. Ordinarily, the simplistic premise and storyline shouldn’t work— a man loses his wife’s gift and his priceless car, causing him to embark on a murderous spree— seriously, who cares? But when you watch the movie, you realize it is beyond the storyline. Yes, the mild budget franchise may have incorporated an underworld of assassins and oaths taken “under the table,” but that does not desolate what the movie really is — a nail-biting, gun-fu action extravaganza, which paid in full at the box office, garnered critically acclaim and rejuvenated Reeves career as a leading man.
Most movies fail to break even at the box office because the plots are convoluted, the characters are underdeveloped, or encapsulate multiple genres into one screenplay. Sometimes, a movie includes nudity, sex scenes, and forceful romantic connections for reasons unknown to the viewers. A movie should be true to its purpose. Thrillers should have innovative suspense and intrigue that can keep us at the seat’s edge. An action movie should depict sterling stunts and fight sequences. Romantic flicks should be titanically love inspiring. Foremost, the story must be well written. Are we asking for too much?
The same precept applies to our everyday lives. It pays to be our true authentic selves. The effort to imitate others or pretend to be someone else for whatever reason (except acting or content creation) is stressful and tedious. As it is not who you are, it would always seem disingenuous. People aren’t so gullible. They see through the facade, the pretence, and may be unable to relate with you. Sometimes, what we portray has become so generic and distasteful that it evinces cheap imitation, a facsimile of the original. But being unique and different makes one special. It may take a long time to find an audience, but when you do, like how difficult it is to distinguish Reynolds from Deadpool, your legacy becomes distinguished and inimitable.
