From lines like, “Time to make the chimi-fucking-changas!” to masturbation references, Deadpool is definitely not a typical superhero movie.  

The movie follows Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds), an ex-special forces operative turned mercenary, who is diagnosed with cancer. In order to stay with his girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), Wilson agrees to subject himself to an experimental cancer treatment.

The movie’s villain, Ajax (Ed Skrein), conducts the treatment but uses it as an opportunity to torture Wilson. His cancer is eventually cured, but he is left horribly scarred.  

However, the gene-altering treatment also endows Wilson with self-healing abilities and immortality.

The rest of the movie follows Wilson as he becomes the anti-hero Deadpool on a revenge mission to get Ajax to cure his disfigured face and body so he can return to Vanessa without fear of rejection.

Both Wilson’s best friend Weasel (T.J. Miller) and his roommate Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) are along for the ride as they try to help him in any way possible.  

The movie’s violence maintains the film’s fast pace but is sometimes gratuitous.

The biggest surprise comes when Wilson breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the audience. That’s right, Reynold’s character not only acknowledges the audience, but is aware he is in a movie.  

This technique is used throughout the film to play up Reynolds’ character’s naturally quick wit and sharp tongue.  

The movie shines as a superhero movie, particularly in comparison with its contemporaries. Critics like Justin Chang of Variety praised the film for being a successful representation of one of Marvel’s classic stories.

“This cheerfully demented origin story is many, many cuts above ‘Green Lantern,’ and as a sly demolition job on the superhero movie, it sure as hell beats ‘Kick-Ass,’” Chang wrote.

It has distinguished itself in many ways and will serve as a benchmark not only for action films but superhero blockbusters as well.