Rating: 2.5 of 5  

This shows me more what super hero movies have the potential to be and simultaneously what they never should be. Because action and special effects are easy, decent story is a bonus, any sort of character depth is astounding and applaudable. But this is one attempts thematic depth which is new and sort of exciting. Or, maybe it’s just so simply overt in it’s themes that they’re easier to see than others.

Super hero movies, like sci fi, should be able to explore existential ideas because in their absence from reality they are able to make intangible aspects of humanity tangible. Which is powerful. Granted, this isn’t a particularly poignant or powerful film, but it’s vying to be and it tries to actually say something worthwhile which is something the others haven’t even attempted.

And with all the vfx flash and sinister action it still deftly balances humor with the themes through an accessible, self-deprecating hero who isn’t caught up in the golly-gee-wonder of the whole thing like a buffoon. He’s able to be vulnerable and still be strong and courageous. I also like that in our society that is increasingly filled with boys who refuse to grow up, this is a fun story of a boy becoming a man which our society sorely needs.

I mean, don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of things wrong with this movie. I hated Blake Lively. I didn’t like her character and I didn’t like her performance and she didn’t have any chemistry with Ryan Reynolds. I took most of that out in the Character score along with the villain who I didn’t like very much because he was kind of gross. But I couldn’t make that a 1 the way I wanted to, because Ryan Reynolds character really was interesting and fun and well developed and totally a 3.75. So most of the credit of the Performance score is his.

And the writing is incredibly simplistic, lacking any sort of elegance that would match the thematic attempt. But I liked that they tried. And I liked what they were trying for so I gave them a little bump for that.

And the production values are all really low because it looks like a cheap movie. That’s rare for a summer blockbuster where normally the characters and performance and writing can be awful but at least it looks good. This one fails at so many things. But I like Ryan Reynolds and I really liked what they were attempting.

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