How Can Deadpool Be Viewed as A Postmodern Film? by Max Sunnar

Postmodern media rejects the idea that any media product is of greater value than another. All judgements of value are merely individual taste. They can be self-referential, with complete knowledge of the modern that has been surpassed by a new age. This is opposing to modernism, which is concerned with the contemporary or modern, interested in innovation and moving forward. Deadpool (2016) directed by Tim Miller is an example of a postmodern text.

Deadpool’s plot consists of a mercenary named Wade Wilson who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He takes part in an experimental procedure to cure him and it leaves him disfigured, cured and immortal. Deadpool is on a mission to get revenge and save his girl from the man who ruined his face. Deadpool is clearly a postmodern film. It breaks the forth wall consistently and constantly mocks real life events, people and existing media products. The movie has a self-aware non-linear narrative which flashes between the past and present day until the audience is caught up with the story. It uses a number of various types of intertextual references including bricolage, homage, pastiche and but parodying existing media products.

Bricolage is the mash up of different existing media products. This intertextuality is ever-present throughout Deadpool and shows a number of intertextual references in the form of bricolage.  In the first few minutes of the movie we see Hello Kitty lip balm flying through the air as well as Deadpool wearing an Adventure Time watch under his suit.  Bricolage is also used in Deadpool through referencing a number of different well known movies. For example, the comparison made between Negasonic and Ripley from Alien 3. Also, the film uses the example of the movie 127 Hours to compare it to Deadpool cutting of his hand. The clothing of Ajax and Angel’s crew has similarities to the crew of Blade 2 and Weasel mentions this by mocking them; ‘Have fun at your midnight screening of Blade 2’. Deadpool also compares his relationship with Blind Al to Batman and Robin.

Homage is when an existing media product is used sincerely and respectfully into a new media product. There are many times in which this is done in Deadpool. Most notable is the end credit scene which pays homage to the end credit scene of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986). This scene plays with the fact that the viewers have stayed through the credits even though the film has ended. In Deadpool, similar mise-en-scene and dialogue is used, such as “You're still here? It's over. Go home!”, along with addition dialogue which teases the film’s sequel. Deadpool brings this up with dialogue like “Oh, you're expecting a teaser for Deadpool 2. Well, we don't have that kind of money. What are you expecting, Sam Jackson show up with an eyepatch and a saucy little leather number? Go, go”. Musical Duo Wham! is also paid homage to significantly in the movie. There song Careless Whisper is included as the outro song of the movie and it is used to link the love between characters Wade and Vanessa. Deadpool also pays homage to its source material in the comics. For example, snippets of different issues are used through the movie such as at the beginning where Wade deals with the stalker by ordering pizza to lure him to his location. It is also clear that Deadpool took a large amount of inspiration from other superhero movies. For example, the montage sequence when Wade creates his suit has visual similarities to montage sequences used in Spider-Man (2002), The Amazing Spiderman (2012), Batman Begins (2005) and Kick-Ass (2010). This is clearly homage to the genre of superhero movies.

Pastiche is the imitation of existing media products. This is present a number of times during Deadpool. For example, Deadpool mimics the amputation scene of 127 Hours by cutting his hand off. Before doing this he says ‘Ever seen 127 Hours? Spoiler Alert!’. This makes it clear he is imitation the particular scene.  A number of superhero movies have slow motion shots of a group walking towards the camera, for example in Avengers Assemble and the Blade Trilogy. This is imitated in the third act with Deadpool, Colossus and Negasonic. It is also clear that Deadpool imitates the montage sequence when superheroes create their suit. Such as in Spider-Man (2002), The Amazing Spiderman (2012), Batman Begins (2005) and Kick-Ass (2010). This is clear imitation to the genre of superhero movies.

A Parody consists of a media product making fun of pre-existing media products. This is one of the strongest forms of intertextuality which occurs throughout Deadpool. This immediately apparent in the opening credits where the film resorts to making fun of each and every person involved. For example, the star Ryan Reynolds is referred to as ‘God’s Perfect Idiot’, the director Tim Miller is referred to as a ‘Overpaid Tool’, the producers are called ‘Asshats’ and the writers are called ‘the real heroes here’. It is immediately clear, a minute into the film that it is not taking itself seriously.

 Along with these credit are visual parodies including a card in a henchman’s wallet that resembles DC Comic Character Green Lantern. This is a parody which takes a dig at a previous Ryan Reynolds role where he played a character from the rival of Marvel. The movie was a flop and disappointed fans. Later in the movie Reynolds’ character makes another comment about his role in Green Lantern asking not to making his superhero suit ‘Green. Or Animated!’. Something Green Lantern was highly criticised for. These references to Green Lantern break the fourth wall of the Marvel Universe as well as make it clear to the audience that Deadpool is self-aware of other media products.

Another previous Reynolds role which was mocked was his first time playing Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Fans were outraged by the inaccurate depiction of Deadpool and how his mouth was sewn shut. The fourth wall was broken to take a dig at the movie when Ajax threatens to sew Wade’s lips shut, in reply he says ‘Oh I would do that if I was you’ making an inside reference to the criticism that came with doing so in X-Men Origins.

Deadpool also mocks the studio 20^th Century Fox and the X-Men universe on multiple occasions. For example, there is dialogue in the third act when Deadpool visits X-Manor where he finds it is completely empty besides Colossus and Negasonic. Immediately, the script pokes fun at how they were given a small budget and therefore couldn’t pay for higher profile X-Men such as Professor X, saying ‘it’s a big house, it’s funny that I only see two of you. It’s almost like the studio couldn’t afford another X-Man’. The low budget is brought up again during the end credit scene when Deadpool says they can’t tease a sequel as “we don't have that kind of money”. This is ironic because the X-Mansion is usually filled will mutants.

 When Colossus captures Deadpool he says that he is going to take him to Professor X. In response Deadpool say ‘McAvoy or Stewart? These timelines are so confusing.’ This is in address to the timeline of the X-Men universe which has several duel castings for past and present times which has been confusing to many viewers.  

Deadpool also mocks movies which are outside of the superhero sub-genre. For example, a comparison is made between Negasonic and Ripley from Alien 3, due to the distinctive short hairstyle they both have. In addition, he also makes a reference to the Taken Movie Trilogy:

“I had another Liam Neeson nightmare. I kidnapped his daughter and he just wasn't having it. They made three of those movies. At some point, you have to wonder if he's just a bad parent.” This piece of dialogue simply agrees with what moviegoers think of the movies. It has little effect on the movie’s plot and is used for comedic purposes.  

For as successful as Deadpool was as a Postmodern film, there are many criticisms of Postmodernism. For instance, many believe that a postmodern film like Deadpool should not even be considered a film and feel that it is just a mash up of pre-existing ideas and jokes based on society and the superhero genre. Theorist Jameson sees Postmodernism as nothing but a series of self-referential ‘jokes. He sees literacy and culture output as far more purposeful.

Postmodernism seems to appeal very much to modern society and so it is clear that it has a future in films yet to come. Personally, I feel that Hollywood has learnt from the success of Deadpool and how it was able to connect to the audience. Therefore, I feel that in the future we will see more films like Deadpool that break these walls that usually separate the world of the movie and the world the audience is in.  What I feel is become more advanced is CGI. It has become more and more advanced to the point that it looks extremely close to lifelike. It has also been recently used to bring back the dead such as in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story where Peter Cushing’s character Tarkin was bought back, after his death in 1994.