‘Deadpool’ isn’t the first subversive superhero movie — here are four of the best
It hasn’t even opened in Singapore yet, but Deadpool is already getting rave reviews for its offbeat meta humour, no-holds-barred violence and just downright craziness. Even its marketing campaign has gotten high praise, capitalising on the wacky nature of its leading man.
There’s also talk that the Director’s Cut of the movie will be “even more raw”. But Deadpool is far from the first movie to subvert the superhero genre. Here are four superhero movies that completely confounded expectations.
1. The Incredibles (2004)
If Watchmen was the graphic novel that redefined superhero comics forever, The Incredibles arguably did the same for superhero movies. But it did it in a more fun, (much) less dark and really kinda adorable way.
Ostensibly the story of a retired superhero couple living in suburbia, it quickly turns into a deconstruction of superhero mythology. If “deconstruction” sounds like a really big word, just bear in mind that this movie is overwhelmingly FUN.
There are so many things to love about this movie, from Edna Mode’s “No capes!” admonition, to the baby sitter freaking out over baby Jack Jack, to the dinner scene where the family ends up using their powers to fight.
2. Kick-Ass (2010)
A hero without any actual powers who orders his costume online and becomes famous via social media? A teenage villain called The Motherf***er? An 11-year-old superheroine who makes liberal use of the C-word?
If Kick-Ass (based on the Mark Millar/John Romita Jr comic) had come out in the 60s, it would have given censors a heart attack, then been promptly banned. But modern audiences got the joke, and it became a critically lauded parody of the superhero genre and modern-day pop culture.
Plus, Nicolas Cage has rarely been better as one Big Daddy a.k.a. a Batman and Adam West spoof, all rolled into one.
3. Mystery Men (1999)
A commercial flop, Mystery Men was probably years ahead of its time. It’s the story of a group of inept superheros in Champion City, led by Mr Furious (Ben Stiller), The Shoveler (William H. Macy) and The Blue Raja (Hank Azaria).
Just consider their powers. The Bowler (Janeane Garofalo) has a magic bowling ball. The Blue Raja fights with forks and spoons. While Mr Furious gets, well, really angry. And just check out the name of the bad guy: Casanova Frankenstein, played by Oscar-winner Geoffrey Rush, who’s having the time of his life.
4. Unbreakable (2000)
Security guard David Dunn’s (Bruce Willis) promising football career was ruined by a car accident — or was it? It turns out he has special powers that he’s been hiding his whole life, and Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson) is determined to put him on the path to heroism.
Other than the stellar performances from Willis and Jackson and the sometimes unbearable tension, there’s more than a few nudge-nudge-wink-wink moments. Price draws his inspiration from real-life comic books and even divines Dunn’s weakness through the same medium. Then it all ends with THAT TWIST.
Gillian Ang is the co-founder of Geek Crusade, a pop-culture news website dedicated to tracking all your favorite TV Shows and movies from rumour to screen. #Jointhecrusade for up to date fandom news for Sherlock, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Marvel and DC movies and many, many more. Tweets go out at @geekcrusade. The views expressed are her own.
