In a world that is becoming flooded with superhero movies, “Deadpool” throws a whole new type of character into the mix but undoubtedly hurts its own creativity by not taking as great of leaps as it could with its plot and villains.

Ryan Reynolds stars as Wade Wilson, a mercenary-for-hire with a wisecracking mouth.

Wilson discovers that he is terminally ill with cancer. Desperate to find a cure so that he can stay alive with the love of his life, Wilson puts his trust in, and disappears with a sketchy throw-away henchman in a suit who claims that he knows someone who can cure Wilson’s cancer.

Wilson finds out that the cure is not what he planned for and that the someone who could make him better is none other than the antagonist of the movie.

Without giving away too many plot details, the events of the cure is what transforms Wilson into the titular anti-hero, Deadpool.

During Wilson’s disappearance, his partner Vanessa is taken hostage, and it’s up to Deadpool to get her back.

It’s the standard enhanced-human superhero narrative that includes adjusting to his newfound transformation, rescuing the damsel in distress and getting revenge on the underdeveloped villain.

Luckily, “Deadpool” saves itself in more ways than not. It’s marketed as a superhero movie, but Deadpool’s not exactly what we think of as an actual superhero.  He’s a super anti-hero like no other. Deadpool spends much of his time cleverly weaving humor as he slaughters numerous bad guys, often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience while doing so.

The humor of “Deadpool” is excellent. Between jabs about Fox studios, jokes about Reynolds’ failed attempt as DC’s Green Lantern, and Deadpool’s one liners as he a slices a villain in two, the movie has it all.

“Deadpool” and its humor would not be nearly as strong without Reynolds in the titular role. Reynolds truly brings the “Merc with a Mouth” to life by channeling his inner Van Wilder, only this time with guns and swords.

Reynolds should also be commended on his physical performance whether it be under heavy prosthetics or inside of the beautifully crafted costume. The costume looks like it came straight off the page of a comic book. Reynolds performance is positively assisted by mild CGI work on Deadpool’s mask to allow the white eyes to show even more emotion.

Reynolds perfectly captures the Deadpool’s quirkiness through charm, flips, one-liner quips and, surprisingly, heart.

Throughout the film, f-bombs are dropped, buildings are blown up and villains are decapitated, but “Deadpool” somehow manages to retain its heart. Whether it’s the relationship between Wade Wilson and Vanessa, watching Wilson suffer through his cancer, or purely Reynolds’ charm, this movie makes you feel for Deadpool.

“Deadpool” also ties in and makes use of two lesser known characters from the X-MEN franchise – The metallic Russian mutant known as Colossus and the fiery mutant, Negasonic Teenage Warhead. Cool right? Deadpool thinks so too!

Surprisingly, this turned into a great way of introducing the audience to characters that, while interesting, may not have gotten much screen time in an X-MEN movie. While these characters may not have been necessary to progress the story, they do help balance Deadpool’s craziness and humor by trying to make a true superhero out of Wilson. Their presence also opens the door to more X-Men involvement in the future as well as some more salty one-liners directed at Professor X.

“Deadpool” is officially here, and he brought immense amount of blood and humor with him. While the plot and main villain could have been improved, Reynold’s portrayal of the character is spot on. With a sequel on the way, let’s hope that it’s not too long before we get to see the “Merc with a Mouth” back on the big screen.

Don’t forget, in true Marvel fashion, make sure you wait for the credits to finish rolling before you leave the theater.

Final Rating: 8/10

“Deadpool” opened last Friday, Feb. 12. More information about the movie and where to buy tickets can be found at: http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/deadpool.