Nathaniel Nelson / Winonan

Marvel’s latest film, “Deadpool” kicks off with one of the most gleefully self-deprecating and certifiably bonkers opening sequences in the history of cinema. Right from the get-go, “Deadpool” makes sure to let everyone know that it is not your typical superhero movie. Instead, it is a raucous, offensive, bloody romp that wears its R-rating like a badge of honor.

“Deadpool” follows Wade Wilson, a former military man turned mercenary, as he earns his beer money by protecting teenage girls from stalkers. After collapsing in front of his stripper girlfriend Vanessa (“Gotham’s” Morena Baccarin), it is revealed he is dying of cancer. As a last ditch effort, he agrees to join Weapon X to cure his cancer and turn him into a superhero. After immense torture by Ajax (Ed Skrien), his cancer is cured and he gains incredible regenerative powers, but he is scarred to the point that makes Freddie Krueger look like a male model. He then sets out to kick Ajax’s sorry ass and get his good looks back.

“Deadpool” stars Ryan Reynolds in his second chance as the titular Merc with a Mouth. This time, unlike the god-awful train wreck that was “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, Reynolds channels the self-referential fourth wall breaking nature of Deadpool with incredible tact. The gleeful insanity ever so present in today’s Deadpool comics comes through in everything from his actions to his crude humor.

In the comic book world, Deadpool is completely aware of the fact that he is a fictional character. In the film, this transfers to Deadpool talking directly to the audience, as well as references to everything from Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart, and even the film’s own lack of a budget for X-Men characters.

As for the supporting cast, T.J. Miller of Silicon Valley fame brings his “A” game to the film as Deadpool’s closest ally, Weasel, and delivers some of the funniest lines of the entire film. The real standout is Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead. A character of the moody millennial, she gives way to some hilarious quips from Deadpool, and ends up being a total badass in her own right.

The humor is perhaps the most surprising success in “Deadpool.” As we have seen in other violent hero send-ups like “Kick-Ass,” overzealous humor can hurt the pacing of an action flick. In “Deadpool,” the jokes come fast and hard, teetering on the edge of shattering the structure to the ground, but somehow everything works. The script by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick is masterful, leaving enough space for viewers to react and feel emotionally for the characters before another joke is thrown at them. In a good way.

The film is not without its faults. “Deadpool” continues the classic Marvel flaw of having terribly underdeveloped and boring villains. Skrien’s Ajax has a few choice lines, but for the most part, he acts a rudimentary foil for the plot and serves no other purpose than to give Deadpool something to stab. Gina Carano’s Angel Dust tends to be a bit more menacing but even she needed a bit more development. In addition, the CGI for Colossus is fairly unconvincing.

All things considered, “Deadpool” is a massive success for 20th Century Fox. The humor is on point, characters are perfectly cast and the over-the-top violence is refreshing in today’s childproof cape-film laden world. While I wish they paid more attention to the villains, it’s the character of Deadpool who needed to be perfect. “Deadpool” is the X-Men spinoff that fans have dreamed of getting for years.

Let’s just hope they can pull off the sequel.