Deadpool, breaking paradigms

Deadpool was a real shock to the system: a visceral, hyper-violent comic book blockbuster that dares to break convention with glee.

Ryan Reynolds steps into the shoes of the "Merc with a Mouth" with a gleefully anarchic energy, imbuing the character with wit, pathos and genuine flair for action amidst the carnage.

Directors Tim Miller and David Leitch orchestrate outrageously stylised mayhem with wit and heart, from the slow-motion bullets to the blatant breaking of the fourth wall. It visually rewards as well as shatters expectations.

More than just a gore-fest, Deadpool satirises genre tropes while bringing deeper nuances of a lonely anti-hero who craves human affection. Morello and Stone's soundtrack infuses urgency into the romantic subplots.

Challenging audiences to care about a villain with verve, Deadpool expanded the superhero paradigm.

Its outlaw spirit and $783 million worldwide gross, based on a $58 million budget, proved that daring stories can thrill crowds around the world on the highest scale.

A truly subversive box office revolution, it raised the bar for both R-rated comic book adaptations and box office pipe dreams. Deadpool turned all notions of what mainstream cinema could be upside down.

It was overlooked by the Oscars, probably for fear of its hyperviolence and ham-fisted humour.

The Golden Globes also snubbed it, failing to recognise its achievements in redefining the genre.

It proved that R-rated comedy films with heart could be a mainstream event.

Reynolds even won an MTV award for best fight, proving that audiences appreciate his style.