Ryan Reynolds is one of the funniest leading men in Hollywood, but there are a few reasons his action movies edge out his comedies. From Deadpool to Free Guy, Reynolds has topped the box office and captivated audiences with a string of hit movies and fan-favorite roles. He's become a screen icon, but his outright comedies never quite live up to his action epics.
For years, Ryan Reynolds has been a celebrated comedic performer, first gaining notoriety in National Lampoon's Van Wilder. He went on to appear in several romantic comedies, including Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, and The Change-Up. However, recent years have seen him shift almost entirely to action movies. Despite a history of widely-acclaimed roles in comedies, his best turns have all combined his signature mouthy charm with a boatload of death-defying action. But if he's capable of winning over audiences in either context, why do Ryan Reynolds's superhero blockbusters consistently outshine his comedy antics?
Despite his undeniable comedic chops, Reynolds is just too good at delivering big-screen action while also being funny. This combination of action and comedy forms a niche that isn't being filled by another actor at the moment. When it comes to excellent comedic actors, Ryan Reynolds is one of many. That list gets a whole lot shorter if you're looking for someone who can convincingly pull off an entire movie's worth of heart-pounding action between laughs. It's a unique combination that audiences crave and one that he is singularly well-suited to deliver.
Despite an infamous false start with Green Lantern, Reynolds went on to portray one of this generation's most iconic superheroes. His starring role in Deadpool shows off everything special about his talents as an actor. Reynolds's signature smarm lights up the screen, punctuating every bit of action with a well-placed quip. There's a lot of competition when it comes to comedic leading men, but there's no one else with his particular blend of jokey heroics. The most recent entry in his action-comedy canon, Free Guy, perfectly exemplifies his particular niche. It's a pattern he looks to continue with his upcoming role in Red Notice, playing a wisecracking art thief opposite Dwayne Johnson and Gal Gadot. All of his major action roles are like this, employing both his leading-man charm and trademark wit to play off the action, keeping things light and fun.
Reynolds has been no slouch in the comedy department. There's even an iconic Ryan Reynolds GIF from his role in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Whether playing a sardonic waiter in Waiting... or a record producer in Just Friends, he's always a crowd favorite. He's likable and charming, but within the context of comedy as a whole, those films just don't pop the way his action movies do. Adventureland is a likable indie, but his performance isn't memorable in the same way. They're good comedies, but they feel more like hidden gems or honorable mentions rather than movies that help shape a genre.
One of Hollywood's greatest box office epiphanies was the realization that audiences want their action movies funny. From Blade: Trinity to The Hitman's Bodyguard, Ryan Reynolds is just the leading man to fill that niche. Ultimately it's not that Ryan Reynolds' comedies are worse; it's that his action movies mix in just the right amount of humor to hit the cinematic sweet spot.