Funny, inappropriate, and full of gory action, Deadpool & Wolverine is the jolt the MCU needs right now: a self-aware slap on the fucking ass. Its ridiculousness masks some shortcomings, but it’s hard to picture any fans giving a damn about flaws when there are a thousand cameos, Easter eggs, and self-deprecating jokes to distract aplenty. Hey that rhymes.
Your love of this new Deadpool movie will rely heavily on your appreciation for Deadpool and the real-life embodiment of the Mercenary with a Mouth, Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds can be funny, yes, but he can also be irritating, and he tiptoes that line throughout this movie’s two hour running time. An angry, bitter, drunk, and ruthless Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) serves as the straight man of the duo, voicing his disgust at the clever stupidity Deadpool spouts from his masked lips. There are times I just wanted Deadpool to shut the fuck up, and this angry, bitter, drink, and ruthless Wolverine is there to say just that.
The duo make for a good odd couple of a team, one in which sparks fly and blood splatters as they go at one another. The story isn’t particularly memorable, but Reynolds’ and Jackman’s chemistry is formidable.
The script helps too. While no Oscar winner, the dialogue is packed with knife-twisting quips and jabs. Between the violence and the R-rates humor, any concern that Disney was going to dilute the character proves to be wasted.
Though the story may be unremarkable and many characters who I won’t mention here for the sake of spoilers underutilized, director Shawn Levy brings to screen a formidable and compelling (if still underdeveloped and underused) villain in the form of Cassandra Nova. Emma Corrin plays her with devilish amusement.
There are stretches that I found tedious. While the movie makes a valiant attempt at being heartfelt, Deadpool & Wolverine begins to feel long in the tooth when it forgets to be funny. As good as some of the action is, its hook is the irreverent humor—and when that humor is lacking, it’s a problem.
But who really cares? The fans are going to fucking love this movie. The character cameos and Easter eggs are impressive in quantity and at times quality, and I’m sure half of them went over my head. Levy, Reynolds and crew hold little back with quips about the sordid state of the MCU, Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox, and more. Even if the movie at times feels more like a parade of past characters, the feat is no less impressive.
Deadpool & Wolverine may not be the greatest slice of white bread this side of the Mississippi, but its earnest desire to simultaneously be just that while also not giving zero fucks goes a long way. This is exactly the movie it promises to be.
Bonus: I also loved the Fox X-Men Universe montage at the end. What a send-off!
Review by Erik Samdahl unless otherwise indicated.