‘DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’ an Orgiastic Barrage of Jokes and Violence That May Win You Over With Sheer X-Force

Reviewing Deadpool & Wolverine is about as useful as tits on a duck-billed platypus. After two movies featuring the foul-mouthed merc, played with childlike glee by Ryan Reynolds, indulging in cartoonish violence, 13-year-old-approved potty humor, and gratuitous fourth-wall-breaking meta commentary, viewers have already decided if this slice of the intersectional superhero universe gets them going or not. If Deadpool is already your thing, Deadpool & Wolverine will likely be a phantasmagoric cinematic aphrodisiac, blissfully reveling in the filth and frenetic energy of this profane property, servicing the fans like a truck stop hooker on twofer Fridays. Though many were (rightfully) concerned that the ribald comedy, facetious tone, and hard-R nature would stifle under the transition to the censorial Disney, the Deadpool of yore has been well preserved. However, the resources afforded to Shawn Levy’s $250M production have become near limitless. This, folks, is maximalist Deadpool, with all the resources of an Avengers team-up tentpole but the same old shameless shtick.

Those who find Deadpool’s exhaustive battering ram of dick jokes, irreverent pop culture commentary, and full-on Ryan Reynold mugging migraine-inducing may find this the most insufferable Deadpool entry yet. Make no mistake, despite the second part of the feature’s moniker, Deadpool & Wolverine remains very much Deadpool’s movie, one that almost plays like the most expensive spoof movie ever made. Levy’s flick, co-written by a certifiable army of voices including Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Zeb Wells, Paul Wernick, and likely a few uncredited IP lawyers facetiously checking for infringement, constantly nods to real-world events, such as the Disney-Fox buyout that brought Deadpool into the MCU’s “Sacred Timeline,” mimics other pop culture properties, with the Mad Max franchise being a notable target, and generally skewers the current state of multiversal superheroics. Amidst Deadpool & Wolverine’s AR-15 of gags, quips, and wisecracks, there are some certifiable zingers. While the film’s over-the-top approach may be exhausting, it still delivers its fair share of full-throated belly laughs – even for those who consider themselves immune to its charms.

Detractors may rightfully claim that Deadpool & Wolverine is barely a movie—a series of expositional nonsense patched together with puerile humor and expensive cameos. They wouldn’t necessarily be wrong. On the flip side, Levy’s movie is the first in quite some time to understand the dictates of the Marvel Cinematic Universe throughout The Multiverse Saga: rallying the disparate troops from across various strands of supes and actually trying to have some fun with them. These monstrosities are supposed to be entertaining and, despite requiring a bit of MCU TV channel homework, Deadpool & Wolverine largely achieves that mission. Though, much like other modern superhero flicks, I can’t imagine wanting to watch it again.

The multiverse aspect continues to become more and more convoluted, and if you asked me to describe how Deadpool and Wolverine (the latter effectively killed off in 2017’s Logan) end up sharing a universe with the likes of the Avengers, I’m not sure I could mount a convincing explanation. But it doesn’t really matter. The hows and whys are largely overshadowed by the overarching mandate to embrace the chaos and pull as many dead-ended bits and bobs from nearly 30 years of onscreen Marvel characters back into the fray for one last dance—often to an absolutely ridiculous needle drop. The effect is like an Avengers island of misfit toys, where characters long forgotten (or existing only in the shadows of boardroom meetings and online speculation) are given the opportunity to return to the mothership for a proper sendoff. Much ado has been made about those already confirmed to return, but Levy’s flick has a blast reintroducing characters from all corners of comic cinema, and this review won’t stray into spoiler territory on that front. Suffice it to say, there are many familiar faces—a fact likely to either get audiences positively keyed up or overwhelmed by sheer cameo mania.

After his application to join The Avengers is summarily turned down, Wade Wilson (Reynolds) hangs up the Deadpool suit. Six years later, a rogue member of the TVA (Time Variance Authority), Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), informs Wade that following Logan’s death, his timeline is collapsing, as the Adamantium-lined antihero existentially anchored that entire section of reality. Paradox wants to speed up the process to exert control through the TVA’s bureaucratic body. He proposes moving Deadpool from his soon-to-be-pruned timeline to the universe where Captain America, Thor, and Iron Man reside. Instead, Deadpool decides to reclaim his mantle and go universe-jumping to find a still-living version of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) willing to help keep his timeline—and all his loved ones within it—intact. Thus begins a brutish road trip buddy movie splattered with CGI blood, making Deadpool & Wolverine the most garishly violent comic book film in this corner of the Fox/Marvel universe, previous Deadpools included. The invincible pair banter and butt heads through multiple timelines and recycled universes, hoping to discover purpose in their quest for multiversal salvation amid a mounting body count.

Reynolds returns in full snark mode, delivering a relentless stream of sexed-up, potty-mouthed commentary without missing a beat. Viewers’ appreciation of the film, like the entire franchise, will depend entirely on their appetite—or tolerance—for Reynolds’ finely-tuned man-child shtick. Jackman proves to be an able foil. While he isn’t the Logan we’ve previously encountered in the X-Men films, his performance channels the same feral bad-boy energy that has made Wolverine a mainstay in the superhero genre for 24 years. Jackman serves as a worthy counterpoint to Reynolds, embodying a quiet, brooding slurry of roid rage and regret. However, Deadpool & Wolverine fails to justify bringing the character back from the dead for anything beyond purely commercial ambitions.

I called the last Deadpool entry “obnoxiously funny in spite of being obnoxious,” and that holds true again. From start to finish, it’s loud, both literally and metaphorically—a garish, crotch-punch litmus test that will resonate with certain demographics while driving others up the wall. Although the first few exposition-heavy acts of Deadpool & Wolverine feel like a series of cameos and gags masquerading as a movie, the film ultimately finds its narrative footing, balancing its irreverence with an almost graceful acknowledgment of the end of an era, highlighted by an unexpectedly heartfelt mid-credits homage to the Fox run of superhero films. Although Deadpool & Wolverine may not meet the criteria of a traditionally “good” film, it embodies an entertainment value that transcends conventional cinematic standards – and can really only be achieved in these expansive multiversal monstrosities. Its irreverent humor and sandbox storytelling may not appeal to all, but these very qualities are likely to drive its international box office success and feed a rabid fanbase. The film’s ability to engage lies in its unabashed embrace of chaos and fun. For my part, despite recognizing its myriad flaws, I was mostly entertained by its deviant delights, losing myself in its anarchic charm, if only for its runtime.

CONCLUSION: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is a chaotic venture into the margins of the multiverse that delves into the entire spectrum of superhero history while unapologetically embracing its signature irreverent humor and over-the-top violence. Viewers’ mileage will depend entirely on how they have previously received what Deadpool is dishing up, though the unruly, rebellious, and explicit nature has been faithfully maintained in the transition to the Disney-run MCU.