Deadpool and Wolverine director Shawn Levy and star/co-writer/producer Ryan Reynolds have repeatedly claimed that Marvel Studios basically gave them carte blanche to make the movie they wanted to make, with nothing - and nobody - off limits for reference, parody, and outright ridicule. Even after the first trailer was released and pegging entered the MCU lexicon, fans wondered how far a Disney-branded project would really be able to take the R-rated mayhem before encountering some pushback.
Studio execs may well have brought the red marker out for certain things (Kevin Feige was said to be a bit apprehensive about drug use - although "Devil's Dandruff" gets more mentions than Scarface), but you'd never know it, because Deadpool and Wolverine is without a doubt the most irreverent, vulgar, violent, and gleefully gonzo superhero movie you're ever likely to see.
If you're familiar with the first two Deadpool movies you'll have a pretty good idea of what's in store, but there definitely seems to have been a concerted effort to dial everything up to 11 for the Merc With a Mouth's MCU debut, with a constant stream of in-jokes, nods, winks, and meta fourth wall-breaking. If a few gags or one-liners fail to land, it's only because we're being pelted with so many, and it's a testament to how clever the writing is (it's not all dick jokes) that most hit the mark.
Humor is completely subjective, of course, but if you're already dialled in to Wade Wilson's shtick, this might honestly go down as the funniest comic book movie ever made. If you're not on board with Mr. Pool's brand of comedy, this threequel isn't going to make any converts, and some critics have called the movie out for its overreliance on pandering, nostalgia, fan-service and gratuitous cameos - even though this really is missing the entire point.
This is not to say that Deadpool and Wolverine (or any movie) is or should be immune from criticism, but having a main character that takes the piss out of his own film - during the film - does allow for a certain amount of having and eating of one's cake. Too much exposition? Wade did warn us that there would be at the start. Run-time starting to drag a little? A quick fourth wall-break to let the audience know that "we're in the home stretch" should take care of it.
Reynolds can play this character in his sleep at this stage, but that doesn't mean he rests on his laurels, delivering arguably his best performance as the now washed-up former mercenary. After failing to make the Avengers roster, Wade finds himself working as a car salesman. Still surrounded by friends and his now ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), Wilson has convinced himself that he's content, but still believes that he's meant for more.
Wade gets the chance to prove himself when the TVA comes calling, joining forces with a grouchier than ever Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) Variant in an attempt to prevent his universe from being destroyed. Banished to The Void - the Mad Max-inspired wasteland from the Loki Disney+ series - the pair soon encounter the evil (though her villainous motivations are a bit murky) Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) and a lot of Multiverse Variants.
Yes, the movie features quite a few appearances from various Marvel characters (some you'll know about, some have been rumored, others will likely be a complete surprise), but Deadpool and Wolverine is not the "cameo fest" some fans were concerned about, and the heroes and villains that show up make sense for this story. Most of them also make a significant impact thanks to a terrific third act showdown against Nova's forces.
The real draw, though, is the dynamic between the title characters, and it is easy to imagine that the sheer volume of carnage on display could become a tad tiresome after a while if it wasn't for their interplay. It's the standard buddy movie relationship in many ways, but it takes longer for these guys to warm to each other than you might expect, and they engage in a couple of brutal, bloody battles beforehand.
We've met a broken, hopeless Wolverine in Logan, but he's never been this angry and downright mean (that berserker rage is on full display), and while Reynolds does have his share of heartfelt scenes, Jackman does most of the dramatic heavy lifting. Certain moments do strike an emotional chord, though there is an argument to be made that some of these sequences could have been given a little more time to resonate before the next barrage of jokes.
Though mileage may vary for the uninitiated or even more casual CBM fans, Deadpool and Wolverine is a demented delight. Go in knowing what to expect and you're in for one of the most relentlessly entertaining superhero movies in quite some time.
“Marvel Studios presents their most significant mistake to date - Deadpool & Wolverine," reads the new synopsis. "A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctantlier... reluctanter? Reluctantest? He must convince a reluctant Wolverine to - F*ck. Synopses are so f*cking stupid.”
In addition to Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in the title roles, Deadpool and Wolverine will see Morena Baccarin (Vanessa), Leslie Uggams (Blind Al), Rob Delaney (Peter), Brianna Hildebrand (Negasonic Teenage Warhead) And Shioli Kutsuna (Yukio) return as their respective characters, and they'll be joined by franchise newcomers Emma Corrin (The Crown) and Matthew Macfadyen (Succession), who will play a TV agent and Charles Xavier's evil counterpart, Cassandra Nova.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool and Wolverine from a script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells.
The movie is set to open in U.S. & Canadian theaters on July 26, and will be available in IMAX, RealD 3D, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, Cinemark XD and premium screens everywhere. Will you be checking out Deadpool and Wolverine opening weekend? Let us know in the comments section.