Deadpool & Wolverine: Silly and Surly & Larger Than Life

Rated R (Marvel Studios)

“You were always the wrong guy.”

If it pleases the court, let the record show that I’ve been reading and collecting Marvel comics for decades
and believe me when I say that I cannot stand the character of Deadpool. He is so divisive and so disruptive that his mere presence in a book utterly changes the entire tone of any story. His grating, fourth-wall-breaking, incessant quips and oily emotionally stunted ‘jokes’ are beyond annoying.

Admittedly, I prefer my superheroes to be high-minded, stoic and full of world-threatening Shakespearean gravitas whereas, if I pull a comic book off of a shelf and even see Deadpool in it? I immediately put it back. He’s just that kind of character. Even the tiniest bit of him goes a very long way.

That all said, I must state another thing I’m known for and that is I am not a hater. I always give credit where credit is due. And thus, when it comes to Deadpool and his movies? They are uncannily and faithfully executed, dead-on enjoyable and bodaciously spectacular experiences to be had.

Fanatical Followers

When the very title of this third installment was announced, fans went into an absolute frenzy because the respective bases of these characters are so maniacal. Just as folks love pairing the sweet with the savory, Deadpool (the deadly ‘mercenary with the mouth’) and Wolverine (‘the best at what he does’) together, the silly and the surly, are the perfect foil and complements for one another in this outrageously larger-than-life comic book fable.

And while I’m never, ever one to give away spoilers, I must say its first 10-15 minutes alone demands your full attention. Not only does this film go to extraordinary lengths to earn and even push the boundaries of its R-rating, you will be riveted with its ultra-gnarly, almost exhaustive, carnage-laced though irrefutably hilarious opening credits.

Boasting five writers (including director Shawn Levy), the script spools seemingly almost up-to-the-minute, dark, twisty, biting, one-liners, inside-jokes, snarky, rapid-fire and endlessly quotable lines.

Cream of the Crop

In many ways, this installment is the best of the current three movies. There are whole sections of shocking confrontations, over-the-top battles, elongated fight-scenes, chases, cameos and unbelievable surprises that keep this big budget juggernaut moving right along.

And left to their own auspices, where either hero could just sleepwalk and slash their way through any plot, smartly, this script gives us just enough give-and-take of both characters that it doesn’t overwhelm us with either one.

As it stands now, Deadpool & Wolverine is a super satisfying sequel that completes a damned-near perfect trifecta of fiery, fiendishly foolproof, unflinchingly fun, funky-fresh farce full of fanboy fanaticism and infamous foolishness. Whether you’re a diehard Wolverine Stan, a straight-up Deadpool disciple or simply a Marvel superhero aficionado or even an adrenaline-addicted, action adventure junkie, shockingly, this film delivers just about everything you could possibly want from a tale like this and even a little bit more.