There’s certainly no way to quantify this, but I’d be willing to bet there hasn’t been a more meta movie made than Shawn Levy’s “Deadpool & Wolverine.” However, I’m quite sure there’s never been a film made more distinctly in the name of fan service than this sure box-office winner, a work that bends over backwards to please its ardent followers. In doing so, it keeps those with a marginal interest in these superhero doings at arm’s distance, likely going so far as alienating some, what with its repetitious, abrasive nature.
But first, some background, much needed for the casual viewer, as references abound not only to the various characters and situations from the previous “Deadpool” movies, but also offscreen machinations that have opened up — for good or ill — myriad narrative opportunities and complications. When Disney bought 20th Century Fox, it acquired the rights to the Marvel characters that studio controlled. Thus, the X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool could be folded into the Mouse House’s previously purchased Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This couldn’t have come at a better time for Disney, as their Marvel movies have stalled at the box office and are in dire need of inspiration and reinvention. The prospect of having the Fantastic Four and the X-Men interact on screen with Iron Man, Thor, et. al, has had fans drooling in expectation, as these meetings have already occurred in comic books for decades.
There have been small nods to this happening in recent Marvel productions, and Ryan Reynolds, the shepherd of all things “Deadpool,” has insisted his big-screen alter ego is the key to bridging the gap. Only after convincing Hugh Jackman to reprise his signature role of Wolverine, the most famous of the X-Men, was he given the green-light to do so. The result is a soft opening, a film that uses the notion of character team-ups from the previously separate universes sparingly.
That being said, the choice of characters plucked from the long history of Marvel movies is inspired and plays a key role in not only opening the door for more expansive stories in the future, but also giving the 20th Century Fox iterations a proper send off. The plot is pretty standard stuff where movies such as this are concerned. Our universe, and many others, are threatened with destruction, and it’s up to the titular duo to stop it.
The big bad guy is Paradox (Matthew MacFayden), a middle manager for the Time Variance Authority (introduced in “Loki” on Disney+) who’s looking to move up the corporate ladder with a radical policy of immediately ending timelines once that universe loses what’s referred to as it’s “anchor character.” Seems this is the most important person in that timeline, and once they die, it’s just a matter of time before their entire realm is taken out, too. Paradox wants to speed this process up, but Deadpool has serious objections when he finds out his universe will die in 72 hours.
Taking matters in his own hands, he travels across various timelines to find a Wolverine who can come back and help his world live another day. No doubt, this is a clever conceit, and allowing Levy and his crew to jump back and forth between universes allows them to give nods to various incarnations of previously established characters. Longtime fans will likely lose their minds during a montage in which Deadpool encounters Logans by the score, famous comic-book covers and moments replicated in every glorious minute detail.
During this 90-second sequence, Levy takes advantage of the narrative power and fun in being able to play with pop-culture history in this manner. As to those rabid fans, a word of caution — this dynamic duo doesn’t cross paths with any of Marvel’s big guns. Iron Man, Captain America, Spider-Man and their ilk are nowhere to be found.
However, the characters they do encounter when cast into a realm known as the “trash heap” are cleverly used, as is the villain they encounter there, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), about whom the less said, the better. Again, it’s an interesting premise, and when all the pieces fall into place, it works as well as any of the recent Marvel films. Yet ultimately, Reynolds can’t get out of his own way to let it be about more than his own character.
Those who are fans of the “Merc with the Mouth” will be thrilled with the character’s constant snarkiness as well as the numerous fourth-wall asides. Deadpool’s quips are fast, furious and tiresome. The complaint I’ve always had with the character is that a little of him goes a long, long way, and in a film that clocks in at over two hours, there’s far too much of him.
Also off-putting is the casual nature of the graphic violence on display. I understand ripping the spines out of characters, stabbing them repeatedly in the face or stomping them into a pulp is de rigueur for the character. Yet the constant carnage soon wears out its welcome, beating the audience into submission and leaving a bad taste.
What’s ironic is that Levy and his four co-writers repeatedly cite the problems plaguing superhero movies yet fail to avoid them. References are made to them being overlong, repetitious in plot and containing little in the way of surprises. True to form, “Deadpool & Wolverine” overstays its welcome, utilizes a dog-eared plot and, in the end, gives the fans what they want.
Of course, that’s the whole point, and they will likely bound out of the theater pleased. The rest will ponder just where the superhero genre went wrong, reminisce about the days when filmmakers took risks and appreciate once more the magic of the 90-minute movie..
