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“Deadpool and Wolverine” is that example of what happens when young boys take their action figures and spend hours just smashing them in to one another. There’s not much of a narrative, but there are appearances from other action figures, and maybe even a transformer or two. That’s what watching “Deadpool and Wolverine” was like—and I’m still not sure if that is a compliment or criticism. For all intents and purposes “Deadpool and Wolverine” is fun, and Shawn Levy seems to have a good time satirizing Marvel Studios as well as the scope of comic book movies. But through it all, there’s a very low stakes, and pretty overcooked movie that painfully overstays its welcome.
And when I say overstays, the movie clocks in at a little over two hours in length. That’s not a bad thing, but after so many winks at the audience, and in jokes and teehees and one liners, after ninety minutes I was kind of ready for it to end.
A listless Wade Wilson toils away in monotonous civilian life especially after his approaching birthday. His days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. When his home world faces an existential threat involving the Time Authority and the space time continuum, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again as the Merc with a Mouth, and partner with an even more reluctant Wolverine. The jaded Wolverine is hesitant to help and team with Deadpool, but once he learns about the potential damage it could cause, they begrudgingly team. It’s not often I sit down to a movie and mid-way think “Okay let’s begin wrapping this up, please.”
Levy’s third “Deadpool” movie is almost too self aware to the point where it becomes kind of exhausting after a while. Whether it’s Deadpool mocking the audience, or Wolverine and Deadpool fighting beside a decrepit logo of 20th Century Fox, eventually it all felt more random than calculated satire. Through and through Deadpool is supposed to be a movie about an anti-hero who commits to some sense of heroism at the end of the day. But with “Deadpool and Wolverine” the writers get so lost in fan service, that the momentum and drama of this time rift becomes more of a back drop than the central conflict. I’m not against them paying tribute to Marvel projects that have either been long retired, or remain in development limbo.
It all just eventually feels like a crutch to compensate for strong motivations, and serious character focus on Logan and Wade Wilson. His supporting cast get only about five minutes of screen time with the majority of the movie centered on Deadpool working off of, and fighting with Wolverine. At the very least, Reynolds and Jackman are great as the mismatched pair that are cut from the same cloth, and spend a lot of their screen time bickering and engaging in violent combat. Their journey is not without surprises as Levy seeks out to offer some surprising twists and turns, many of which were a treat. Others inspired some surefire belly groans, I’ll admit.
That said, “Deadpool and Wolverine” squeezes by thanks to its energy and rapid fire humor, not to mention the way it pretty much casts out the whole black leather era of the comic book movie, and embraces the colorful, tights dynamic once and for all. Even in spite of the film’s problems, seeing Wolverine finally done the blue and yellow suit fulfilled a long time wish of my own. This third outing may wear out its welcome very quickly, but I appreciate Marvel at least embracing how much of a slime ball Deadpool is, and what a slime ball Wolverine can be, if given the chance.