Director: Shawn Levy Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman Studio: Walt Disney Studios Pictures Genre(s): Drama Rated: R (For strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references) |
For all the self-reflectional humor of the previous two Deadpool movies, no one could have expected that the character would join the Marvel Cinematic Universe under Disney's umbrella. No, this does not mean that the Merch with a Mouth is any more family-friendly this time around (I publicly shame any parent who takes their kid to see this instead of "Robot Dreams" or "Inside Out 2"). What it does mean is that Deadpool is now inheriting some of the worst traits other Disney films have been putting out for the past several years in that it seems like it is a love letter to itself and corporate synergy.
This is something I first started noticing with "Ralph Breaks the Internet," a review that got me in quite a bit of trouble with my family-friendly audience when I wrote that watching the movie was akin to watching "Disney masterbate." Well, now I am reviewing an R-rated film, so I'm going to follow up on that by saying that Disney has been doing a LOT of masturbating these days! So much so, that I sense Mickey should get his ass off the couch and marry Minnie at this point because there is clearly some pent-up sexual frustration here. For Disney continued to jerk off to themselves with "Chip & Dale: Rescue Rangers," in which the movie is only as good as your knowledge of the references were, as well as "Wish," in which the knowledge of the references only reminded you of better movies you could be watching.
With "Deadpool & Wolverine" the filmmakers seem to want to remind you not only of movies from Marvel's years with 20th Century Fox, but even movies that they had planned to make that never panned out. The movie finds Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) in a bit of a midlife crisis; he wants to do something that matters and applies to join The Avengers (that doesn't work out so he settles for being a used car salesman). While he believes his superhero days are over an organization who wants to destroy his timeline (we are in the age of multiverses after all) and wants him to help them do it.
Turns out, Deadpool may be crass but he has a heart, and thus sets out to be 'Marvel Jesus' and save his timeline. To do that he needs the help of the Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), who you may recall had an emotional death in "Logan," but can be brought in from another universe thanks to a Time Transmitter (as well as a paycheck from Disney ensuring that he doesn't retire from this character anytime soon). Why is bringing Wolverine into our universe the only way it can be save? Honestly...while they kind of explained it, I'm not sure it matters all that much. They need him because new X-Men movies are coming out, and who wants to recast Hugh Jackman?
In this multi-universe story, we get cameos from many superheroes from old Fox films that ended many years ago. These cameos and references got the audience at my screening cheering, yet ironically these were characters from movies that most people agree weren't very good and ended for a reason. Are we as a civilization craving nostalgia so much that references to movies we didn't even like is now considered comedy gold? Do I even want to remember movies that took a collective 14 or so hours of my life that I will never get back? Yes, these are questions a film critic asks: I don't expect Marvel fans to ask these same questions though.
"Deadpool & Wolverine" contains so many references and inside jokes, that I do question whether or not watching the movie is akin to playing inside baseball. I'm not even sure if the storytelling is even that important to a movie like this. The difference between "Deadpool & Wolverine" and the movies I listed above is that at least this movie is extremely funny. Even if not everyone will get all the inside jokes, there are enough vulgar crotch jokes that are entertaining enough without needing deeper knowledge that it's difficult to not have a good time while watching it.
Songs are perfectly chosen and the banter between Reynolds and Jackman is so perfect that it proves that one can be entertained by two well-liked actors talking to each other without them doing much else.
"Deadpool & Wolverine" is a blight on cinema in a moral sense, that much is certain. It is a corporate product that is playing the biggest joke on the audience and having them not realize it. It is also so funny and entertaining that one is tempted to give the whole affair a pass. Truthfully, I'm not sure where I land. An entertaining film is an entertaining film, but after seeing more ambitious films fail at the box office, it does make me wonder if this trend will continue to the point where future Deadpool movies are referencing the reference films.
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