“Deadpool & Wolverine” isn’t a great movie: Many of the jokes went on a little too long; the story was all over the place; the ubiquitous cameos felt forced and often unnecessary. But you know what? I had such a blast! I giggled pretty much the entire movie, and I’m proud to say I liked “Deadpool & Wolverine” — even if it’s not winning any awards any time soon.
The movie screened at the Nolan Center over the weekend, giving Wrangell an option of indoor entertainment amid an otherwise rainy weekend.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman headline the movie and were probably the biggest draws for audiences. That’s the reason I went to the theater. Reynolds is just so damn funny as this character and Deadpool movies have always made me laugh. The humor is ridiculous and crude and so insanely inappropriate, but I always find myself chuckling, even if I’m sometimes ashamed of doing so.
And I kept on laughing for most of the franchise’s third installment on Friday night. But at the same time, I realized there were so many jokes going over my head. “Deadpool & Wolverine” is shockingly self-aware.
During the film, Reynolds jokes about Disney’s 2019 acquisition of the rights to the X-Men franchise. He makes quips about how studio executives are going to keep Hugh Jackman acting in the Wolverine role “until he’s 90.” Reynolds even mentions how Marvel hasn’t been the same since the Avengers saga wrapped up five years ago.
These jokes I got. And based on the laughs I got the sense that most everyone in the theater thought they were funny too. But so much of the film’s comedy was also about the more niche X-Men and Marvel characters, often alluding to comic book narratives that I am admittedly unfamiliar with. I wasn’t necessarily missing these jokes: I recognized them. I simply didn’t understand them. Again, basing it off laughs, I think a lot of the Nolan Center missed them too.
And while I initially thought the film had no ideal audience in mind, I now believe Marvel, to try and revitalize the dying superhero movie genre, tried to make a movie for every type of fan. The comic book diehards got their jokes, the folks who watch Marvel movies for the A-list megastars got a Chris Evans cameo, and the people (like me) who just wanted a laugh got exactly that.
Marvel is in the business of fan service. Its films exploded in the early 2000s due to heavy investments in superstar actors. When fans complained the movies were too decentralized, Marvel introduced the Avengers films. When fans complained the movies were too predictable, Marvel killed off half its characters in “Infinity War.”
So now, when fans have been complaining that Marvel lost its way, they made a movie making fun of how frankly bad Marvel movies have been recently. I’m not sure the strategy will move the studio forward in any real way, but it certainly makes for a fun time at the theater.
When I wrote my review of “Twisters” a couple weeks ago, I did my homework. I watched all related movies over the week leading up to it and even brought a notebook and pen to take notes during the film. For “Deadpool & Wolverine,” I took a different approach. I walked into the Nolan Center, bought popcorn and turned my brain off for two hours. That is the way to watch this movie, and I encourage you to watch it. It’s a fun, fun, fun time. Whether laughs come from Reynolds’ hip gyrations or the deep-cut comic book references, there are laughs in this movie for everyone.
That’s what I expected. That’s what I wanted from “Deadpool & Wolverine.” And that’s what I got. Consider me happy.
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