Movie review: 'Deadpool & Wolverine' a rewarding mockery of fan service

LOS ANGELES, July 23 (UPI) -- Deadpool is such an irreverent, profane character whose constant comments about being in a movie allow Deadpool & Wolverine , in theaters Friday, to run roughshod over the Marvel Cinematic Universe. That's way more fun than the self-aggrandizing Deadpool 2 .

Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) begins the film by acknowledging the events of Logan , in which Logan, aka Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), died. The Time Variance Authority from Disney+'s Loki pulls Deadpool out of Earth-1005, which also was the world of Jackman's movies.

Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) spared Deadpool from Earth-1005's collapse in the absence of a Logan. That seems like a foolish thing to do because it only makes Deadpool go looking for a Wolverine from another universe to restore the balance to his world.

For those keeping track, the "Sacred Timeline" is Earth-616, where the Avengers continuity takes place. Deadpool's journey through the multiverse allows him to meet characters from that world and separate superhero movies.

Because Deadpool & Wolverine is all jokes about superhero movies, every one is a spoiler. The movie jokes about fan service while delivering it.

These jokes do require viewers to be familiar with the Wolverine saga and Marvel movies. The humor counts on the audience remembering where the random cameo characters come from, and it really doesn't stop to explain the most obscure references.

Some of the cameos really milk the dramatic buildup, with the actors displaying a self-deprecating sense of humor about their own franchises.

For all of its references to different corners of Marvel cinema, Deadpool & Wolverine forgot that Logan takes place in the future, five years from now in 2029. But, perhaps acknowledging Logan 's finality was a way of respecting it before undoing it.

Throughout the movie, Deadpool keeps commenting on it, referencing its budget or naming the producer. The rhythm is snappy with Reynolds timing his one-liner commentary and Jackman responding with annoyance as the gruff straight man.

Deadpool happened to pick a Wolverine who needs his own redemption arc, which is a new story invented for this film. The team-up appeals to Deadpool because he still harbors a longing to be part of a team of superheroes so he can do something that matters.

It is ironic that in a movie that literally jokes about how nothing matters in all these comic book universes, Deadpool aspires to have more meaning. You can't have it both ways, but fortunately, the funny parts are really funny.

Deadpool and Wolverine are regenerative beings, so they can fight each other violently and never die. There are lots of fight scenes set to comical pop music juxtapositions.

Though this iteration works, it does beg the question of how many more times can Marvel pull off filming secret cameos with major actors? Once the movie is out, it has to work on its own.

The Deadpool & Wolverine cameos are more random than uniting the three Spider-Men in No Way Home , but more central to the plot than the Illuminati cameos in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness .

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is so interconnected, it's better that a movie like Deadpool & Wolverine make fun of it than some of the more self-serious entries, but more of those are surely coming.

This sequel, unfortunately, still doesn't have much for Deadpool's love interest, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), to do. At least Macfadyen gets to vamp flamboyantly, and there are some notable performances that also can't be spoiled.

Deadpool & Wolverine works as a lark because Deadpool always was a lark. It's as if a Scary Movie style parody were made by the actual creators of Scream because Marvel is using all of its resources to spoof itself.

Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.