‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is maximum meta MCU escapism

If you go to the movies to forget real life, you’re in luck. No movie this year provides more pure escapism than Deadpool & Wolverine . It’s maximum meta Marvel Cinematic Universe escapism with so many inside jokes, cameos, and Easter eggs that you’ll leave the theatre feeling like you ingested eight Red Bulls.

Brace yourself for 2 hours and 7 minutes of an unrelenting salvo that pelts you with boisterous witticisms at a machine gun rate. This is the most Deadpool film of the Deadpool franchise, and that’s saying something. Call it satire if you want, but Deadpool & Wolverine isn’t trying to be clever.

We all know the drill. Ryan Reynolds’ motormouth character pokes fun at the comic book genre. The Deadpool films have made millions by lampooning superhero movies while also being a major financial cog in the superhero movie complex. Deadpool & Wolverine is already a massive box-office hit .

So much for superhero fatigue. After last year’s disappointments, such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania , Shazam: Fury of the Gods , and The Flash , Hugh Jackman and Reynolds have saved the day. All it took were two immense Hollywood stars and tons of fan service. Give the people what they want, and the people vote with their dollars.

Pandering is a good business strategy. Is pandering a good filmmaking strategy? That’s an entirely different question. Deadpool & Wolverine puts all of that to the test, counting on its built-in audience to either not notice or not care about the paper-thin plot. We don’t give much thought to amusement park attractions. We just enjoy the ride.

Director Shawn Levy sticks to a playbook of blending quips and fights, much like the ebbs and flows of a roller coaster. Whee! But while this mix makes for good entertainment, Deadpool & Wolverine never reaches an emotional crescendo. Jackman tries, but his brooding is often interrupted by Reynolds’s high jinks. Catharsis can only get so much MCU screen time.

Levy and Reynolds have teamed up before. In Free Guy , the duo created something that was not only enjoyable but also went the extra mile by delivering a well-crafted story, culminating with a surprisingly moving ending. Free Guy , a video game version of The Truman Show , was one of the best films of 2021 . Deadpool & Wolverine never achieves that high. Whatever emotions the audience feels are rooted in fan service and not storytelling. That’s a significant difference.

Was it fun to see Wolverine in his traditional yellow and blue outfit? Hell, yeah. But not only doesn’t the costume change impact the story, the on-screen character probably wouldn’t shed a tear if forced to go back to black. (Admittedly, the wardrobe switch opens the door for a great joke from Deadpool).

Deadpool & Wolverine is fun and funny. This is not a complaint. These are observations about the movie and its potential impact on future projects. Deadpool & Wolverine seems more like a YouTube rabbit hole of switched-together clips and less like a complete film. Some fast and furious action and comedy. A short break. Then here’s another video you might like, too. The next thing you know, two hours have flown by.

Could this be the future of films? Is this formula replicable? Or is this a unique outlier?

Escapism has its place. We might need it now more than ever. Deadpool & Wolverine is the union fans wanted to see. Perhaps the real joke is daring to wonder if this could have been a better movie.

Deadpool & Wolverine just had the biggest opening ever for an R-rated film.

The people have spoken.

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