★★★★½ out of 5 -- Rated: R -- Run time: 2 hours, 7 minutes
A lot has happened in the six years since the release of the second “Deadpool” movie back in 2018. The script for a third film in the highly successful franchise went into standby mode after 20th Century Fox — the studio behind those films — was bought by Disney in 2019. That deal gave the rights to the mercenary character of Deadpool/Wade Wilson (played by Ryan Reynolds) to Disney-owned Marvel Studios, which, of course, is Super Hero Central and home to Iron Man, Captain America, the rest of the Avengers, etc.
Work on a script continued but then came COVID. And then in a surprise move, Hugh Jackman decided to join the cast, resurrecting his Wolverine character who died at the end of “Logan” in 2017. That meant rewriting the script but that was delayed because of the Writers Guild strike.
The film finally started shooting in May 2023, only to grind to a halt two months later when members of the Screen Actors Guild also hit the picket line.
Finally, one year and more than $200 million later, the much-anticipated “Deadpool & Wolverine” has completed that long journey and is finally hitting theaters.
The first two “Deadpool” films set a very high bar with snappy, hip and hilarious writing, incredibly stylish visuals, and a foul-mouthed main character who was constantly breaking down the fourth wall in an original, very fun way. Could the creative team maintain that quality?
The film’s first few minutes quickly demonstrate that yes, they can. The opening scene has Deadpool winking at the audience with jokes about the Disney take-over of Fox, literally digging up the body of Wolverine, and engaging in a violent, pitched battle over the opening credits.
The previous two films were both helmed by different directors and that track record continues with the talented Shawn Levy calling the shots for this third release. The filmmaker has worked with both lead actors before (“Real Steel” with Hugh Jackman, “Free Guy” and “The Adam Project” with Reynolds).
Levy co-wrote the script, along with Reynolds, Zeb Wells, and past “Deadpool” screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick — and they keep the film moving at a rapid pace.
Some past characters appear (like Deadpool’s girlfriend Morena Baccarin and neighbor Leslie Uggams, among others), but they have minor screen time.
More attention is given to new characters, including the wonderful Matthew Macfadyen (Tom from “Succession”) as “Mr. Paradox,” — a kind of manager of the numerous timelines in the multiverse that Deadpool has become a part of.
Also noteworthy is Emma Corrin (Princess Diana in Season 4 of “The Crown”) as the deliciously evil “Cassandra Nova” — the twin sister of the Professor Charles Xavier character played in previous “X-Men” movies by Patrick Stewart.
The movie is also chock-full of cameos and appearances by other folks from the Marvel universe (many of them coming as a big surprise).
Of course, the major focus here is on the title characters — Deadpool and Wolverine. And don’t worry, it’s easy to accept the multiple-timeline premise that allows Wolverine to still be alive (just go with it).
Jackman plays his most famous character with all of the familiar pain and anger, but it’s made even more effective when it’s up against the barrage of devastatingly funny one-liners and off-hand observations coming from Reynolds with machine-gun frequency.
Much of the humor is a bit “inside,” poking fun at not just Disney, but also previous projects the actors have appeared in. (Deadpool even references Jackman’s role in the Broadway musical “The Music Man.”) The jokes come so quickly that it’s difficult to catch them all in a single viewing.
The movie does feature a lot of violence (and coarse language) giving it a well-deserved R-rating. But most of it is played for laughs rather than for shock value.
And perhaps more importantly, “Deadpool & Wolverine” delivers some big emotional moments for both title characters.
It all makes for a fun, satisfying movie-going experience. I left the theater hoping that I’d be seeing these characters again. (The door has certainly been left open.)
By the way, stick around for the end credits, and I do mean ALL the way to the very end.
And regarding the usual cameo that the late Marvel legend Stan Lee makes in these movies, here’s a hint: Pay close attention to a scene involving a bus.