Are you ready for this, Bub? The foul mouthed Deadpool has officially entered the MCU and while it’s not the smoothest of transitions, it is a bloody delight. This version of Deadpool goes hard with his crude behavior, luckily not sacrificing any of his old ways (aside from cocaine AKA “Let It Snow”) for the sake of the Disney merger. 

 

Deadpool & Wolverine proves that NOW is the time for Ryan Reynolds’ merc with a mouth to join the MCU. The threequel is as foul-mouthed as ever and serves up some genuine surprises that certainly dig into the current quality of the MCU. The film from start to finish is a rapid fire, crass road trip comedy and it's quite literally all about the jokes… the story is not the showcase of MCU’s future that many are expecting it to be, at least not in the grand scheme of things.  

 

Thrown into the void by the TVA (The Time Variance Authority), Deadpool and Wolverine must come together to save their timelines. Hindered by a corrupt TVA agent and a dark force towering over all that exist within the void, the two must befriend and tackle the elements to survive. The idea of the void is a phenomenal concept with endless possibilities but the visual decisions taken, once more in a self aware fashion, is a clear imitation of the Mad Max landscape. 

 

Overflowing with Easter eggs and cameos, this love letter to the comic book films of old takes on a surprisingly simplistic narrative to hold it all in place. Deadpool & Wolverine may be lacking in a substantial growth to the continuity of the MCU timeline, yet it’s still one of the few highlights to come out of the modern phase of the MCU. 

 

Logan is back, Wolverine is back… does it make sense and does this tarnish the beautiful vision of the 2017 tearjerker? Luckily, and without a notion of a doubt his resurrection works, this film playfully makes fun of that very idea and executes it in such a manner that this multiverse rendition of Weapon X becomes one of the most comic accurate yet. The suit, the iconic catchphrases (topped with a “Bub” in most instances), the attitude —- the Wolverine has entered the arena. 

 

For the first time since their unfortunate turn in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Hugh Jackman reunites with Reynolds in the way they should have always been able to interact. Even in the worst X-Men film, Jackman has managed to maintain a great presence in the role and his exit back in 2017 was undeniably an epic one, but his return allows him to  rectify this massive error in the 20th Century Fox canon.

 

Reynolds reignites the flame that so many superheroes of late have failed to renew. Returning to the role with finesse and precision, Reynolds takes on the role of Marvel’s savior as the self proclaimed, “Marvel Jesus”. Jackman acts extraordinarily off Reynolds and similarly every interaction Wade Wilson has with each gratuitous cameo heightens their respective appearance. 

 

Now don’t think just because this is now Disney property that the violence won’t be as outrageous, because the blood does in fact splatter… and often. Unlike the DC counterpart, Batman V Superman, we receive numerous satisfying 1v1 fights between the titular characters and they don’t even have to hype their audience up with a “V”. The fights are hectic and a whole lot of gory fun with every blow the two inflict on one another. There’s one directing decision near the film’s close that replicates a scenario straight out of the X-Men arcade and these key moments are the reason why this film instantly stands so high among the recent years of the MCU. 

 

Director Shawn Levy has officially sunk his claws into the legacy of the MCU, creating a bloodbath and a laugh riot alongside fellow writers Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells. There are clear signs of possibly too many cooks in the writers room, but in this instance the final product is so much fun, these flaws can primarily be dismissed. Deadpool & Wolverine may not move the needle in progressing the overall MCU timeline but maybe it doesn’t have to. This is pure entertainment, pure Rated-R entertainment and Deadpool jumps into the MCU without missing a beat, delivering a hilarious and poignant commentary on the current perception of comic book movies.