‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ feels like a highlight reel at a convention for superhero comic book fans | Reel To Real

“Deadpool and Wolverine” (Rated C)

Casting: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Matthew Macfadyen, Emma Corrin

Genre: Action/Comedy

Where to watch: Netflix

Dwight’s Note:

Is there such a thing as too much chocolate?

With this question, you can substitute your favorite vice for chocolate, if that helps.

Maybe it’s chicken wings? Or tequila? Or other things we don’t need to talk about in a reputable publication.

Regardless, for many people, if they really love something, it seems almost impossible that they will ever get tired of it.

But what if you’re given more chocolate than you can eat in a month and forced to devour it in about two hours? What if you just “like” chocolate, but you don’t really “love” chocolate? What if you really “dislike” chocolate?

It is quite possible that for many people, a small amount is just enough or even way too much.

Well, think of the new giant, record-breaking blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” as a glut of chocolate — a two-month supply that’s flowing everywhere.

If you liked either of the previous two Deadpool movies from 2016 and 2018, you’ll be in heaven. (In less than a week, the film has grossed over half a billion dollars worldwide and had the best opening weekend for an R-rated movie in history! — knocking “Deadpool” and “Deadpool 2” off their previous number one and number two spots, respectively.)

In fact, if you love superhero comics, especially Marvel – but even DC – and you know and love all their blockbuster movies and even their notorious failures and flops, this will be the best thing you’ve seen all year, and maybe in many years.

If you haven’t heard yet, there’s a good chance you’ll enjoy this new Ryan Reynolds-Hugh Jackman action comedy. But there’s no guarantee you’ll like it.

Deadpool’s peaceful existence is shattered when the Time Variance Authority recruits him to help protect the multiverse. He soon teams up with his future friend, Wolverine, to complete the mission and save his world from an existential threat.

The pairing of Reynolds’ incredibly successful “Deadpool” franchise with Jackman’s wildly popular Wolverine character (with 2017’s “Logan” being one of the best films of that year, and even earning an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay) all but ensured its success.

Luckily, pairing the very serious Wolverine with the wry, ironic Deadpool makes for a tantalizing combination of superhero proportions, resulting in comedy gold.

Reynolds’ famous lines and quips are delivered at an accelerated pace here, seemingly even more so than in the previous two outings. How is this possible?

Everything and everyone gets in the way of Deadpool’s sarcasm. He takes aim at the former production company 20th Century Fox. And since 20th Century Studios is now owned by Disney, he takes aim at the parent company, as well as the now separate Fox entity and its rival DC, too.

And with “Deadpool & Wolverine” joining other Marvel productions – and now even DC – diving headlong into multiverse themes, even this key plot point isn’t safe from Deadpool ridicule.

However, the awareness is extreme and exaggerated. The “fourth wall” is broken so much that some will feel like the whole edifice is about to collapse. (If you added up the fourth wall breaking of all the previous films in history, it probably wouldn’t compare to what happens here in the first hour!). At times, you will probably think that this is all excessive. And for some, it will result in a chocolate coma.

But overall, it’s undeniably funny!

There are a lot of cameos and surprises. Some are unforgettable and definitely worth seeing.

As someone who decries the increasingly ridiculous level of violence in today’s action movies (I’m looking at you, every “John Wick” since the first one, very enjoyable), it’s a whole different thing when the “people” being victimized can’t be permanently harmed.

This violence, along with the film’s crude and strong language, contributes to the film’s R rating, as do previous films, including “Logan.” It should be noted, however, that the racy adult content of the original “Deadpool,” which had already been significantly reduced in “Deadpool 2,” is almost entirely eliminated here.

On their own, none of these previous films were meant for everyone, especially the “Deadpool” franchise. And the new film certainly doesn’t aim to be a movie the whole family can enjoy together.

Instead, “Deadpool & Wolverine” presents itself as something from a superhero comic book fan convention. They’re going to lose their minds over this stuff (even Deadpool admits as much, in his usual way). Like kids on Christmas Eve, many will probably be too excited to sleep after watching.

As for casual fans of the source films – those who aren’t completely obsessed nerds – this will be a lot of fun and probably the funniest time you’ll have at the movies this year.

But while it’s hard to imagine right now how much Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman would be too much, studio executives — and all of humanity — should remember that it’s always wise to indulge in your favorite activities in moderation.

Dwight Strachan is the host/producer of Guardian Radio’s “Morning Blend” and the station manager. He is a television producer and writer, and a television and film history enthusiast. Email dwight@nasguard.com and follow him on Twitter @morningblend969.