Rewarded financially (top 10 at the annual box-office) and critically (nominated for a Producer’s Guild Award), Deadpool was what the film world needed when released in early 2016.  It broke the fourth wall, spoofed superheroes, and had (most) audiences laughing with its lewd insults.  I was less enamoured with the 2018 sequel but that was more a product of the weak script as opposed to the fun concept.

After a six-year hiatus, Deadpool (Reynolds) returns at a time when he’s needed more than ever.  That’s not just because the world needs saving from a destructive baddie but also, because superhero movies are losing favour with the public.  Since the turn of the decade, just one release (the creative Spider-Man: No Way Home) has grossed more than $1 billion USD at the global box-office.  This compares with 13 movies, headlined by Avengers: Endgame, which achieved that milestone in the 2010s.

I can happily report that Deadpool & Wolverine is an entertaining riot.  It taps into my dark, puerile sense of humour (admitting that’s not for everyone), refers to other superheroes (some long forgotten), and weaves in the intellectual property squabbles of big Hollywood studios.  As a Family Guy fan, the approach is reminiscent of segments where they mercilessly mock the inconsistencies in iconic films such as Star Wars and The Shawshank Redemption.  It appears no topic is off limits in this new sequel – including the personal lives of the cast.

While it’s structured as an Austin Powers-style spoof, the most surprising positive in Deadpool & Wolverine is the worthy narrative at its core.  Our two heroes are unwillingly transported to a desolate, Mad Max-like universe where they encounter Cassandra Nova (Corrin), the cold-hearted sister of X-Men founder Professor Charles Xavier.  She’s one of the best villains we’ve seen in recent years (her “fingering” is fantastic), and when you throw in a fun performance from Emmy winner Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) as a similarly nasty individual, you’ve got the necessary ingredients for a classic good versus evil tale.

I’ve been a vague in terms of plot and that’s because the less you know going in, the better.  An example is how they explain the return of Wolverine (Jackman) given he was killed off in 2017’s Logan (an Oscar nominee for best adapted screenplay).  The up-and-down interaction between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman is terrific as they attack each other physically (brutal fights) and verbally (sharp barbs), but slowly grow closer in pursuit of common goals (love a good double entendre).

With countless references to plot points in past cinematic universes (some you’ll get, some you’ll miss) and a well-timed soundtrack including everything from NSYNC to Olivia Newton-John, Deadpool & Wolverine is a clear winner.  See it on the big screen with a big crowd!