‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ uproariously mines the multiverse

Everyone’s favourite R-rated, fourth wall breaking anti-hero returns in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’(2024), a Marvel mash-up for the ages.

Starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the film gives us the mouthy, outrageous, wisecracking Deadpool of the previous films, paired with Wolverine’s surly, short-tempered, lone wolf tendencies. The effect, in a word, is gold.

Uproariously mining the multiverse in a film about Deadpool seeking purpose and Wolverine trying to atone for past wrongs, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ sees the duo trying to save Deadpool’s world from deletion by the Time Variance Authority’s guardians of The Sacred Timeline, led by the rogue bureaucrat, Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen).

For their attempt at meddling and trying to save a doomed version of Earth, the duo are flung into The Void. The ‘Mad Max’ style wasteland is where all pruned, deleted, forgotten, contained or cancelled characters go, and the wilderness is ruled by the maniacal Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), Charles Xavier’s unborn twin.

Here, Deadpool and Wolverine need to quit their abrupt bursts into beating each other up and work together to defeat Cassandra, exit The Void and save the world, or at least one of them.

Thankfully, they have help and the cameos here will have you screaming.

Though ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’s’ plot isn’t exactly poetry, it is what it is. A meta reflection of big budget superhero movies, film studios’ incessant rehashing of intellectual property, as well as their iron clad contracts, which will ostensibly keep featured actors in a chokehold until they’re 90.

Skewering itself and movies like it through Deadpool’s constant quips to the audience, the film takes aim at both 20th Century Fox and at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s comparatively lofty, sombre and very serious conception of superheroes.

As a Deadpool film starring Wolverine, rather than a Wolverine film starring Deadpool, the tone is strictly insane. Expect millennial coded dance numbers, a loud and ironic soundtrack featuring NSYNC, TI, Madonna, Goo Goo Dolls and Avril

Lavigne, comically brutal fight sequences and set pieces, and more blow-your-mind cameos than you’ll know what do with.

Based on the many blokes laughing at the umpteenth homoerotic joke, cheering in the fight sequences and whooping at the radical returns during a recent screening, I’d say ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ may be a particular treat for the boys.

This one is fan service on steroids. It nods to the comics, it has an army of Deadpools and there’s the requisite shout-out to Stan Lee. If you don’t like that kind of thing, you’ll hate this. If you do, the film is a party.

Lock in for some off-the-wall escapism, stay for the film’s nostalgic mid-credits and wild post-credit scenes and enjoy.

Want to win a movie ticket to see ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (2024) or a movie of your choice at Ster-Kinekor? Simply answer the following question: Where do all pruned, deleted, cancelled, contained or forgotten characters go? Email your name, cell phone number and answer to weekender@namibian.com.na with the subject line MOVIE.

– martha@namibian.com.na ; Martha Mukaiwa on Twitter and Instagram; marthamukaiwa.com