I went into Deadpool & Wolverine surprisingly optimistic. This is, after all, the only Marvel Studios feature due out this year, a respite from superhero fatigue. This film is also a novelty in the Marvel oeuvre, an R-rated comedy that bridges the gap between the 20th Century Fox X-Men franchise where Deadpool and Wolverine both started out and the ongoing MCU. But despite being right in the demographic crosshairs for its incessant geek culture references, I found myself as exhausted with this film as I have been with any other installment in the lackluster Multiverse Saga. Deadpool & Wolverine is every inch a post-peak Marvel movie, a parade of crowd pleasing pops with practically no substance, guaranteeing a billion dollar return and a shelf life of about five minutes.

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Light spoilers ahead, but no mentions of surprise cameos or plot twists beyond the first act.

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE ★ (1/4 stars)
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Written by: Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen
Running time: 128 mins.

Deadpool & Wolverine doubles down on the metatextual gags of its predecessors, functioning as a swan song for the Disney-absorbed 20th Century Fox and their Marvel film franchises. Mr. Paradox of the Time Variance Authority (Matthew Macfadyen)........

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