Out of all the movies to come out this summer, there was only one I had my eyes on and hoped to be everything a geek like me could ask for. And that is Deadpool & Wolverine, one of my most anticipated films of 2014. This is not just because I love the usual superhero movie to eat a large bag of popcorn, but also because I love one of the most violent Marvel characters’ antiheroes on screen. I never thought I would see the day a standalone Deadpool movie would come out, and by 2016, it proved that anyone would see an R-rated comic book movie that does the Merc with a Mouth justice. I consider it one of the funniest comedies ever, and I can only describe the original as a near-perfect superhero movie of the ages. And even though Deadpool 2 wasn’t great upon subsequent rewatches, the David Leitch-directed sequel is still fun. But we all knew a third movie would happen eventually , especially after the Fox/ Disney merger. And to add the cherry on top, it’ll be the return of our favorite X-Men Wolverine, a moment that fans have been eagerly anticipating. Since this is the only MCU movie released all year to allow a break, they’ve certainly picked the right choice to bring all of that maximum effort.

What’s the Story: Six years have passed since Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) used Cable’s time-traveling device to save his friends. He has since retired from his masked mercenary alter-ego, Deadpool, after he doesn’t get the opportunity of a lifetime and doesn’t know what he has to achieve in life. Now, he’s working as a used car salesman with the company of his friends, including his ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), bringing him any ounce of happiness. His quiet life should’ve been going perfectly until Wade was captured by the Time Variance Authority (VTA) and brought in by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen). He reveals that his timeline is deteriorating after the death of Logan/ Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) has him labeled as “an anchor being.” He takes on the mission as Wade puts the red suit back on to claim himself as “Marvel Jesus.” He finds himself teaming up with a different Wolverine to save Deadpool’s world before he loses what’s important to him.

Everyone has been probably asking one important question: Did Deadpool and Wolverine save the MCU? Who knows? It feels like a repetitive pattern of enjoying one movie and having mixed feelings about the other since we’re currently in Phase 5 (Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 still ranking among the best). We all know it requires revamping after its multiverse is seemingly all over the place, and it’s unsure what’s to come later for them. That’s why this and next year’s The Fantastic Four reboot are the only projects that excite me the most. With all that said, that national fear of having too much went away when the third installment in the R-rated franchise will give you everything you could hope for and even more.

For a long time, fans have been asking for a proper team-up between these two characters. Everybody wants to erase from our minds what happened in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and how it treated one of them. For my money, this movie can be treated as a mulligan in having a blast watching these two go on this strange buddy adventure comedy together. It’s not a shock how great Reynolds and Jackman were together based on their real-life friendship, and you can tell they’ve wanted to make this a reality for a long time. Their on-screen chemistry never disappoints, and you automatically know they’ll hate each other, fighting one another once or even twice, to eventually finding common ground.

Reynolds continues to show why he has a passion for playing Deadpool again, showing off the typical wisecracks within the fourth wall breaking to the audience and never knowing when to shut up. He’s annoying, but it’s always a trait you must get used to every time that makes for a nice fit into the universe. Jackman as Logan/ Wolverine has always been my favorite portrayal of a comic book hero, but his appearance did worry me this would ruin how we saw the last time in 2017’s Logan, which was a perfect sendoff. I love how this is a version of Wolverine we probably haven’t seen before once we learn about his past. He was fantastic, almost feeling as though he never hung up his claws. And the joy of finally seeing him wear that yellow and blue suit brought me life.

Shawn Levy was an interesting choice, as the director previously worked with its two leads: Real Steel, Free Guy, and The Adam Project, all of which are underrated. I never imagined him doing a hard, edgy Marvel movie (the first R-rated MCU entry), but I feel this was the right step in taking chances in his career. Luckily, he was on his A-game, bringing so much of that fast-paced energy captured in the previous two movies in tone, having fun with the top-notch action sequences based on the choreography and some great music choices. But with this bringing the best of both worlds, this serves as a crazy love letter to what 20th Century Fox got to the X-Men universe (as well as of some of their other less-than-successful films) and the MCU itself, along with poking fun at it. They’re entertaining as hell, and if you thought the previous opening credits would follow suit, be prepared to laugh hard to show right away that this is still part of the MCU in a bloody fashion. It is my favorite opening based on what song they chose to play.

The challenge of not knowing what was going down in the movie was hard because I only watched the first two trailers and had to stay away or believe in any rumors reported while filming took place. These days, spoilers are everywhere where you least expect. But it’s been a long time since a movie like this had so many surprises that I saw coming but definitively geek out in the crowded theater opening day. The excitement of these surprises was indeed something to behold. When I thought these surprises and Easter eggs would have no purpose in the story or be there only for nostalgia, this handled them well without feeling forced. Now I’m left questioning how they pulled it off to be a nice amount of fan service.

What I didn’t expect to find in Deadpool & Wolverine was stakes. When the first two are grounded enough for Wade to handle, there’s so much riding from them when it involves one of their worlds being erased. Not only that, but there’s this surprisingly emotional touch given to these two, which I can respect. Wade and Logan feel they aren’t good enough and don’t believe they’ll achieve after Wade feels worthless and finds a place to belong, while Logan struggles after letting down his universe and his X-Men team. Of the two, Jackman is seen as the heart.

As for issues, some of the meta jokes took some time getting used to, especially in the first half. But let me assure you, there are some hard laughs throughout. But with Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, the twin sister of Charles Xavier, they deliver a menacing performance. The problem I had with them was that I wanted them to have more screen time early on since there’s a gap where we don’t cut back to Corrin, and this script needed more time to develop the character. I didn’t know anything about the villain, but Nova has some fascinating powers to get inside anyone’s mind, despite feeling that the CGI needed some work.

Overall, Deadpool & Wolverine is the perfect change of pace for an MCU movie that will leave you with a massive grin from start to finish. While the original still holds a special place in my heart, this sequel comes in a close second. The third installment is a continuation of the series, delivering the same level of bloody violence and crude jokes, but it’s an unforgettable and entertaining time with two great leads that genuinely make it stand out. For those following the series and waiting for a comic book movie that promises a great experience, look no further- this is a guaranteed hit if you like fun.

Score: 8/10