Raunchy, Bloody, Funny – Two Stars’ Bromance in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Saves the World and MCU

Raunchy, Bloody, Funny – Two Stars’ Bromance in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Saves the World and MCU

By Lynn Venhaus
Propelled by personality and pizzazz, the very funny, very bloody and very meta “Deadpool & Wolverine” is an epic throwdown teaming two very different superheroes played by a pair of dynamic superstars.

Now a civilian, a listless Wade Wilson thinks his days as a morally flexible mercenary are behind him. But when his ‘homeworld’ faces an existential threat, he must suit up again as Deadpool and join an even more reluctant Wolverine to save his loved ones.

Full of Easter Eggs for comic book and superhero fans, another pleasant surprise is the clever casting, and a memorable soundtrack mix of sardonic needle drops. You likely have never heard Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” or The Goo-Goo Dolls’ “Iris” this way.

The plot, which is muddled and messy multiverse mayhem, is likely immaterial. One setting is The Void, apparently mentioned in Disney Plus’ “Loki” television series, and another is the often-used Time Variance Authority (TVA), a bureaucratic agency that monitors timelines in the multiverse.

Since appearing in Marvel Comics in 1986 and in “Loki” in 2021-23, the TVA regulates reality and swiftly acts on temporal anomalies. I don’t understand it either. Are we in the Matrix or out?

Time rips, worlds must be saved so that these anti-heroes can matter, the very tall and muscular pair bicker like they’re in a buddy cop movie, the fight scenes are mind-numbing repetitive, and the saucy innuendo and no-filter in-jokes comprise a hefty chunk of the 2 hour, 7-minute runtime.

Don’t think too hard and you can follow up with the MCU backstories later.

Director and co-writer Shawn Levy and his four credited co-writers Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, star Ryan Reynolds and Zeb Wells have fun mocking the MCU – and new parent company Disney.

Reese and Wernick wrote the first two “Deadpool” movies (2016 and 2018) and Levy worked with Reynolds on the video game satire “Free Guy” in 2021 and the time travel family film “The Adam Project” in 2022. He also directed Jackman in “Real Steel” in 2011.

The fan service-focused writers aim for the audience to enjoy the comedic gifts of glib Reynolds, all in for the third time as Deadpool, aka “The Merc with the Mouth,” doing his signature fourth wall breaking and snappy repartee peppered with self-aware pop culture references.

This film is Wilson’s timeline, and I think we’re part of the portal that has discovered a grumpy version of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, the X-Men legend that he’s played 10 times on screen, and yes, was killed in 2017’s “Logan.”

If you haven’t seen a recent Marvel movie, they play loose with the multiverses, so really anything can happen – and does, as logic doesn’t matter.

Capitalizing on their viral social media faux feud, Reynolds and Jackman follow through with their odd-couple chemistry and amusing one-upmanship.

The charismatic duo, in frenemies mode, must use their specific sets of skills to thwart the foe, Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s evil twin sister who benefits from telekinesis and telepathy.

Xavier is none other than the beloved Professor X, creator of the X-Men, and founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Logan taught a new generation of mutants there.

A bald, glowering Emma Corrin, best known for portraying a young Lady Diana Spencer on “The Crown,” is an unpredictable and dull villain that appears stuck in a scorched earth dystopian scenario reminiscent of another popular sci-fi fantasy franchise. 

The heavily banged-up, scraggly heroes are joined by faces both familiar and fresh, and while mentioning cameos would be a frowned-upon spoiler, those actors really perk up the proceedings.

Supporting characters include Emmy-Award winner Matthew Macfadyen (Tom on “Succession”) as a mysterious TVA manager-enforcer Mr. Paradox, Rob Delaney as Wade’s cheerful co-worker Peter who is eager to help save the world, Morena Baccarin returns as Wade’s sweet ex-girlfriend Vanessa, and Leslie Uggams is Wade’s cantankerous blind roommate Al.

With a torrent of F-bombs unleashed throughout – more than a 100, this is the first Disney-sanctioned Marvel movie to be rated R, and it’s also because of its gory slice-and-dice fights and raunchy, foul-mouthed humor.

If you’ve seen the previous two self-aware “Deadpool” movies, it follows that subversive-found family template.

Deadpool, a comic book figure created by Rob Leifeld and Fabian Nicieza, was a soldier dying of cancer when offered a lifeline by a shadowy agency – experimented on, which left him horribly disfigured but able to rapidly heal. He first showed up in the X-Men Origins movie “Wolverine” in 2009, and the bromance began.

This is also the first time Wolverine is seen in his comic book yellow-and-blue suit in 24 years of live-action films, and costume designers Graham Churchyard and Mayes C. Rubeo nail it.

The versatile Jackman, who is at home on both a Broadway stage and stabbing people with his mutant’s retractable adamantium claws, is in prime physical condition, and can capably handle his gruff character’s brute strength and animalistic rage, not to mention rock the mutton-chop sideburns.

Wolverine, aka James “Logan” Howlett, has been part of the X-Men, X-Force, Alpha Flight, the Fantastic Four, and the Avengers. Depicted as a loner, he’s known for a long lifespan and therefore, many life experiences. Jackman has played the character since 2000.

We reviewers are contractually obligated not to give too much away in terms of spoilers, character development, cameos and major plot points, so this must suffice.

This film is going to be a huge box office champ, restoring the MCU’s luster after last year’s flops “Ant-Man vs. The Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels,” so does it matter if it’s really a rough patchwork quilt, enlivened by zippy quips and two pros giving fans what they want?

I doubt that anyone is going to remember this plot, or comprehend it, once people get home. But they will recall laughing a lot – and a very sentimental homage to the Fox era of “X-Men” films over the closing credits.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is a 2024 action-comedy-sci-fi movie directed by Shawn Levy and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corwin, Matthew MacFadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, and Leslie Uggams. It is rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references and runs 2 hours, 7 minutes. It opened in theatres July 26. Lynn’s Grade: B-.

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Is A Dazzling, Incomplete Spectacle

‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Is A Dazzling, Incomplete Spectacle

By Alex McPherson

An eye-popping feast for the senses whose visual inventiveness can’t compensate for a restrictive middle-chapter narrative, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is consistently engaging but will play best for those already well-versed in Spider-Man lore.

Taking place 16 months after the events of “Into the Spider-Verse,” the film follows the exploits of 15-year-old Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who struggles to balance his superhero role as Spider-Man with the more traditional responsibilities (i.e., attending classes) expected by his strict yet loving parents, Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) and the soon-to-be-police-chief Jeff (Brian Tyree Henry), who are unaware of his alter ego.

Miles, a rebellious teenager experiencing loneliness and heartbreak from his (literally) “out of this world” spider-people companions, including badass crush Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), feels adrift and unable to fully express himself — yearning for freedom and belonging.

Gwen, in her own dimension, is similarly struggling to find acceptance and meaning; her father, George (Shea Whigham), a police chief, discovers her identity as Spider-Woman and blames her for the death of her timeline’s Peter Parker. After battling a monochromatic variation of The Vulture, Gwen is recruited by a team of Multiverse protectors — including the motorcycle-riding Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) and the brooding Spider-Man 2099, a.k.a. Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) — running from her now-perilous bond with her father. Soon enough, however, she’s called back into Miles’ orbit to tackle a new threat.

A bespeckled, self-deprecating foe named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) shows up in Miles’ reality — brimming with hatred for Miles due to a past wrong that left him covered with holes through which he can teleport across great distances. He’s champing at the bit to become Miles’ “nemesis,” getting stronger by the moment in his fierce desire for revenge. 

Things get even more complicated when Gwen shows up, reigniting her situationship with Miles, and prepares to leave once The Spot teleports elsewhere. Miles ends up following her into an interdimensional portal revealing a whole society of Spider-Beings, including the jovial Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), the unruly, punk rock Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya), seemingly assembled from scraps of paper, and a hulking Spider-Tyrannosaurus, each manifested through different animation styles.

It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, though, as not only has The Spot gained enough power to pose a tangible threat to the Multiverse as they know it, but Miles must continue to fight against fatalistic, predetermined beliefs that restrict his free will on a universe-altering level.

Indeed, “Across the Spider-Verse” certainly has a boatload of information to convey to viewers, and to be honest, some of it soared over my head. This remains the sequel’s greatest flaw: no matter how excellent it looks and how well the talented ensemble brings these characters to life, the film remains ham-strung by a desire to be bigger in the classic sense, leaving its most compelling thread dangling by the end as we wait for the next installment in 2024. 

Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers certainly have a keen sense of spectacle, seamlessly blending art styles together that reflect characters’ specific views of the world and their distinct, variably layered personalities. From a watercolor backdrop melting from mournful blue to hopeful pink with the thawing of emotions, to a brief detour into stop-motion animation straight out of “The Lego Movie,” and frantic action sequences throwing characters of all styles at the screen at once, packing in multitudes of nerd-culture references along the way, “Across the Spider-Verse” is equal parts mesmerizing and fatiguing by the end of its 136-minute runtime, boosted by a thumping, energetic score by Daniel Pemberton and a catchy soundtrack. The passion poured into this project by everyone involved is apparent from start to finish, at least from a presentation standpoint.

“Across the Spider-Verse” still falls prey to sensory overload in its second half, just like its predecessor, but is refreshingly focused on human relationships in its beginning stretch, particularly regarding Miles’ bond with his parents. Moore, Lauren, and Tyree Henry lend real pathos to their roles in these slower sequences, tenderly and believably navigating difficult choices along Miles’ transition into adulthood. Steinfeld is also excellent, particularly in early scenes with her alienated father: vulnerable and courageous, bitter and earnest. Gwen’s not defined by her will-they-won’t-they romance with Miles, but rather by her personal strength to confront her demons and fight for what she believes in.

It’s somewhat disappointing, then, that as Miles and company journey through the Multiverse, encountering bazillions of Spider-Beings, that “Across the Spider-Verse” reverts so frequently to exposition dumps and rushed characterizations that allow little time to be fleshed-out beyond the surface level.

Talk of so-called “canon events” (the expected happenings of each Spider-Man story) are interesting in a meta-textual sense, but the film leaves the concept’s thornier elements dangling, hopefully to be explored down the road, in favor of simplistic messaging. The Spot, too, idiosyncratically brought to life by Schwartzman, is sidelined for most of the second half, a Big Bad seemingly too big for the already overstuffed film to address.

No matter how likable the characters, or thrilling the animation, “Across the Spider-Verse” is unable to break free from the expectations of tradition: a story whose ideas of empowerment and individuality are only broached but not fully delved into, set-up for greater things in the future. Perhaps “Beyond the Spider-Verse” will rectify these qualms, but as it stands, “Across the Spider-Verse” can’t match its breathtaking presentation with equally strong storytelling.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a 2023 animation-fantasy film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and starring (voices): Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Luna Loren Valez, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Dratch, Brian Tyree Henry, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, J.K. Simmons, and Mahershala Ali.
It is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements and the runtime is 2 hours and 20 minutes. It opens in theaters on June 2. Alex’s Grade: B

‘Spider-Man’ Leaps Into Second Spider-Verse With Eye-Popping Innovation But Super-Frantic

‘Spider-Man’ Leaps Into Second Spider-Verse With Eye-Popping Innovation But Super-Frantic

By Lynn Venhaus
Pop art, quantum physics and pathos collide in a grand superhero spectacle, resulting in this “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” sequel being a mind-blowing amalgamation of next-level animation like but surpassing the 2018 original.

In this second installment of an animated film trilogy, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) catapults across the multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

However inventive and clever it is, though, about half of the storyline is incoherent and panders to fan service — and the sensory-overload-on-steroids style is overwhelming and exhausting. Yet, we’re all locked in.

This 2 hour and 20- minute eye-popping extravaganza takes place across six dimensions, has 240 characters in it and had over 1,000 animators working on it – the most ever.

The Spider-Man mythology, easily relatable for teens who understood creator Stan Lee’s metaphors for figuring out their place in the world, began as a socially inept high school student who was bitten by a radioactive spider, and thus developed superpowers. That was in 1962, and in fighting crime in his subsequent Marvel Comics issues, Peter Parker would eventually learn “with great power comes great responsibility.”

Since 2002, there have been eight live-action Spider-Man movies, plus his role in “The Avengers” franchise, not to mention a past TV series, Broadway musical, video games and books.

The three co-directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson mash parts of the old films with elements of the comic books. That comic imagery, added in with drawing and painting styles of the 20th and 21st centuries, results in a visually stunning work. Art historians will be in for a treat.

And comic book fans will be delirious about the Easter eggs – no doubt courtesy of cheeky producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller who finally won an Oscar for directing the first movie (previously robbed for “The Lego Movie”) but only co-wrote this script with David Callaham, a veteran of the first and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.”

I understand their desire to throw in as many gags for the super-fans, but that darn muddled narrative lets the rest of us down. And their need to fiddle with the Spider-Man canon to keep it fresh and interesting. Sure, there are compelling human emotional touches (dead relatives, loved ones in peril), but the hyper-kinetic storytelling weakens the overall effect for those ‘not in the zone.’

Another sticking point is that the middle entry in this animated world ends with a cliffhanger, then states Miles will return in “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.” It is set for a March 29, 2024, release — frustrating to viewers who like things resolved before waiting for another one, because this one just ends without a resolution.

And if you did not see “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” released four and a half years ago, you will be lost here. As a quick recap, Miles Morales, a black Hispanic Brooklynite, was juggling his life between being in high school and a Spider-Man, but when Wilson “Kingpin” Fisk uses a super collider, he finds out that others from across the Spider-Verse have been transported to his dimension.

This time, 15-year-old Miles remains on Earth – 42, but as he discovers more multi-verses, he meets dozens of other Spider-People. In this global take, we meet a Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), a cockney street punk Spidey named Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya), a snarling, hulking vampire Spidey Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), and a pregnant Spider-Woman, motorcycle mama Jessica Drew (Issa Rae). Saving the world is tough business, and there are existential crises happening.

Miles’ mentor, Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), is shown as a young father, married to MJ (Zoe Kravitz), who brings his baby along for the adventures. Sad girl Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is a combo grrrl rocker and a Spider-Girl whose anguished storyline is equal to Miles’.

Spidey and The Spot

While one can applaud the energy and the dazzling visuals of non-stop action, characters are often frazzled, and the pace is so frenetic that you feel like you are trapped in this parallel universe too. Who’s good, who’s evil, and who may be both?

Shameik Moore has returned to voice Miles, and he’s dandy as the angsty teen who is exasperating to his parents because of his time-management skills (they don’t know he’s keeping the bad guys in check, at least in his neighborhood).

His parents are voiced by Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Loren Valdez, joining a slate of major talent whose vocal work is solid but does not immediately identify them. Yet, it’s easy to place J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, SNL’s Rachel Dratch as the principal, and Jason Schwartman as the revenge-seeking villain “The Spot” (a standout).

Hyper and hypnotic, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ” has pushed forward the genre and is a fun fan experience. The propulsive score by composer Daniel Pemberton is also a plus. I give the animation an A+ but the story a B-.

It’s a lot to juggle sci-fi, action, adventure, family, comedy, drama, and fantasy in one animated feature, and this film does display heart, even if the movie can’t stand on its own.

After two decades of superhero comics ruling the bombastic blockbuster box office, what’s next? Has art opened another dimension? One of the Spider-Verse’s greatest strengths is that it still surprises, and these multiverses show no signs of maxing out.

One thing is for certain, the enthusiasm for this head-spinning series is not waning anytime soon (even with the grumbling about waiting for the next sequel). It’s as if we’ve hopped on one of the wildest amusement parks rides ever, and we need to see where it leads.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is a 2023 animation-fantasy film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson and starring (voices): Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Luna Loren Valez, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Dratch, Brian Tyree Henry, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, J.K. Simmons, and Mahershala Ali.
It is rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements and the runtime is 2 hours and 20 minutes. It opens in theaters on June 2. Lynn’s Grade: B

This review also appeared in the Webster-Kirkwood Times’ Reel World with Kent Tentschert.

Fast, Furious and Funny “Thor: Love and Thunder” Is Rip-Roaring Good Time

Fast, Furious and Funny “Thor: Love and Thunder” Is Rip-Roaring Good Time

By Lynn Venhaus
The beguiling “Thor: Love and Thunder” is a sweet love story wrapped in a darker cosmic adventure and draped in Norse god mythology.

This flashy blend of heroics, heart and humor is sometimes too goofy to be taken seriously, but overall is an inspired take from director Taika Waititi, and that is reason enough to spring extra for the IMAX viewing.

But first and foremost, the enormously appealing Chris Hemsworth is back as the crown prince of Asgard being playful, very physical – and emotional. In the Summer of the Chris’, he might be having the best one (His comrades Chris Evans and Chris Pratt, although, are not being left in the dust).

Hemsworth has now played Thor in four stand-alone installments and in four Avengers films, and has made the role his signature. When we last saw the superhero in “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, he was having an existential crisis, and Hemworth’s comedic skills were used well.

In this chapter, Thor, interrupted in his retirement, enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) to combat the galactic killer Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who intends to make the gods extinct. To Thor’s surprise, Jane wields his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor, and they must join forces to stop Gorr’s vengeance and save the multi-universe.

Picking up where “Avengers: Endgame” left off three years ago, Thor gets back in shape, going from “Dad bod to god bod” — and is shown meddling in the Guardians of the Galaxy’s quests, and hanging out in Asgard as this retired guy content to let the world pass him by. Naturally, duty calls, and so does his ex, astrophysicist Dr. Jane Foster, now battling cancer and wielding the enchanted hammer.

Hemsworth and Natalie Portman have a delightful chemistry together, and their scenes of tussling and reconnecting are sincere and sentimental. They make you believe in them – and care.

And as The Mighty Thor, Portman shows off her physicality. She’s able to meet the demands of the role with ebullience and grace.

Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) as Mighty Thor

Thor, the god of thunder, was turned into comic book gold by writer Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber and artist Jack Kirby in 1962, making his debut in Marvel’s “The Silver Age of Comic Books,” and #82 “Journey into Mystery.”

Now, 60 years later, the brawny do-gooder is an indispensable part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe treatments. The Kenneth Branagh-directed one started his story in 2011, followed by “The Dark World” sequel in 2013, then Waititi took over in “Thor: Ragnarok” in 2017 and now “Love and Thunder.”

Hemsworth plays up Thor’s strong, beefy, and boastful qualities, and always seems to let the audience in on the joke.

Multi-hyphenate Waititi, who won an Oscar for best original screenplay for “JoJo Rabbit” in 2020, is known as a writer for his cheeky and brazen humor, and injects a liveliness into his second Thor film, for which he wrote the story and co-wrote the screenplay with Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.

As a director, the New Zealander takes on quirky projects – see “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” for a surprisingly fun adventure – and as an actor, he’s stood out in a wide range of wacky characters. He might be best known for creating “What We Do in the Shadows,” now a wildly successful television series adaptation.

Waititi moves through a jumble of genres with ease. This installment of “Thor” actually straddles darkness and light rather deftly, but it is certainly a jolt to plunge into the creepy ink-black world of Gorr’s cruelty as he terrorizes kidnapped children.

So, while “Love and Thunder” is geared to be a family film, it has elements of horror, and can scare the young ones. They really push that PG-13 rating.

A gaunt and nearly unrecognizable Christian Bale is quite good as the sinister villain, bringing an interesting edge to the role. It’s a welcome return, for the Oscar-winning actor had planned not to do any more superhero movies after he finished playing the Caped Crusader in “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012, relented, and he makes his mark giving Gorr more dimension as a grief-stricken father.

The quality of the performances, with both Bale, Portman and even Russell Crowe being silly as Zeus, is indicative of their willingness to take risks and not rest on their golden Academy Awards statuettes.

The cast is up to the challenges, both in harrowing danger and in the “Team Thor” camaraderie – especially with Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie presiding over Asgard as the ruler, and Waititi voicing the giant hunk of stones Korg.

The zippy action-packed visual effects extravaganza is set to a very loud pulse-pounding classic rock score. After two hours and five minutes, it intriguingly leaves us wanting more with two surprising scenes during the end credits.

“Love and Thunder” whets our appetites for the future projects – what a fun reveal some recognizable people are – but satisfies as a rip-roaring, energetic, and entertaining stand-alone with a compelling story and fine performances.

But — those screaming goats are a bit much.

“Thor: Love and Thunder” is a 2022 action, adventure, fantasy film directed by Taika Waititi and stars Chris Hemsworth, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson and Russell Crowe. It is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, language, some suggestive material, and partial nudity, and runs 2 hours, 5 minutes. Opens in theaters on July 8. Lynn’s Grade: B+