If the word bombastic took steroids it might come close to describing the R-rated "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Vulgar, gory, with a "whiff of necrophilia" and irreverence to burn, it's a showcase for the bromance stylings of its stars, who pull out all the stops to lovingly put a cap on Fox's Marvel movies.
"Disney bought Fox," Deadpool explains, "[so there's] that whole boring rights issue."
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson, left, and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in a scene from 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' (20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios)
At the film's start, it takes some doing to explain Wolverine/Logan's return from the dead — "Nothing will bring you back to life faster than a big bag of Marvel cash," Deadpool says to Wolverine's remains.
But once that convoluted (but action-packed) setup is out of the way, the film barrels through the plot with both fists flailing.
Before, during and after the big, bloody action sequences, the movie cheekily blurs the line between on-screen and off-screen life. Deadpool obnoxiously calls Logan "Hugh," and even takes a jab at Jackman's recent divorce. Later he leeringly mentions "Gossip Girl," the show that made Reynolds's wife, Blake Lively, famous.
That fourth-wall-breaking riffing suits Reynolds's trademark delivery, and sets the self-aware "Deadpool" movies apart from other superhero films.
"Fox killed him," Deadpool says of Wolverine. "Disney brought him back. They're gonna make him do this till he's 90!"
Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine/Logan in a scene from 'Deadpool & Wolverine.' (20th Century Studios/Marvel Studios)
Humour has a place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), in Tony Stark's one-liners, in Taika Waititi era "Thor" movies and "Guardians of the Galaxy" to name a handful of examples, but none of those subversively poke fun at superhero movies and themselves in the way "Deadpool & Wolverine" does. What other MCU movie would self-deprecatingly admit that the characters are entering the multiverse "at a bit of a low point?"
Jackman mostly plays it straight, acting as a soundboard for "the Merc with the Mouth's" one-liners. Filled with regret over past events, the self-loathing Wolverine is a hard-drinking mutant, in full comic book costume, who reluctantly embraces heroism.
Wolverine provides the story's heart as a counterpoint to Deadpool's constant quipping.
Both characters may be physically indestructible, but their psyches aren't. Both are tortured, and when the movie isn't gushing blood or cracking wise, it's about lost souls and their search for redemption. That story chord is a grace note that often gets lost amid the film's cacophonic action, but is a welcome relief from the constant clatter.
A love letter to the now bygone Fox era of superhero films, "Deadpool & Wolverine" ushers in a new epoch overstuffed with overkill, cameos, Easter eggs, juvenile humour and a villain who reads minds by thrusting their fingers into their victim's heads. It's fun fan service, and a good time at the movies, even if the experience of watching it sometimes feels like being on the inside of a blender set to puree.
A whirlwind of rain and snow will blanket most of Canada this winter thanks in part to the La Nina weather pattern, according to the Farmers' Almanac's new extended weather forecast.
A construction worker trapped in a trench in Toronto has died, Toronto police said.
George Clooney has a profanity-laced bone to pick with director Quentin Tarantino.
A black bear mauled and injured a three-year-old girl in a tent at a private campground in Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park over the weekend, state wildlife officials said.
The death-care industry, like any line of work, has had to learn to adapt to an evolving consumer and environment. But with a funeral home being a unique type of job, it does bring its own set of challenges.
The NCAA was accused of boycotting Canadian Hockey League players from Division I competition in a class-action lawsuit filed on Tuesday that, if successful, could end college hockey’s longstanding ban on players deemed to be professionals.
Taylor Swift fans, disappointed by three cancelled shows in Vienna, had the chance to trade in their unused tickets for free Swarovski necklaces.
Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program serves as a 'breeding ground for contemporary slavery,' according to a scathing UN report examining Canada's efforts to limit unfair labour.
According to Superior Court documents from the London Courthouse a trial date is drawing near in the case against five former Canadian world junior hockey team players.
A construction worker trapped in a trench in Toronto has died, Toronto police said.
Shots fired and an attempted arson at a home in Surrey, B.C., over the weekend appear to be linked to extortion threats targeting South Asian businesses across the country.
As many as 9,000 turkeys have died and damage is estimated at $500,000 after a large fire north of Aylmer. The blaze broke out around 9:30 p.m. on College Line, just west of Imperial Road (Hwy 73).
A 19-year-old B.C. man has been charged with 23 offences in the alleged online sextortion of victims in multiple provinces.
Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program serves as a 'breeding ground for contemporary slavery,' according to a scathing UN report examining Canada's efforts to limit unfair labour.
A group of customers say they've lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after dealing with the Saskatoon-based Prairie Timber Group Ltd.
A record-breaking series of auctions of King Charles III banknotes has raised £914,127 (US$1.2 million) for 10 U.K. charities, according to the Bank of England.
The U.S. has approved US$20 billion in arms sales to Israel, including scores of fighter jets and advanced air-to-air missiles, the State Department announced Tuesday.
A charity working with homeless people in Auckland, New Zealand unknowingly distributed candies filled with a potentially lethal dose of methamphetamine in its food parcels after the sweets were donated by a member of the public.
The long-unsolved 1986 killing of a young Southern California woman has been linked to a convicted serial killer who admitted the crime, authorities said Tuesday.
A police officer in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, was indicted by a grand jury on murder charges Tuesday in last year’s killing of a pregnant woman who was suspected of shoplifting, according to the Montgomery County prosecutor’s office.
A black bear mauled and injured a three-year-old girl in a tent at a private campground in Montana just north of Yellowstone National Park over the weekend, state wildlife officials said.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security says people seeking asylum at the border with Canada will have less time to consult a lawyer before making their case, as U.S. President Joe Biden's asylum halt makes its way to Canada’s doorstep.
MPs agreed Tuesday that ministers need to testify publicly 'as soon as possible' about the immigration and security screening of a father and son recently charged in connection to an alleged foiled Toronto terror plot.
Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program serves as a 'breeding ground for contemporary slavery,' according to a scathing UN report examining Canada's efforts to limit unfair labour.
A pair of mothers are joining forces after both their children died as a result of drug overdoses.
Fredericton first responders are concerned about a “significant increase” in drug overdoses in the city, saying they’ve already responded to more overdoses in 2024 than in all of last year.
Toronto is reporting a 'spike' in mpox cases and health officials are urging eligible residents to get vaccinated to contain the spread. In a news release issued Tuesday, Toronto Public Health said it has seen 93 confirmed cases as of July 31. This time last year, the city's case count stood at 21.
Google on Tuesday unveiled its next generation of Pixel phones, providing the maker of Android software a head start on the next iPhone in the race to bring more artificial-intelligence services to devices that have become people's constant companions.
Mars may be drenched beneath its surface, with enough water hiding in the cracks of underground rocks to form a global ocean, new research suggests.
A trove of ancient artifacts from Egypt's last dynasty has been discovered in 63 tombs in the Nile Delta area and experts are working to restore and classify the finds, an official with the country's antiquities authority said Monday.
George Clooney has a profanity-laced bone to pick with director Quentin Tarantino.
Another six episodes of the Crave original comedy series Shoresy have started filming in Sudbury, Ont., with Season 4 being released in winter 2025.
Workers arriving at the London Zoo early Tuesday were surprised to discover an unexpected mural by elusive street artist Banksy, which showed a gorilla holding up an entrance gate as birds took flight and a sea lion waddled away.
The death-care industry, like any line of work, has had to learn to adapt to an evolving consumer and environment. But with a funeral home being a unique type of job, it does bring its own set of challenges.
Convenience stores can start selling alcohol off their shelves in about a month and, so far, more than 3,850 have obtained their liquor licences to do so.
Elon Musk's antics are unlike any other Big Tech leader, and while it may be off-putting to a segment of his X user base, it could also attract eyeballs to his platform. AP writer Barbara Ortutay asks, could this all be part of a broader plan?
Nathalie Meijer will never forget that night she was leaving a boring college party and happened to meet Juan Lucio, who was doing the same.
Traditionally, women considered 'demure' behave in a way that is modest, reserved and inoffensive to the point that they’re barely visible.
The summer school break doesn't have to be a complete vacation from learning. An educator explains how to prevent children from falling behind in literacy while still having fun.
A gold medal win by Canadian Philip Kim at the Paris Olympics in breaking has introduced the world to the sport and its culture that is all about peace, love and unity, his former coaches say.
The NCAA was accused of boycotting Canadian Hockey League players from Division I competition in a class-action lawsuit filed on Tuesday that, if successful, could end college hockey’s longstanding ban on players deemed to be professionals.
Gymnastics is full of twists and turns, but the unfolding saga over which gymnast will officially take home the bronze in the 2024 Olympic women’s artistic floor exercise final has been more complicated than anyone expected.
Mazda is warning approximately 71,000 vehicle owners in Canada who have not yet repaired their cars following seven past safety recalls to urgently have them serviced.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say there has been a 'sharp increase' in the number of fatal motorcycle crashes across the province in recent weeks, calling the trend 'senseless and preventable.'
U.S. federal safety authorities say they are seeking information on a crash and fire involving a Tesla Cybertruck that killed a driver of the futuristic new pickup.
Nathalie Meijer will never forget that night she was leaving a boring college party and happened to meet Juan Lucio, who was doing the same.
The town of Moosomin in eastern Saskatchewan plans to double its population by offering $30,000 cheques to those building a home in the community.
After posting about a recent trip to Jasper, Alta., actor Bryan Cranston heaped more praise on some of Alberta’s other majestic mountain destinations.
Owners and customers of Milano Pizzeria on St. Laurent Blvd. were shocked Sunday morning to find the restaurant had been vandalized.
For his new novel, The Seminarian, Hart Hanson started with a character rather than an incident.
Armed with a keen eye and curiosity, Jim Wilson has watched birds in New Brunswick for decades. Recently, Wilson saw his 400th species of bird, but the search continues for the next one.
A recent Rentals.ca and Urbanation survey shows average rental rates rose 5.9 per cent across the country compared to this time last year, but in Halifax it's a different story.
Police in Stratford, Ont. say they’re looking at a fatal shooting incident, which escalated from an ongoing neighbour dispute, to see if there’s anything they can learn from it.
A 400-acre ranch in B.C.'s Okanagan has hit the market for $2.5 million and one of the property's selling features is a hobbit-hole-inspired house that has been named one of Canada's most wish-listed Airbnbs.
Mounties in North Vancouver are investigating an assault on a senior in a local park late last month and are asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect.
Thirteen people who were arrested at a pro-Palestinian protest in Vancouver earlier this year have been charged, according to authorities.
At the peak of wildfire activity over the past couple of weeks, more than 5,000 British Columbians found themselves under evacuation order or alert, but as of Tuesday just 55 properties remain under order.
A construction worker trapped in a trench in Toronto has died, Toronto police said.
A woman was airlifted to a hospital following a collision on Highway 410 in Mississauga Tuesday morning.
Trevaun Douglas recently undertook the most physically and mentally challenging experience of his life so that children and families in one North York neighbourhood could get a good start to the new school year.
A Calgary man is facing charges in a sexual extortion case involving a 16-year-old girl.
The town of Jasper says early numbers indicate last month’s wildfires destroyed $283 million worth of property.
A 24-year-old hiker who went missing was found dead in Kananaskis Country on Monday.
An Ottawa woman has been reunited with her dog after he was stolen nearly a year ago.
The association representing taxi drivers in Canada is asking Amazon to stop selling fake cab signs on its marketplace over a growing number of card swap scams involving fraudulent drivers.
The contract between school bus operators and the Renfrew County Joint Transportation Consortium (RCJTC) has expired. Contract negotiations between the parties has broken off, with the start of the new school year in the Ottawa Valley just three weeks away.
Days after saying a new directive for health-care workers was 'clear,' Quebec's minister of the French language says his government will clarify the policy after meeting with groups representing the English-speaking community.
It's been four days since the torrential rains hit Montreal, and many towns are still coping with the aftermath of the flooding. Some residents on Paul-Pouliot Street in the Pierrefonds borough were forced to push their cars out of their garages and onto tow trucks. Many of them are total losses after being completely submerged in flood water.
A former professional football player was sentenced Tuesday to prison in the April 2019 death of his girlfriend's five-year-old daughter at his Las Vegas apartment. The sentencing came after Cierre Wood, a former NFL and Canadian Football League running back, reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty in April to second-degree murder and felony child abuse, court records show.
AutoCanada Inc. says it has found a cybersecurity breach of its systems that could disrupt operations as it also reported a financial loss for the second quarter because of a separate cybersecurity incident.
Pattie Urie will be going home to Jasper on Friday. The 25-year resident of Jasper is one of the lucky ones — she says her house in west Jasper is still standing.
May 2 is a day Cici Nguyen says she'll never forget. That day less than four months ago is when Edmonton's Steven Wong, her 41-year-old husband, was diagnosed with Stage 4 gastric cancer.
Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop across parts of the Maritimes Tuesday afternoon into early evening.
A 19-year-old B.C. man has been charged with 23 offences in the alleged online sextortion of victims in multiple provinces.
Heavy machinery was moving into Ocean Breeze Village in Dartmouth on Tuesday as the first day of demolition began.
A Winnipeg teenager is warning drivers and cyclists to watch the road after he claims he was struck by a vehicle while riding his bike in the city’s River Park South neighbourhood.
A 54-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged after two teenage girls claim he sexually assaulted them in a Winnipeg hotel.
Hollywood legend Mark Hamill stopped by a Winnipeg recording studio to do some voice acting work while in the city.
A study through the University of Regina found that RCMP members reported a higher number of instances of sexual assault and harassment throughout their lifetimes compared to the average Canadian population.
A child has been sent to hospital with serious injuries following a pedestrian collision in Melville, Sask. on Monday.
A Saskatchewan teenager is dead and another injured after an A-T-V rollover in southwestern Manitoba.
The Waterloo Regional Police Service has lifted its ‘hold and secure’ warning in Wellesley.
A Kitchener man, who admitted to choking his roommate to death, is getting a second chance at statutory release.
A pair of mothers are joining forces after both their children died as a result of drug overdoses.
Concern over a potential rail strike is hitting a fever pitch in Saskatchewan.
A group of customers say they've lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after dealing with the Saskatoon-based Prairie Timber Group Ltd.
A wildfire is forcing residents of a remote community in Northern Saskatchewan to evacuate.
Traditionally, when shoppers go to Costco, they’re required to flash their membership cards to an employee when they walk in. But soon, some Costco shoppers will have to scan their cards at the door in a move analysts believe is to keep moochers out.
Timmins police say they are investigating reports of gunshots in the south end of town Monday night.
Three people – two caught in Timmins and one in Hearst – have collectively been fined $526,000 for offences related to illegal cigarettes and other tobacco products.
Nedal Al-Louzi, 45 years old of London, Ont. is employed as an instructor for a London area driving school. He has been charged with three counts of sexual assault.
A political push by the area’s city councillor to prioritize significant improvements to the busiest section of Hamilton Road found support among members of the Civic Works Committee (CWC).
As many as 9,000 turkeys have died and damage is estimated at $500,000 after a large fire north of Aylmer. The blaze broke out around 9:30 p.m. on College Line, just west of Imperial Road (Hwy 73).
Police continue to search for a suspect wanted in connection with a violent encounter involving a man and his dog in downtown Barrie last week.
The family of a missing Barrie woman who mysteriously disappeared more than a year ago says a reported sighting of her in North Bay is false.
Three people escaped injuries when the plane they were in crashed at the airport in Oro-Medonte early Tuesday afternoon.
A Windsor man is sharing his alleged experience with intimate partner violence, calling for more support for male victims.
A Windsor-based advocate said she wasn’t surprised to read a new report detailing disparities in union representation for Black and racialized workers.
Florida Panthers defenceman, Aaron Ekblad, is bringing the Stanley Cup to Lakeshore on Saturday.
At the peak of wildfire activity over the past couple of weeks, more than 5,000 British Columbians found themselves under evacuation order or alert, but as of Tuesday just 55 properties remain under order.
A report from the Transportation Safety Board says an investigation couldn't determine a specific cause of a fatal small plane crash in southeastern B.C. last year, but it has prompted some reminders for operators.
Mounties in British Columbia say they have notified the province's independent police oversight agency after an officer shot a man in Penticton with a less-lethal round, causing "a possible serious injury."
Animal protection officers have seized 32 Pomeranian dogs and puppies from an "irresponsible breeder" in Vernon, the BC SPCA announced Tuesday.
A camper in B.C.'s south Okanagan is facing a "hefty" fine after lighting a campfire during the ongoing ban, local Mounties say.
Mounties in Kamloops are investigating after thieves used a pickup truck to break into a Lululemon store at the Aberdeen Mall early Monday morning.
Many communities across Alberta have been dealing with a shortage of physicians. The problem is being felt the most in the rural areas of the province.
Two men convicted of mischief at the Coutts, Alta., border blockade are to learn their sentences later this month.
The final stage of a water infrastructure project in Lethbridge will kick off Monday morning, closing the intersection of 11 Street South and Sixth Avenue South.
The creation of a mental health and addictions institute in Sault Ste. Marie is making progress, with a formal funding announcement from Ottawa on Monday.
A 35-year-old from Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with dangerous and impaired driving following an incident Aug. 10 on Albert Street East.
Environment and Climate Change Canada says conserving land is crucial to maintaining biodiversity and preserving habitats that support diverse species and ecological processes.
A first-of-its-kind fashion series is running until Aug. 12 in St. John's, N.L.
Mother Nature smiled on St. John's Wednesday morning, allowing a volunteer committee to give the go-ahead for the city's unique weather-dependent holiday, the Royal St. John's Regatta.
More people are being released from Newfoundland and Labrador's largest correctional facility with nowhere to go home to, and experts say housing shortages, unco-ordinated community supports and a high number of inmates on pretrial detention are to blame.
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