(Spoiler ahead for Deadpool & Wolverine)
Is it
possible for a viewer with little to no knowledge of Marvel’s superhero films
to truly enjoy Deadpool & Wolverine?
He had to,
but I feel the movie gets wonky when it tries to sway towards a film of its
own, especially with the presence of non-stop superhero and 20th Century Fox
lore references.
Often, I
struggle with this dilemma when watching Marvel movies. At this rate where
there are more than 30 titles on film and serial formats, watching the new
movie wasn’t just an event to witness, but a new episode to catch up on out of
fear of missing out. I have been watching these movies for most of my life, to
the extent that I can easily pinpoint easter eggs and references like any fan
without needing to browse through long Reddit threads and online listicles.
Sequels.
Prequels. Reboots. Remakes. Our historical association with pop culture has
fascinatingly turned into commodities. They’re enjoyable because they’re
familiar – and we’re wearing our fandom flags proudly because it has been
ingrained with our entertainment consumption.
While watching Deadpool & Wolverine, I would look at the big IMAX screen, ponder at Hugh Jackman wearing a comic-accurate yellow suit, and wonder if fan service is something that we can possibly live without to appreciate these movies fully.
The answer is no. There is a reason why this machinery works for Marvel and even other entertainment studios, but it’s important to be mindful when we decide to just enjoy.
When a
bombastic score plays out of nowhere only to signal Wesley Snipes’ on-screen
entrance as Blade, a packed audience erupts into loud shouts and applause. By
then, I knew that I wasn’t watching a movie. This is a fan convention, and it
just happens to have a 2-hour movie playing in front of us.
To each his
own. I had a great time watching Deadpool & Wolverine when I
realized that this movie will only work when there is a uniform reaction. I can
only imagine that Wesley Snipes bit being laughable when I stumbled upon this
movie on a streaming service. It’s the kind of movie where a big crowd is
mandatory.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now showing in cinemas from Walt Disney Studios.
Featured images from Walt Disney Studios/ Marvel Studios.
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