Sometimes I wish I was 12 or 14 again. Just to see life through that relatively innocent lens once more. Maybe that's what I'm looking for every time I go to a superhero movie.
I grew up on DC and Marvel comics. Couldn't wait for X-Men and The Avengers to hit the big screen. At this stage I've pretty much given up on them. But I thought this match-up might change my mind.
I got a few laughs out of it, so that's a good sign. Maybe even an early clue to the new direction. But really, the sum of this movie's parts was the placing of Deadpool in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
As well as donning a red costume, Ryan Reynolds also co-wrote the script. So, presumably he had fun convincing the MCU suits and strategists that a two-hour roast of Fox, Disney, Marvel and superhero movie-making in general was the way to go.
Because that's pretty much what we've got here.
Brave? Not really. Stunning? Most certainly not. But it is funny, even if the concept wears a bit thin by the end.
I wasn't expecting La règle du jeu in jumpsuits so I wasn't disappointed. The two hours flew by, with a mix of bloody (if predictable) battles, beheadings, extreme male genital mutilation and a relentlessly puerile sense of humour.
The plot's pretty straightforward. Deadpool's universe is in a jocker, and if he can't get a Wolverine on board to batter the baddies, then all his friends will be historical toast.
The 'real' one is no longer with us (as a result of 2017's excellent Logan), so our wisecracking, fourth wall-breaking anti-hero goes through various versions of Wolverine until he finds a good fit.
After that, it's one battle after another, with a stream of sarky remarks and the occasional plot twist.
Matthew Macfadyen puts in a good turn as the pivotal Mr Paradox, which basically entails him riffing off on his Tom character in Succession.
All in all, Deadpool and Wolverine is a step above a lot of superhero movies, though that is admittedly faint praise. Take it with some popcorn and a fizzy drink and you'll have some fun.
