Fan Service Done Right

I know many (most?) loved the last hour of Endgame, where basically every character to have ever shown up in the MCU ran around a battlefield, yet somehow no one, save the one necessary sacrifice, on the heroic side died. For me, that was one of the most ill-conceived, pointless, and tiresome moments, no, hours, in the MCU, and more or less ruined an otherwise not bad film.

That was fan service for the sake of fan service, done despite ruining the film.

Deadpool vs. Wolverine is a masterclass in how to properly service the fans without sacrificing the film. The entire thing is a non-stop comedic rollercoaster, with rapid-fire dialogue that would make Howard Hawks proud. When surprise characters show up, and believe me, they do, it's with a purpose, and that purpose is to make you smile. It works every time. I don't think I can recall a single joke in this film, which runs for 2 hours, that fell flat. Not one. This had a packed theater in stitches, from the opening credits to the final post-credit scene.

Some movies you have to see more than once in order to soak up the full impact of the cinematography, or to catch plot nuance and foreshadowing; this one because you missed a lot of the jokes because the audience was still laughing at the previous one. Howard Hawks? Hell, even Preston Sturges would applaud this effort.

And as a semi-related aside, a film like this underscores the reason "waiting for it to stream" is the behavior of a simpleton. Being one of 200 or so people laughing and reveling in unison is a primal thing, and a part of being human that we evolved to need. You will miss at least 90% of the impact of this film if you wait to watch alone, or with a few people, on your couch.