‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Debuts with 81% Critics Score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Many Critics Share a Common View: They Didn’t Get It

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Deadpool and Wolverine’ premiered internationally, and the audience response has been overwhelmingly positive. The film currently boasts a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing both ‘Infinity War’ and ‘Endgame,’ which are considered crown jewels of the MCU.

While this score may decrease as more of the general public weighs in, our focus here is on the critics’ reviews of the movie.

‘Deadpool and Wolverine’ currently holds an 81% approval rating, which is still quite respectable. It’s important to remember that not everyone will love every movie, and critics’ opinions shouldn’t overshadow your own preferences.

While ratings matter for studios and the movie’s legacy, the divergence between critics’ and audience opinions has become more pronounced in recent years.

I wanted to explore what critics who gave the movie a “rotten” score have in common. After all, this is the same group that rated ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ at 90%, yet many critics share a common issue—they struggle with the film’s references and cameos.

Despite the movie’s producer claiming it has no barriers to entry, allowing even those unfamiliar with previous Deadpool or X-Men films to enjoy it, this isn’t entirely accurate. About 50% of the movie relies on references to the former Fox X-Men franchise and callbacks to previous Deadpool installments.

If you have never seen those movies, you won’t get why you should laugh, or why certain cameos are a big deal, I’m trying to avoid spoilers here so I can’t go into details, but trust me, most jokes and cameos won’t land if you’re not already familiar with Deadpool’s past and the history of other superhero movies.

If you take a look at rotten reviews, the critics have a tendency to point out that “geeks” and “terminally online” will like it:

Alternately hilarious and exhausting and stuffed with more meta-narrative than it has actual narrative, Deadpool & Wolverine is a massive corporate in-joke masquerading as a movie. – Adam Graham, Detroit News

For viewers who spend a lot of their time online, soaking up the discourse generated by insider-fan accounts and message boards, all of this will seem warmly familiar. But good luck if you’re coming in with no prior knowledge . – David Sims, The Atlantic

Deadpool is and always has been a faux-naughty edgelord and tryhard. While it will likely amuse its target audience of geeks and the terminally online, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is a whole lot of hot air and not much else. – Katie Walsh, Tribune News Service

There is a difference between tossing out references and making a movie that is genuinely funny, thrilling, energetic and innovative. At nearly every turn, Deadpool & Wolverine aspires to work in direct opposition to such goals. – Barry Hertz, Globe and Mail

I’d rather just watch a movie than be pandered to by one – .Rafer Guzman, Newsday

For the core audience, the gags will be reward enough, even if the rest of us might squirm as the sloppily staged action grows repetitive, the plotting haphazard and the humor so self-aware the movie threatens to disappear up its own ass. – David Rooney, Hollywood Reporter

The results are a mixed bag of occasionally funny one-liners and characters you forgot you probably complained about online in the 2000s. – Kristen Lopez, Kristomania (Substack)

And there’s a lot more to unpack. So, what’s the takeaway here? Ultimately, there isn’t one definitive answer. Rating movies is a highly subjective process, as no two people have exactly the same tastes and preferences. Some devoted fans of Deadpool, Wolverine, and the Foxverse may genuinely dislike the movie, and their criticism is valid.

In this case, the film is clearly aimed at the fans, and I anticipate that the critics’ score might drop further. While the plot is undeniably thin and there are some unavoidable clichés, the enjoyment comes from the ride and the action. If it resonates with you, it simply does.

What’s your opinion on the film? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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