From its wicked humor to its stunning fight sequences, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is among the very best of the MCU

Early on in Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine,” in one of his infamous fourth-wall-breaking quips, the Merc With the Mouth tells the legendary X-Men hero that he’s joining the long-running Marvel Cinematic Universe at a bit of a low point. Which, to be honest, is an understatement.

Ever since 2019’s genre-defining “Avengers: Endgame,” Marvel has been trying to re-create that euphoric magic — to little avail. Between the glut of mediocre TV shows and lackluster movies over the past five years, the now-bloated MCU is indeed at its lowest point since the franchise exploded onto the scene with 2008’s “Iron Man.” But with the savagely hilarious and violently kinetic “Deadpool & Wolverine” (it’s Marvel’s first R-rated movie for a reason), Marvel has once again caught lightning in a bottle, delivering a cinematic experience on par with the very best in the MCU.

Read the full review at The Seattle Times.

Five “Wait, who are you again?” stars out of five, and a critic’s pick.