ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
Marvel may be releasing only one superhero movie this year, but hey, it's a double header, "Deadpool & Wolverine." Now, superhero nerds amongst us may recall that Wolverine died in his last movie. Well, critic Bob Mondello is here to tell us - without spoilers - how the filmmakers got around that.
SHAPIRO: Marvel may be releasing only one superhero movie this year, but hey, it's a double header, "Deadpool & Wolverine." Now, superhero nerds amongst us may recall that Wolverine died in his last movie. Well, critic Bob Mondello is here to tell us - without spoilers - how the filmmakers got around that.
BOB MONDELLO, BYLINE: Actually, the trick was having him die in the first place. The dude regenerates. His wounds heal faster than you can say Adamantium, though I'll try not to say that too often. And if he's not easy to kill, neither is Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool, with whom he shares this healing thing.
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RYAN REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) God, I love this part. Wait.
MONDELLO: Blow Deadpool up, and he'll just shake it off.
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MONDELLO: We'll give him a moment. Anyway, this story is comics inspired. So if you say Wolverine's dead, I can just say multiverse or time shift or, who cares if Hugh Jackman's willing to come back? And he is...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Don't just stand there, you ape. Give me a hand up.
MONDELLO: ...Complete with those foot-long metal claws.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) No. I'm actually OK. Thank you very much.
MONDELLO: Summoning Wolverine back from the dead takes some doing by Deadpool, who's otherwise known as Wade Wilson, about 45 minutes of soul searching...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) I know I turn everything into a joke, but I care.
MONDELLO: ...Exposition spouting...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) It's been a challenging few years.
MONDELLO: ...Character establishing...
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UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #1: (As character) Wade Wilson?
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Who's asking? Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
MONDELLO: ...Backflashing, authority trashing...
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MATTHEW MACFADYEN: (As Mr. Paradox) You appear to have soiled yourself while unconscious.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) I wasn't unconscious. Why am I here?
MONDELLO: ...Groundwork laying...
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MACFADYEN: (As Mr. Paradox) This is your chance to be a hero among heroes.
MONDELLO: ...Franchise reinforcing...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) I smell what you're stepping in, sensei. Your little cinematic universe is about to change forever.
MONDELLO: ...And comic riffing.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) I'm the Messiah. I am Marvel Jesus.
MONDELLO: Yeah, not so much. But it does get him to the point that he can re-establish his romance with the guy he's shared some DNA with since their "X-Men Origins" days back in 2009.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Hi, peanut.
HUGH JACKMAN: (As Wolverine) I know you, bub.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Nope. But I know you.
JACKMAN: (As Wolverine) Everybody knows me. I'm the Wolverine.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Yes, you are, and I'm going to need you to come with me right now.
JACKMAN: (As Wolverine) Look, lady. I'm not interested.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Really getting into your...
JACKMAN: (As Wolverine) Why would I go with you?
MONDELLO: Guys, get a room. He does go with it, of course, though under duress, at which point we've got two regenerative super guys, one joke-spewing and disfigured, the other depressed and Adamantium-clawed...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Want to talk about what's haunting you, or should we wait for a third act flashback?
MONDELLO: ...Teaming up to save something or other, even as they get on each other's nerves...
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Pew, pew.
JACKMAN: (As Wolverine) Stop it.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Pew.
MONDELLO: ...And are banished to a void that's at once "Mad Max"-ish and infested with X-persons.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Oh, my God. Sabretooth.
TYLER MANE: (As Sabretooth) Ready to die?
MONDELLO: There is, I should mention, no particular point to any of this. I mean, the fate of Wade's world is in the balance. But if mix-and-matched timelines and multiple universes are on the table, that doesn't really matter. We're talking fanservice here.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) Let's give the people what they came for.
MONDELLO: Blood-splattered, potty mouthed and R-rated in a genre that's usually PG-13. If you're a fan, and you've been keeping up with which movie studio owns what part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, this will be a hoot.
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UNIDENTIFIED ACTOR #2: (As character) That's Wolverine.
REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) You're damn straight it is. Disney brought him back. They're going to make him do this till he's 90.
MONDELLO: If not, you may find yourself a bit at sea with the corporate merger meta jokes. But wait a few seconds and there'll be a pop culture reference.
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REYNOLDS: (As Deadpool) This is what I'm talking about - big, slow-motion action sequence. Who knows if you live or die?
MONDELLO: There are tons of cameos that I wouldn't dream of spoiling, and the stars seem to be having fun, which is certainly more than you can say for the last few Marvel movies - not a high bar, admittedly, but it's summer, and "Deadpool & Wolverine" isn't aiming high. It's a popcorn picture that's going to sell a lot of popcorn. I'm Bob Mondello. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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