Deadpool & Wolverine is critic-proof.

It’s moderately exasperating how things eventually play themselves out, and while I appreciate the risks Kinberg and his team are taking with Dark Phoenix, and while I was rooting for the film’s success even when I could see it falling annoying off the rails, this climactic journey of the X-Men just didn’t do it for me.

What I will say is that, much like the first film, I’m totally fine with Deadpool 2, readily enjoying much of it. But that still doesn’t mean I plan on revisiting this sequel anytime soon.

Logan isn’t just a great comic book movie, isn’t just a superb X-Men adventure, it’s a fantastic motion picture, period, and Mangold, Jackman and everyone else involved with its creation should be more than proud of what it is they’ve accomplished.

X-Men: Apocalypse is the boldest, most audacious entry in this series to date, descending into places of despair, tragedy and chaos the likes of which are often spellbinding. Even if all of it doesn’t work, enough of it did to keep me engaged, everything building to a powerful conclusion of sacrifice and courage that speak to the larger themes at play nicely.

[Deadpool] is a fun, hyper-violent, gleefully perverse frolic into the super-powered absurd, and if a sequel does end up happening I could envision a scenario where it does get the opportunity to push the sort of boundaries of good taste this origin tale only hints at trying to demolish.

X-Men: Days of Future Past manages to take such a convoluted scenario and present it in ways that are easy to process and even more fun to digest. It treats its audience with intelligence and respect but doesn’t skimp on action pyrotechnics.

They keep things intimate, personal and close to the vest, events revolving around Logan’s battles with his inner demons above all else. The Wolverine isn’t interested in the big or the audacious, instead choosing to turn inward whenever it can, in essence making it one of the more anachronistic Marvel superhero epics to grace the multiplex up to now.