In the first two films in the series, Deadpool (an unflappable Ryan Reynolds) involved himself in a series of lo-fi exploits that resulted in a battle against a gang lord (Deadpool, Tim Miller, 2016) and a nefarious headmaster who thrives on imprisoning mutants (Deadpool 2, David Leitch, 2018). In this third entry, Deadpool teams with comic book mainstay Wolverine (a roguishly handsome Hugh Jackman) to battle baddies across a variety of portals, dimensions and alternative universes. Typically, the film falls far short of its ambition to deliver something undernourished and crass.

As narratives go, the movie is convoluted. Deadpool strives to meet the famous Wolverine he has heard so much about by travelling to another world in a last ditch effort to save his own. When he meets the hero, Deadpool is shocked to discover someone who has lost faith in everyone; including himself. Urging the mutant’s inner human to join him, Deadpool informs Wolverine that he could view this journey – spanning lands and geography – as a chance to redeem his past indiscretions. What follows is a palaver bolstered by psychedelic colours and expressive manoeuvres.

Unlike many po-faced films in the Marvel universe (Anthony and Joe Russo’s Avengers: Infinity War, 2018 is one example of pomposity), the Deadpool series has been refreshingly sharp on self-awareness and insightful humour. On this occasion, most of the familiar jokes fall flat on their face, particularly a tedious reference to Disney’s dim view on cocaine. There are also too many sex puns, and Reynolds sounds visibly embarrassed when he describes his character as “wet.” Jackman also looks out of place, delivering a performance that is low on stamina. One might suspect that this is a cash-grab for the Australian actor, who looks ridiculous in a yellow outfit; a move by the producers to appeal to graphic novel aficionados.

Deadpool & Wolverine tries to be edgy, not by pushing the emotional stakes – and there is grounds for it, considering Deadpool’s battles with cancer in the first film – but by throwing in f-bombs and salacity. It doesn’t help that Jackman and Reynolds share very little onscreen chemistry: they make their speeches about sanctity and humanity in a violent world, but the words collapse under the weight of two actors unconvinced by the verbal jumble.

Much of the film is fan-servicing, including an appearance from Chris Evans reprising his role as Johnny Storm/Human Torch from 2005. The work is littered with cameos, as if to compensate for director Shawn Levy’s meandering narrative, which ultimately makes the project seem shallow, lightweight and vacuous. More than that, Deadpool & Wolverine makes no concessions to audience members who have not refreshed themselves on past pieces in the Marvel Comic Universe; an undistinguished and discriminatory practice.

Although Emma Corrin plays Cassandra Nova fairly effectively, the character simply serves to spout exposition and catchphrases, complete with a distracting accent conducted through received pronunciation. Morena Baccarin’s Vanessa smiles broadly, twisting her hair like a model in a shampoo advert. Deadpool & Wolverine does little to serve women in the field of action, offering none of them a chance to challenge, let alone upstage the two men with brio or confidence.

Glaringly, the action set pieces are ruined by Deadpool’s incessant desire to let out a quip. The dialogue is clunky, fashioning a tedious screenplay that plods along at a snail’s pace. It’s hard to argue for the film’s intellectual value, or for its progressiveness. The movie can hardly be described as a feminist apotheosis either; almost certainly failing the Bechdel Test. What Deadpool &Wolverine exhibits is fatigue, and should this be the curtain call for Reynolds and Jackman as their comic-book counterparts, then it’s a disappointing final film for both men.

Deadpool & Wolverine is in cinemas on Thursday, July 25th.