Deadpool & Wolverine - 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Blu-ray 3D (Japan Import)

Deadpool & Wolverine is a case of why I watch a film more than once. The first viewing wasn’t the greatest. In fact, I left the theater rather non-plussed by it all. But that was largely because of who I went to see the film with. So, word of advice, if you’re really looking forward to a film and you’re going in for a first viewing, don’t see it with your sixteen-year-old niece who already saw it the day before. A teenager giggling ahead of the joke because she knows what’s coming kinda sucked the wind out of the sails. Also, I wasn’t able to see it in 3D. 

That’s where the second viewing of Deadpool & Wolverine on IMAX 3D made all the difference. I could sit and enjoy the film on my terms without the giggling. While I don’t fully share my colleague Bryan Kluger’s enthusiasm for the film, I do think it’s a pretty damn fun run and a welcome poke in the Marvel eye for any number of questionable decisions they’ve made over the last 20 years. To that point, even as the third Deadpool film, it’s also the least accessible of the bunch. Not only do you need to know your Marvel movies dating all the way back to the Blade franchise, you need to know all of the rumored casting choices for films that never came to fruition along with a lot of inside-ball comic book imagery and character presentations. Hell, you even need to have kept pace with the Synderverse DC Universe films to fully appreciate one of the best gags! 

The best thing I can say for Deadpool & Wolverine is that when there is a strong creative team pushing back hard against the nonsensical demands of suits and accountants, you have a great Marvel product. When they’re not trying to stuff their slate with monthly films and Disney + shows, when they take their time to do it right, you get a movie worth seeing in the theater multiple times and make multiple home video purchases… which was necessary to own the film in 3D. Don’t get me wrong I love 4K, but I enjoy 3D more. If I'm going to spend extra cash to import, it'd better be worth it. 

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Blu-ray 3D
The Merc with the Mouth and everyone’s favorite Canucklehead join forces in Japan to deliver Deadpool & Wolverine on 4K UHD + Blu-ray + Blu-ray 3D. Yes, this three-disc edition is exclusive to Japan so you need to import it (unless you live there). Thankfully the 4K BD66 disc, 1080p BD50, and 1080p 3D BD50 discs are all Region Free - tested on multiple setups without issue. The discs are housed in a three-disc case similar to other Japanese 3D Marvel sets with individual trays for each disc. All of the menus are in Japanese, so break out Google Translate on your phone to help you navigate the menus and you’re good to go.

To get this set, I was having a bastard of a time with Amazon Japan or finding a seller who wouldn’t gouge the price, so I turned to trusty old YesAsia. The price was fair, on par for how much this set normally goes for at retail of about $75 USD, but they offered free shipping so they won! No, we don't see any kickback or affiliate credit for that recommendation, just an honest fan's opinion there.

For the glasses-wearing three-dimensional cinema fans among us, Deadpool & Wolverine is a rip-roaring 3D ride that sadly does not mimic the IMAX 3D experience with fun frame breaks like James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy 3D releases. Instead, it favors the fixed 2.39:1 aspect ratio that is still a wildly satisfying dimensional experience. The opening prologue and credits, the universe hopping parade of Logan variants, the iconic final fight oner, all made the 3D experience a worthwhile hop. Like virtually every Marvel/Disney 3D conversion, these conversions offer more of a window-into-the-world experience but do so in a very fun engaging way. Because we don’t get the IMAX frame breaks, the pop-outs felt a little more retrained, but they were still pretty damn exciting. Depth along the Z-Axis is excellent highlighting foreground, middle, and (where possible) deep background objects. Image clarity is strong with great colors and deep inky blacks. Brightness has been appropriately raised to compensate for the darkening of the glasses. I didn’t experience any sort of eye strain or ghosting and taking the glasses on and off revealed there was plenty of active 3D at work throughout the run. 

The good news for the 4K UHD crowd, the included disc is essentially identical to the one we got here in the States. The only key difference again is the main menu and language options. So you are getting a full packaged release here if this is going to be your one-and-done purchase of the film.

The 3D Blu-ray also opts for the very good DTS-HD MA 7.1 track. While not as intricately designed as the full Atmos on the 4K disc, this lossless 7.1 track packs plenty of wallop. Dialog is clean and clear without issue so you never miss a joke. From the opening credits through all of the big action sequences, the surround spread is nicely immersive with some respectable rumble in the subs for impact. That car fight between Logan and Deadpool was a hoot in that respect. LFE feels a little more restrained here than the Atmos, but you do get some good impact hits. Start to finish a very satisfying audio experience.

While the menus are all in Japanese, the same run of solid extra features return. Not the greatest or biggest set of bonus content ever but better than average for a Disney-fronted release these days. 

4K UHD Disc

• Audio Commentary 

Blu-ray Disc

• Audio Commentary
• Finding Madonna: Making the Oner 
• Practical Approach: Celebrating the Art of Ray Chan
• Loose Ends 
• Wolverine 
• Deadpool's Fun Sack 3 
• Gag Reel 
• Deleted Scenes 

While I wouldn’t call Deadpool & Wolverine the best post-End Game Marvel project, it does at least run well as something of a course correction. After a few years of increasingly bland film and television projects, the return of the Merc with the Mouth was a welcome (and financially viable) poke in the eye for Marvel. More is not more when projects are rushed to meet a release date, stripped of creator control, and/or dictated by know-nothing accountants demanding filler. 

After dominating theaters and becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, it enjoyed a very profitable home video run. If you’re game to import, you too can enjoy Deadpool & Wolverine in 3D! Given an option, I tend to favor 3D over 4K so for my money this was a worthwhile investment. The 3D experience is a fun ride with a great 7.1 DTS track. The only trick is finding a retailer that’ll sell it and ship to you without cutting your legs off financially. Don’t get suckered on the gray market. YesAsia and a few other dedicated sale shops out there have this at a fair price without gouging you. These Japanese 4K + BD + 3D releases are always expensive and really geared for the most dedicated 3D aficionados. So if you’re like me and love wearing those glasses, it’s worth it, but  this set is truly For Fans Only 

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