The cinematic summer of 2024 was saved by two cartoons (“Inside Out 2” & “Despicable Me 4”) and the irreverent live-action comic book adventure “Deadpool & Wolverine,” marking the return of wisecracking Ryan Reynolds’ fun-loving, red spandex-clad pansexual antihero.

Reduced to selling used cars after being denied by the Avengers, despondent Wade Wilson still shares an apartment with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams). While celebrating his birthday with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and other friends, he’s abruptly summoned by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen from “Succession”), the smarmy supervisor of the Time Variance Authority. 

It seems that the death of Hugh Jackman’s ex X-Man “Logan” (2017)  tilted the world the wrong way, so it’s up to Wade to time-travel to find the real snarling, steel-clawed Wolverine – from among many variants (including Henry Cavill) – and lure him into the multi-Marvel Cinematic Universe. So much for a coherent plotline. 

But the nostalgic superhero splatter doesn’t stop with those two. There’s Jennifer Garner’s assassin Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ vampire hunter Blade, Channing Tatum’s card-tossing mutant Gambit and Chris Evans – not as Captain America – but as Johnny Storm, the Human Torch from “Fantastic Four” (2005). 

And when Paradox banishes them into the desolate landscape known as The Void, they must take a few minutes off their bickering bromance to battle a bald British villainess called Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin from “The Crown”).

The screenwriters – including Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells and director Shawn Levy – toss out one raunchy joke after another, along with sight gags and snide inside-industry digs at now-defunct 20^th Century Fox…and wait for the post-credits montage of Fox’s Marvel movies, including an unexpected cameo.

FYI: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively’s children – James, Inez and Olin Reynolds – play Screaming Mutant, Kidpool and Babypool, respectively…Matthew McConaughey is Cowboypool…and, apparently, this is the first R-rated film released by Marvel/Disney. (Walt must be spinning in his grave!)

On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “Deadpool & Wolverine” is a sassy, crowd-pleasing, subversively satirical 7, playing in theaters.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan is known for his twisty, tension-filled thrillers, which is why it’s so odd that viewers know – right at the beginning of “Trap” – that doting father Cooper Adams (Josh Hartnett) is really a scheming psychotic serial killer.

Firefighter Cooper has bought pricey stadium floor seats so that his teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) can be front and center at a Philadelphia concert featuring her favorite pop icon, Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan), channeling Taylor Swift.

While ecstatic Riley’s adoring attention is on the show, Cooper’s twitchy eyes shift from the roving security cameras to the extensive police presence. A cat-and-mouse game has been launched in the venue and he knows something’s afoot. 

After befriending and questioning one of the concessionaires (Jonathan Langdon), cagey Cooper learns that an F.B.I. profiler, Dr. Grant (Hayley Mills), has ascertained that a fiendish, middle-aged white man known as The Butcher is somewhere in the audience. 

An elaborate ‘sting operation’ has been set up all around the massive arena – with no obvious means of escape. But there are always unsuspecting relatives to charm, staff badges/keycards to steal and security passwords to discover, so there’s no doubt that slyly subtle Cooper has plenty of tricks up his sleeve.

Eventually, however, the initially intriguing psychodrama becomes a bit too implausible and illogical, particularly when Cooper’s wife Rachel (Alison Pill) surfaces. But do stay for an amusing post-credits sequence.

After his initial success with “The Sixth Sense,” writer/director M. Night Shyamalan has varying levels of acclaim/disdain with “Signs,” “Unbreakable,” “The Happening,” “The Village,” “Split,” “Lady in the Water,” “The Visit,” “Old” and “Knock at the Cabin.”

Yes, 28 year-old Saleka Shyamalan is the director’s daughter; she wrote and sang much of her own material, amplifying Herdis Stefansdottir’s score. Another daughter, Ishana Shyamalan, directed “The Watchers” (2024), which is shown on a billboard. And it’s fun to see former Disney child-star Hayley Mills – now 78 years old – come out of retirement.

On the Granger Gauge, “Trap” is an implausible yet suspenseful 6, playing in theaters.