Come together.
Deadpool & Wolverine is a 2024 superhero film directed by Shawn Levy, written by Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells, produced by Marvel Studios, Maximum Effort, and 21 Laps Entertainment, and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. It is based off of various Deadpool and Wolverine comics by Marvel Comics. The film stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. This is the thirty-fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the fourteenth film in the X-Men franchise, as well as being the third film in the Deadpool franchise and the fourth film in the Wolverine franchise. It acts as a sequel to The Marvels, Deadpool 2, The New Mutants, X-Men: The Last Stand and Logan. It will be followed by Captain America: Brave New World and Avengers: Doomsday.
"Welcome to the MCU." - Deadpool
Plot
After being arrested by the Time Variance Authority, Wade Wilson is tossed into the Void alongside a lowly Wolverine variant to fight for the future of the Marvel multiverse.
The Background
Deadpool & Wolverine was one of my most anticipated films of the year. Everyone knows that the MCU is in a bit of a rut right now, so my hope was that Deadpool & Wolverine could be the spark that re-ignites the flame of the MCU. But the real reason that I was excited was because we are finally getting Ryan Reynolds's true Deadpool on screen with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. That is a pairing that audiences have wanted for years, and it is finally happening. So, naturally, I went in with very high expectations.
The Sweet
I am happy to say that our titular two characters are the best part of this film.
A lot of people were skeptical of Hugh Jackman's return because his character was finished off perfectly in Logan, but that was never a real worry of mine because this film was always going to be a multiverse movie, meaning that Jackman would play a different Wolverine. And, even if this isn't technically the Logan we know and love, it's so much fun to see Jackman back with the claws. The thing that works best about his character is the weight and gravitas he is able to bring in the middle of this ridiculous superhero comedy. The Deadpool films are difficult to anchor in seriousness because Wade Wilson is such an irreverent character, but Wolverine's presence brings this solemnity that really, really works. Jackman has always played the character as a broken man trying to find his identity, and this portrayal is another great version of that.
Juxtapose Hugh Jackman's seriousness with Ryan Reynolds's insane, crass comedy as the Merc with a Mouth, and you've got the superhero pairing of the decade. Deadpool is just as funny as ever in this one, and his chemistry with Wolverine is just fantastic. It was the selling point for the film, and they absolutely nail it. I truly love how annoyed Wolverine gets at Deadpool and their banter together. Deadpool also does get a little more of an emotional arc than I expected, and it's kind of paralleled with Wolverine's, which just makes it more impactful. This film is all in the title - Deadpool & Wolverine. That is the most important part. And they knocked it out of the park.
Beyond our main duo, we get tons of multiverse fun in here. Because Deadpool is a meta, satirical franchise that comments on the superhero genre, this movie can get away with some ridiculous, sensational cameos and easter eggs that would not work in, say, Multiverse of Madness. Seriously, there are some deep cut Marvel references that are just so much fun. This is a rare Marvel project that utilizes the multiverse well. No Way Home took it seriously. Deadpool & Wolverine doesn't take it seriously; rather, it has fun with the idea of all the Marvel movies ever being connected. If you are a Marvel fan, you will have fun with this film. No matter how diehard of a fan you are, there are so many surprises and little shenanigans that will get you giddy.
The action in this film was also really, really good. That's an aspect that has not been discussed in a lot of the reviews that I've seen. I thought that Shawn Levy did a great job at crafting these creative, memorable action sequences that it feels like we've been waiting decades to see. As I said before, Deadpool and Wolverine have multiple fights with each other, and all of them are fantastic. These are two characters who have a healing factor, so no injury is permanent and they basically cannot die, meaning these fights are just brutal...in the best way possible. There are also other fight scenes that I basically cannot talk about without spoiling, but just strap in. There's some great action to watch here.
I also think that Shawn Levy did a great job directing this thing. Levy is an underrated talent. He is probably the biggest director on Stranger Things besides the Duffer Brothers and he directed The Adam Project a few years ago, which I thought was pretty solid. He has this energetic style that isn't super pronounced, but just elevates every scene a tiny bit. When he was attached to direct the fifth Avengers film, I actually thought that was a great choice, and, after seeing this film, I think he would still be a great choice (not as good as the Russos, though, who were just confirmed to be the directors). He just does his part to make this film slightly better than it would be with an inferior director.
This film is also operating more as a goodbye and love letter to the 20th Century Fox Marvel movies. The X-Men films, obviously, predate the MCU, and their existence is vital to the popularity of the superhero genre and the creation of the MCU. Despite their importance, it felt like they never got a proper send-off (with the exception of Logan). Dark Phoenix is the last true X-Men film, and that movie sucks, so we just left this universe on a bit of a sour note. This movie feels like it gives those films a proper goodbye before mutants move forward in the MCU. This movie feels like a funeral, love letter, and eulogy to that era of films in the best way possible. It's not concerned with setting up Doomsday and Secret Wars or re-inventing the MCU - this movie is about wrapping up the Fox universe and moving onto the future.
The Sour
Deadpool & Wolverine is an absolute blast, but the story is kind of bad.
Now, usually, that would make this movie significantly worse. But the story is secondary to everything else in this film. This movie is primarily trying to entertain by having Deadpool and Wolverine be front and center. And with that comes multiverse shenanigans and some amazing cameos that just put a grin on the audience's face. This movie is designed to be pure, unfiltered fun, and it does that. It's not really focused on having a strong story.
The story is almost irrelevant, actually, which may be both its biggest strength and weakness. Strength because that means the audience isn't poking holes in every single detail. Weakness because the writers don't really make the story make sense. There are plenty of plot contrivances and conveniences that just occur so that something awesome can happen within the film. If you sit down and think about the logic of everything happening, the plot just collapses. If you came to Deadpool & Wolverine expecting this complex, layered story...that's not what you are going to get.
These story problems also branch off and create some strange unanswered questions. At the very beginning of the film, Deadpool goes to a meeting with a certain character (who I will not spoil). It feels like we need to receive and explanation as to how this meeting occurs...but we never get one. Similarly, at the end of the film, there's something major that happens with both of our lead characters...and it's never explained as to how that major thing happened. It just leaves a bit to be desired in the plot department, and, for some people, that will be disappointing.
I also think that this film is a reminder of the bad stretch that the MCU is in. I don't like sounding cynical. I love being optimistic about the MCU, because it's my favorite movie franchise of all time. These films mean so much to me, but it has reached a point where it feels like the MCU has moved from great, compelling storytelling to fan service. Don't get me wrong, fan service is tons of fun, but it doesn't have the power of great storytelling. Deadpool & Wolverine doesn't bring out emotions like other films from the Infinity Saga do. And that feels like a lot of what the MCU has done since Endgame, which can just be disappointing.
Final Thoughts and Score
Deadpool & Wolverine is an absolute blast. If you are a Marvel fan, this will be a great time at the movie theater.
I am going Savory here. Age range is 14+.
SWEET N' SOUR SCALE
Sweet (Great) Savory (Good) Sour (Bad) Moldy (Terrible)
"Deadpool & Wolverine"
Fun Factor: 9.5/10
Acting: 8/10
Story: 3/10
Characters: 8.5/10
Quality: 8/10
Directed by Shawn Levy
Rated R for strong bloody violence, language, frightening themes and images, thematic elements
Released on July 26, 2024
2 hours and 8 minutes
Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson / Deadpool
Hugh Jackman as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine
Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova
Matthew Macfayden as Paradox
Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle
Leslie Uggams as Blind Al
Karan Soni as Dopinder
Rob Delaney as Peter Wisdom
Aaron Stanford as John Allerdyce / Pyro
Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead
Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin / Colossus
Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio
Dafne Keen as Laura / X-23
Tyler Mane as Victor Creed / Sabretooth
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