Deadpool and Wolverine

Released July 26, 2024

Directed by Shawn Levy

Written by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, and Shawn Levy

* No Spoilers *

The only Marvel Cinematic Universe theatrical release of 2024 and one of the biggest blockbuster movies of the summer, Deadpool and Wolverine has a lot of hype and high expectations. Marvel has no doubt been struggling to captivate audiences since Avengers: Endgame. There have been a few solid hits, but those have been few and far between. General audiences seem to be feeling less excited and the momentum is fading. This is not the saviour of the MCU, but it is exactly what it sets out to be, a fun action comedy chalked full of cameos, references, and meta humour that surprisingly has a lot of heart.

At its core Deadpool and Wolverine is a buddy comedy about legacy and finding meaning despite having a troubled past. Structurally this is a rapidly paced series of fun moments used to showcase action, jokes, and surprise cameos. The characters get satisfying and meaningful arcs, but their path is full of entertaining and sometimes inconsequential distractions. I was happy to see these easter eggs and they do build to the greater themes of the story, but a lot of them are superfluous. At the end of the day, this is a Deadpool movie that takes place in and pokes fun at Marvel’s multiverse. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that is kind of the point.

Deadpool AKA Wade Wilson is the same self-centered and annoyingly crass chatterbox whom we have come to love. Thankfully Disney chose not to rid him of that signature filthy humour. In fact it’s made even better this time by poking fun at Kevin Feige, the multiverse, and the state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself. This is as meta-textual and self referential as it gets. I like the Deadpool movies but I am actually not a huge fan of Reynolds’ raunchy potty humour. However, he works so well as Deadpool because he is supposed to be obnoxious and annoying, and here he is at his peak. Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool and I can’t imagine another actor taking on the role.

Likewise, Hugh Jackman won’t be the last Wolverine but he will always be the quintessential live action version of the character. Jackman delivers his best performance as the character, both physically and dramatically. He is as shredded as ever and probably has the most epic shirtless scene in any superhero movie. He also delivers more than a few incredibly powerful monologues. If awards shows took comic book movies seriously, his performance here could earn an Oscar nomination. His ability to convey complex and layered emotions through tone and expression alone is incredible. You don’t need a flashback of what happened to him because the impact is felt just from hearing him speak. The writers did a great job doing the character justice and even the long awaited yellow suit is given a surprisingly heartfelt backstory. Though they make several jokes about him, the story expands on his character without invalidating the beautiful send off he had in Logan.

Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, and Rob Delaney as Peter, all get enough moments to feel like they aren’t forgotten but sadly the supporting cast from the first two Deadpool movies is not featured as much as I would have liked. Matthew McFadyen (Sucession) and Emma Corrin (The Crown) are both fantastic. McFadyen has some incredible range and comedic timing. Corrin has an imposing presence and gravitas for someone of her stature. You can clearly tell she enjoyed the more unhinged parts of her character. I can barely even discuss who they are, let alone the other surprise appearances, without going into spoilers. I’ll just say you should be prepared to see a lot of familiar faces.

Putting two immortal beings with rapid healing powers together leads to tons of hyper violent and bloody action. The fact that the team was able to think of so many way to stab someone is as impressive as it is problematic. It’s gratuitous and over the top and very well choreographed but thats what the Deadpool movies are all about. That said Deadpool and Wolverine falls prey to the generic and washed out aesthetic that plagues many other MCU movies. Most action scenes are great (with some duds) but considering this is a multiverse spanning story I was a bit disappointed with large portions of the movie taking place in a wasteland or forest. An early montage of iconic moments ripped directly out of the comics was stunning but I wish that visual diversity carried over into the rest of the movie’s aesthetic.

Though the original score is a bit bland and uninteresting compared to Junkie XL’s work on the first Deadpool, the soundtrack and selection of licensed tracks is the best since the Guardians of the Galaxy series. Madonna’s Like a Prayer has been stuck in my head since I left the theatre, and using N*SYNC’s Bye Bye Bye for the opening credits was an inspired choice.

Deadpool and Wolverine is as ludicrous and insane as can be. You barely have a chance to breathe let alone absorb all the chaos that transpires on screen. I consider myself a film (and Marvel) geek but there were references that even I didn’t understand. Callbacks to personal drama and production issues from 20 year old films outside the MCU are very deep cuts. Unless you are a master of pop culture and Marvel trivia you wont catch everything, but you won't need to in order to follow the basic plot and character arcs. Everything you “need” to know is explained, and most cameos or references, though distracting to some, are mainly gags that aren’t critical to following along with the experience. What is important is apparent enough, and honestly if you don’t know anything about Wolverine, the X-Men, or Marvel in general you can still have fun with most of the jokes and action scenes. Seeing the previous two Deadpool movies, Logan, and at least one other X-Men movie with Hugh Jackman will give you enough to know what’s going on and be emotionally invested. If you’ve seen Loki Season 1 you’ll have a leg up, but it’s not critical, as everything you need to know from that show is briefly explained anyway.

For superhero and comic fans this probably has the most fan-service in any movie you’ve ever seen. It’s full of so many cameos, references, and homages, that many will feel overwhelmed. I will likely need a second or even third viewing to catch them all myself. For most, seeing a dysfunctional (and stabby) buddy bromance with Ryan Reynolds’ as the funny man and Hugh Jackman as the serious co-lead will be enough. This isn’t really Deadpool’s introduction to the MCU, it is more of a celebration and farewell to the 20th Century Fox films that he used to be a part of. There is even a sweet tribute video during the end credits that pays respect to that flawed but beloved era of move history. Fox’s films were imperfect and full of failures, but those movies and their characters have earned their legacy. Their past, including their failures, made them who they are and they, like Wade Wilson and Logan, will always have a special place in the audience’s heart.

7/10 - Deadpool and Wolverine isn’t the best Deadpool movie, nor is it the saviour of the MCU. It is a fun self-aware action comedy with solid character arcs, and a boatload of easter eggs to satisfy die hard geeks like me. It’s chaotic, overwhelming, and at times distracting but it tackles serious emotional themes with a witty undercurrent of crass potty humour that really shouldn’t work, but somehow Reynolds, Jackman, and director Shawn Levy pulled it off.

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