Wolverine is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth Deadpool. They team up to defeat a common enemy. That right there is the brief synopsis and it’s all you’re getting, because this review will be extremely vague with zero spoilers. If you are new to my reviews, I never give away any spoilers to begin with so this will be an assessment of general things I liked and didn’t like about the movie. It’s no secret that this team up film has been a long time coming. Take away the comics, animated shows/movies, and other related media, ever since Ryan Reynolds leaked the test footage of him as Deadpool, it was clear that the direction taken with the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine was the wrong way to go, in almost every aspect. The positive takeaway from all that mess was the brief banter between a pre-Deadpool Wade Wilson and Wolverine during their time together in the Weapon X program. Deadpool and Wolverine both have a shared history in the comics, and a very on and off love/hate sort of friendship. Sometimes Wade gets paid to kick Logan’s ass, other times Logan has to save Wade, and on occasion, the two team up to fight a bigger threat. Taking that into account and what is at stake for Marvel Studios in this rather low point in their timeline, it gives me great pleasure to report that Deadpool & Wolverine left me elated, feeling like a giddy child all over again.
From start to finish, the film is hilariously irreverent, gleefully self aware of what it is, unapologetically rated R, and displays some of the most viscerally blood soaked fight sequences as if they were pulled right out the pages of the comics (Wolverine #154-155 comes to mind). This movie is NOT for kids whatsoever, so don’t let the Disney logo fool you. In terms of people worried that it’s just another cheap multiverse story, I would say it utilizes the TVA (Time Variance Authority) in a logical manner that makes sense for the story and what the characters are going through. No, it’s not this super sophisticated story that we haven’t seen before, and it doesn’t need to be because its straightforward approach makes the film easily digestible. The movie (well, Deadpool) calls the familiar contrivances and clichés out in a hilarious way and it knows full well what the average Marvel fan is thinking in this stage of the MCU. This has some of the most hard hitting, bone breaking, no holds barred fight sequences in a comic book film to date, and director Shawn Levy makes sure every punch, every Wolverine claw impalement, every Deadpool katana slice is felt to the nth degree. Take away all of the slicing and dicing, the 4th wall breaking, the satisfying fan service, and the slew of cameos (which by the way are glorious, but I can’t talk about them), does this movie have substance? It absolutely does, bub.
The first two Deadpool movies were very much centered around Wade and Vanessa’s love story being the anchor to all the bloody chaos and meta humor taking place. While that relationship takes a back seat in this movie in terms of screen time for Morena Baccarin and Ryan Reynolds together, it still is the lynchpin that drives Deadpool to go out and save the world. It’s also about both Deadpool and Wolverine’s sense of purpose, and how much both of them matter, in context of this story as well as what these characters mean to the fans. The chemistry between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman is unsurprisingly every bit as hysterical and endearing as one could hope for and the both of them compliment each other so well in their respective quest to find purpose. The contrast between Deadpool’s obnoxiously flamboyant personality with Wolverine’s rough and rugged, almost older Clint Eastwood-like demeanor is so entertaining to watch, feels just like their dynamic in the comics, and both Ryan and Hugh’s real life friendship permeates through it all. Eventually both Deadpool and Wolverine run into the villainous Cassandra Nova, Charles Xavier’s evil twin sister and things begin to get really crazy. Emma Corrin is twisted, diabolical, sadistic, and completely evil as Cassandra Nova, bringing to life a menacing villain with absolutely zero compassion or redeeming qualities. Don’t get me wrong, I love villains that are three dimensional and have layers that make them more humanized, but for this particular movie, Wade and Logan needed a ruthless telepathic antagonist like Nova to make the stakes feel utterly desperate. There are some really cool and gross ways in which Nova uses her powers and a few of those grotesque visuals are unlike anything we’ve ever seen in a comic book film in regards to a character utilizing their special abilities.
The needle drops are especially fun, with a mix of modern pop music and classic rock tracks spread throughout the two hour and seven minute runtime. Cameos and surprises are abundant and will leave many fans shaking. When I say cameos, they are not the point of the film, and are used in a reasonable way to push aspects of the story forward. My goodness, are those cameos gloriously satisfying. I admittedly screamed out loud on more than one occasion, notwithstanding the shared badass moments that Deadpool and Wolverine have together. There is one battle sequence in particular in the third act that no doubt will have sold out theaters all over the world erupting into roaring cheers and applause. I was shaking, giddy with excitement, and felt the most joy in a comic book movie ever since Spider-Man: No Way Home. In terms of flaws, there are some minor nitpicks I had regarding the plot structure of the film and I would have wanted a bit more from one particular character’s appearance. These are mostly nitpicks I have as a fan of the comics and did not derail my enjoyment whatsoever. For two hours and seven minutes, I totally forgot about all the problems in my life and basked in the utter madness of Deadpool’s 4th wall breaking humor (with several hilarious direct jabs at Disney/Kevin Feige), Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine getting back in the saddle again, and the heartfelt core of this film being these two iconic characters finding meaning in their lives. One moment in the climax of the film hit me straight in my heart and soul, and I definitely shed a tear.
I understand that not everyone has the bias I do towards these characters, the X-Men, and Marvel property in general, and that is okay. Director Shawn Levy, Ryan Reynolds, and Hugh Jackman made this film for the fans and they delivered beyond my wildest dreams in crafting pure summer popcorn superhero extravaganza entertainment in its most comic booky form. Coming out of last night’s press screening, I had the biggest grin on my face and I felt like a kid again. I believe you will too. I fully understand those who are burned out from Marvel and superhero movies, and part of me feels that way as well. However, I would strongly recommend those who are on the fence of seeing this to go give it a shot, because I truly believe in my heart, as someone who’s a lifelong Marvel fan, that Deadpool & Wolverine is everything a comic book movie should be on nearly every level. You are going to have a blast, guaranteed. Overall, wildly irreverent, packed with blood soaked adrenaline pumping action, and full of heartfelt sincerity, Deadpool & Wolverine is a comic book fan's dream come true, with irresistible chemistry between Hugh Jackman/Ryan Reynolds and a renewed sense of purpose for the superhero film sub-genre.
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