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Writer's pictureSaxon Whitehead

'Deadpool & Wolverine': An Enjoyable, Very Meta Buddy Comedy



When Disney acquired Fox back in 2019, fans of comic book movies began to wonder how this might affect the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Before the MCU became the wild success we know it as today, the superhero movie landscape was partially dominated by 20th Century Fox, largely due to popularity of the X-Men franchise. The series has its highs and lows, but the Disney-Fox merger presented the possibility of bringing it into the fold of the MCU, which intrigued fans. At the same time, many wondered what this might mean for the character of Deadpool, the foul-mouthed, fourth-wall breaking antihero who had become popular with audiences thanks to two successful films: Deadpool and Deadpool 2. Deadpool as a character inherently contrasts with the family-friendly image that Disney has, due to his profane nature and the graphic violence and gore that his films have. This led some to speculate that a third Deadpool movie might never happen, but since the character proved to be a box-office draw, it ended up getting greenlit. 


This brings us to Deadpool & Wolverine, which introduces Deadpool to the MCU, and resurrects Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of the iconic X-Men character Wolverine. Considering that Jackman said he was done playing the character after 2017’s Logan, this shocked fans, as that film gave a very definite ending for Wolverine. Many wondered how the film would address this, and if it would retrospectively ruin the character’s arc. The film wastes no time with these concerns, and tackles them with the same level of irreverence and self-awareness that fans of the Deadpool movies have come to expect. Deadpool & Wolverine knows exactly what it is, which is a goofy, action-packed, nostalgia-filled superhero movie that bridges the gap between the Fox-era Marvel films and the MCU. With tons of cameos, bloody violence, and Deadpool’s trademark crude humor, this is a film that those tired of comic book movies will find exhausting, but will hit pretty big with fans of the Deadpool series and those who grew up on the Fox-era of Marvel movies.


Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has retired from being Deadpool after being rejected by the Avengers, and has settled into a peaceful, yet boring life as a used car salesman. However, he is soon recruited by the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, to help them manage the multiverse. Seeing that his timeline is in danger, Deadpool partners up with a down-on-his-luck Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) to save his world. On their journey, they encounter strange new worlds, a daunting villain, a host of variants from other timelines, and a few familiar faces. Wolverine’s abrasive nature instantly clashes with Deadpool’s unorthodox brand of heroism, but the two must find a way to work together in order to save the day.


Perhaps the biggest criticism that most will lob at this film is that it is reliant on nostalgia and cameos. I can’t deny that this is true, but the film is so blatantly upfront about this that I can’t be too mad about it. I wouldn’t say that this is good or bad, but it is merely a feature of the film. That said, I couldn’t help but find it comforting that the film was calling back to a different era of superhero films by tying in various elements of the Fox Marvel movies. I grew up watching a lot of these films, so the nostalgia factor worked for me. Especially since the MCU has led to comic book movies feeling largely homogenous, it is refreshing to see a film within the genre callback to a bygone era and have its own distinct personality in the process. 


That said, the film mostly works when it either acts as its own thing or leans into being a love letter to the Fox era, but flounders when it decides to get more serious. The first 30 minutes are actually super strong, and had me thinking that the film managed to pull off being both a good Deadpool sequel and a solid MCU movie. But once Deadpool and Wolverine actually partner up, the film goes through some serious highs and lows. There are a few stretches of the film that feel tiresome, but when the film gets back on track, it ends up being very entertaining. The moments that are supposed to endear you to the characters feel a bit half-hearted, and some of the plotlines feel shoehorned in. There are some pretty good gags in the film, and the cameos, while a tad gratuitous, at least further the plot. The action sequences are a little hit or miss, but still work quite well. The opening sequence in particular is really well executed, and perfectly sets up what kind of movie this is going to be. Some of the other setpieces are iffy, mainly in how they are blocked or the visual effects, but I wouldn’t call any of them the worst thing I’ve ever seen necessarily. 


Considering that the film is part of the MCU, I couldn’t help but wonder if this would adopt the bland aesthetic many films in the franchise have. It largely avoids looking too much like some of Marvel’s more recent output, and hews closer to the look of the previous Deadpool movies. However, there is a cheapness to certain scenes that is hard to ignore. It is especially present in one of the later setpieces, which is meant to be one of the most triumphant moments of the film. The moment still hits for the most part, but the look of it does dull the excitement a little. Some of the CGI throughout the film is a little dodgy as well, although it almost feels intentional at times. It’s still no excuse, as the film has the biggest budget of the series, but Marvel has been known to skimp on the VFX despite all the money they put into their movies, so it’s not all that surprising. It doesn’t look overly terrible, but it is hard to believe that this film was made for $200 million due to how cheap it looks at certain points. 


Much like the other two Deadpool movies, this film is filled to the brim with meta humor, with tongue-in-cheek jokes and fourth wall breaks galore. This time, the bulk of the gags are aimed at Marvel and the MCU itself, but there are plenty of references to the X-Men movies and some of the other pre-MCU Marvel movies. The jokes are self-aware to a fault, which at best are clever, and at worst feel a bit self-aggrandizing. The MCU often struggles with comedy, so it makes the wise choice of allowing the humor to feel more in line with the other Deadpool movies. It is clear that Marvel wants to make it look like they are in on the joke, but it is hard to shake the corporate mandated stink off of some of the jabs they make at themselves. It leads to the humor feeling a little off at times, but despite this, most of the jokes still land.


The big draw of the film has to be Hugh Jackman reprising his role as Wolverine, and he brings his all to it. I was admittedly skeptical of him returning since his turn in Logan was such a fitting send-off for the character. But I will say that this film brings him back into the fold in an interesting way, and doesn’t feel like a complete betrayal of the character. It helps that Jackman is so game, and that he is so natural in the role. Wolverine is perhaps his most defining role, and he ends up being a great foil for Ryan Reynolds’s Deadpool. Jackman taps into the prickliness of the character, while also playing into the film’s comedy rather well. He also is the most successful when it comes to hitting the more emotional beats of the film, even if these moments aren’t written particularly well. Suffice to say that Jackman carries a fair amount of the film, and easily gives the best performance in it.


Ryan Reynolds has basically just played different versions of Deadpool in almost every movie he’s been in over the past few years, so this role has become his bread and butter. He pretty much delivers exactly what you expect, which isn’t a bad thing in this case. Reynolds is so committed and lands a lot of his jokes, once again proving that he is probably the only person who could properly play Deadpool. I’ll admit that the persona is starting to wear on me after seeing different variations of it in Reynolds’s other movies, but it is exactly what you want from the character of Deadpool. Reynolds is kind of playing the hits, but he’s still doing it with the same energy and joy he’s brought to the character before, so it works like a charm here.


Reynolds and Jackman are obviously the main focus here, but the rest of the cast is still pretty decent. Matthew Macfadyen is particularly good, although he disappears for a fair amount of the film. He taps into a bit of the power-hungry nature that he brought to the character of Tom Wambsgans on Succession, while also adding a dash of charisma and a more authoritative demeanor. It made me a little sad that he isn’t in more of the film, but he does some great work with what he’s given. Emma Corrin is also good, but I didn’t particularly care for how their character is written. Corrin plays Cassandra Nova, the villain of the film, and unlike most Marvel films, they manage to be quite memorable. The character feels a bit one-dimensional on the page, but Corrin elevates the role a good deal, and has some great moments. The plotline for the character feels like it was crammed in by the writers at times, but Corrin still manages to shine. Some of the cameos (which I won’t spoil here) are quite good, and their respective actors certainly make their mark on the film. I also enjoyed seeing some familiar faces from the previous Deadpool movies, namely Leslie Uggams and Rob Delaney, both of whom are very funny, even if they do get sidelined a bit. 


Deadpool & Wolverine has a lot to offer fans of both characters, as well as those who grew up on the Marvel movies that 20th Century Fox made. It has some glaring issues, but it is so much fun that it makes up for it. Those who love the MCU and Deadpool will probably love this movie, while those who are completely fed-up with both will absolutely despise it. As someone who is a bit lukewarm towards both, I liked the film a little more than I was expecting, and I actually didn’t mind the nostalgic elements of the film. As someone who loved watching the Fox-era Marvel movies and the X-Men animated series as a kid, there’s a lot in this movie that felt strangely comforting and brought me joy. The film is a true ode to the Marvel movies that came out pre-MCU, and while it may be hit or miss, I couldn’t help but enjoy it a fair amount, even if it is a bit of a mess. 


Rating: 3/5

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