Deadpool And Wolverine ★★★

Released: 25 July 2024

Director: Shawn Levy

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams & Karan Soni

There’s a common narrative thread amongst the Marvel Cinematic Universe that needs to stop: [insert XYZ film/show] will save the MCU. Admittedly, the MCU has suffered dips in quality during its post-pandemic era, but it’s also tiresome rhetoric when Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians Vol.3, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Loki S2 and the recent X-Men ‘97 have done some significant heavy lifting in carrying the torch between phases. Without acknowledging those entries, we haven’t been paying enough attention. 

But according to the internet, Deadpool & Wolverine – the 34th film in the cinematic universe – is its saviour, the spark that will re-energise the MCU. The ‘Merc with the Mouth’ said so himself as he professes to be “Marvel Jesus” in one hilarious scene opposite Mr. Paradox (Succession’s Matthew Macfadyen). The abundance of spoiler trailers leading up to its release, making it a significant cinematic event alongside the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. But long story short, Deadpool & Wolverine has plenty of that ‘go for broke’ energy, that meta-joke shot in the arm where entertainment and happiness cohabit into a crowd-pleasing spectacle. But the path to euphoria is somewhat flawed and messy.

If there were any doubts Deadpool would cave to Disney’s family-oriented, kid-friendly audiences and corporate machinery across media, merchandise and theme parks, think again. From the opening credits, it makes its position known with Deadpool digging up Wolverine’s grave from James Mangold’s Logan and using his adamantium skeleton to beat the living crap out of the TVA agents – all to the tune of *Nsync’s Bye Bye Bye. Deadpool may have made it to Disneyland, but his debut entry into the MCU is still the same sharp-witted, break the fourth wall, edgy comedy, along with some literal, ball-busting brutal violence.

In some ways, it gives you everything you want from a comic book movie: a classic superhero adventure, a British villain, kick-ass action and plenty of cameos to feel like opening presents on Christmas Day. What is unexpected is how it serves as a love letter to 20th Century Fox. In this IP-infused world, it’s very easy to dismiss the role 20th Century Fox played in this era. For the films it managed to get right, it gave us the foundation for where the MCU is today.

The first 40 minutes are strong because of this acknowledgement. The fast-paced script by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells and Shawn Levy litter every frame with Easter eggs, pop culture references and in-jokes in a ‘timey wimey’, anchor being plot, which sees the masked mercenary being dangled an enticing offer by the TVA to join the ‘sacred timeline’. When Wade finds out his timeline (Earth-10005) is dying, he recruits a variant Wolverine (Jackman) to help save his multiverse – and that is the extent of this review delving into the plot because the adventures between the ‘Regenerating Degenerate’ and the ‘Tiny Dancer’, deserves to go unspoiled as much as possible. 

The film’s best moments stem from whenever Jackman and Reynolds are on screen together. Think of them as the superhero odd couple – Reynolds is in top form, throwing comedic punches at his trademark 50mph delivery while Jackman offsets with his classic gruff demeanour. It’s a rewarding payoff considering how much Deadpool has meta-joked about Jackman’s presence in the previous movies, going as far as blowing himself up in Deadpool 2 just to up the ante because Logan included a death scene. Now that the wish has been fulfilled, the results are visual carnage for a pair of actors holding nothing back and willing to go the extra mile for the punchline. 

Jokes aside, when the plot eventually slows down to garner substance, there are strong themes within its arsenal. The feeling of what it takes to be valued and appreciated, a sense of belonging to a greater purpose, and learning to be heroes are all worthy notes. Yet, these are expository feelings the movie commits to rather than these moments being seen or felt. The counter argument will always be, but this is a Deadpool movie, stop overthinking it! But two things can be true. The first two Deadpool films found that right tonal balance between humour and heart in Wade’s evolution. But its latest entry marks a missed opportunity to delve deeper beyond the comic book accurate veneers.

This notion is particularly felt towards Wolverine, a variant version labelled as “the worst one” that’s summoned through the multiversal portal by Wade. It wouldn’t be a ‘Wolverine story’ without trauma, violence and self-deprecating shame, stemming from his past actions. He resorts to drinking himself to oblivion and his companionship with Deadpool is tied to fixing the mistakes of letting down “his world”. Jackman does everything he can to elicit those serious emotions, not trying to replicate or compete with his best performance from Logan. Even a well-timed cameo also helps him on that reconciliation and healing journey. Yet, the script doesn’t go far enough despite Jackman’s best efforts, relying heavily on our personal nostalgia of the characters to make those scenes noteworthy and prominent.

It’s that cynicism that stops Deadpool & Wolverine from achieving greater heights. It’s neither the greatest Deadpool movie nor is it the best Wolverine iteration, even with his comic book-accurate costuming. In trying to deliver the best of both worlds, Levy’s film constantly juggles with history and hilarity but doesn’t quite superhero-land the direction. It doesn’t help when the stakes are lightweight, taking a dip in its second act. It doesn’t help when Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova, who has a genuine, unsettling presence throughout when using her powers, falls victim to the MCU’s villain problem of limited screen time. And it doesn’t help when the abundance of cameos are heavily reliant on its nostalgic existence and fan rewards. The last point is not to say it is a bad thing, especially when the MCU can still generate those magical moments, particularly with one surprise cameo. But when nostalgia is done well, such as Spider-Man: No Way Home or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (if you’re looking for a non-MCU example), it helps address those themes without taking away from the overall story. Here, it occasionally buckles under the weight of its own pressure, leaving it too unbalanced to feel coherent and too many questions left answered.

Whilst this is not the LFG game-changer that it’s hyped up to be, what’s undeniable is the amount of sheer fun Deadpool & Wolverine has as one of the entertaining entries in the MCU. Even when the plot falters, Levy’s direction reminds us why Deadpool is so effective as a counterbalance to other superheroes and offers plenty of surprises to boot. As for its lasting impact and what happens next in The Mutant Saga, only time will tell.