Deadpool and Wolverine Review: Shamelessly and Fantastically Ridiculous
A touching love letter to the Marvel films prior to the MCU
*Please Note: I typically avoid spoilers in my reviews, and only drop details that I feel will not take away from the enjoyment of watching a film. With that being said, it will be difficult to review this film without possibly spoiling a few key details. I will do my best to avoid them when I can, and I will warn you when we discuss major plot points of the film. You have been warned.*
Any fan of Marvel films will know the convoluted rights and licensing issues surrounding the many characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2019 Disney attempted to consolidate most if not all of the Marvel IP’s under their umbrella with the acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Previously, Fox was home to many superhero franchises such as the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Discussion over how the newly acquired X Men and Fantastic Four would be introduced into the MCU has been ongoing for many years, with many fans calling for Hugh Jackman to return as Wolverine, despite (spoiler alert) his retirement at the end of Logan. In Deadpool and Wolverine, the franchise brings back fan favorite Hugh Jackman to return in the role as Wolverine, as the duo team up for the 2nd time on the big screen. In true Deadpool fashion, there are many 4th wall breaking and meta jokes that poke fun at Fox Studios, the X-Men, and the MCU as a whole. While not all jokes land, and the movie’s chaotic plot is grounded primarily by the acting talents of Hugh Jackman, there is still an interesting villain, a fun story, and a real sense of love that was put into the production of this film. It is a wonderful love letter to franchises previously owned by Fox, and is absolutely, fantastically ridiculous.
Warning: Spoilers ahead.
The story of Deadpool and Wolverine has Wade Wilson aka Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, leaving his life as a crime fighting assassin to become a car salesman with his friend Peter. When he celebrates his birthday with all of his close friends, he is taken away to the TVA, the Time Variance Authority, under the leadership of Paradox who recruits Deadpool to help save the multiverse. They explain to him that there is an anchor being in every timeline, and without that being the timeline dies. Deadpool’s timeline has all of his friends dying because Logan, aka Wolverine, had died in his universe. In true Deadpool fashion, he decides to find a different Logan and bring him back to his universe so he and his friends don’t die. After going against the wishes of the TVA, Deadpool and Wolverine are sent to the Void to be destroyed. It is up to both of them to work together to escape the Void by any means necessary, if they don’t kill each other first.
First off, the story of Deadpool and Wolverine is held together very loosely. Most of the story is reliant upon the audience members having prior knowledge of either the MCU catalog of films, the Disney+ shows, and even some behind the scenes production issues of other Marvel owned franchises. Beyond that, many characters show up that won’t make much of an emotional impact without that knowledge. Even the motivations of the main villains Paradox and Cassandra Nova are confusing and never explained in detail; they exist simply as a foil for our two lead characters. The movie does have some serious moments, such as when Logan calls out Deadpools motivations or when Deadpool attempts to sacrifice himself so that his life will have meaning. Cassandra Nova is also terrifying, with her psychic powers putting her fingers wiggling inside her victims heads and an extra graphic death scene of a beloved character. But the movie has its tongue locked into its cheek and almost every other line is a 4th wall or meta joke. This keeps the R-rated film light amidst the violence, but can also detract from the attempt at giving Wolverine a serious storyline.
Putting the story aside (as a film reviewer, I’m a little offended to have to even write this), I enjoyed Deadpool and Wolverine for exactly what it is: pure fan service. The movie exists entirely to introduce Deadpool into the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe, and utilize their current Multiverse saga to bring Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine, finding a way to bring his character back to life so that he may be able to feature in future films. It also serves as a way to bring back characters such as Wesley Snipes' Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and even gives Channing Tatum’s long delayed and canceled Gambit onto the big screen. There are many cameos from past superheroes that don’t entirely make sense in the larger story, but make sense within the multiverse and The Void. My favorite introduction is the Deadpool Corps, a large group of variant Deadpools from other universes including Lady Deadpool, Kidpool, Dogpool, Nicepool, Headpool, and many more. Many of these variants are played by other celebrities such as Blake Lively, Matthew McConaughey, and Nathan Fillion, amongst many more. Again, their motivations are paper thin and serve only as a way to have Deadpool and Wolverine fight through a horde of quick healing assassins.
As a fan of the MCU and especially Deadpool, I highly enjoyed this film for all of its shamelessly ridiculous plot and antics. It was created purely as fan service, even highlighting behind the scenes footage from past 20th Century Fox films such as X-Men, Fantastic 4, Blade, and Elektra with Green Day’s Time of Your Life playing, creating a sentimental sendoff for these beloved characters. This movie may not be as enjoyable for first time watchers, as there are many inside jokes that will go flying over your head. Hell, even writing this review was tough considering the movie is a constant stream of in-jokes and cameos, making it tough to be critical even as I enjoyed the chaos of it all. It is good to know that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool is now officially part of the MCU as well as the great Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, if only for a few more films.
Pros
Fun cameos
Silly Jokes
Intense action
Great soundtrack
Cons
Paper thin storyline
Unexplained motivations
Non stop gags take away from the drama
Final Score: 7/10