Movie Review: ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’

WARNING!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!

Plot: Several years after the events of Deadpool 2, Wade Wilson’s (Ryan Reynolds) life is at a nadir. He’s given up being the Merc with Mouth, he’s no longer engaged to Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), and stuck in a dead end job as a used car salesman. When Wade is kidnapped by the Time Variance Authority and the mysterious Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen), he sets out on an unlikely quest to save his world before it’s wiped out of existence. Yet in order to do so he’ll need the assistance of a very reluctant and disgruntled Wolverine (Hugh Jackman).

Review: Ever since Avengers: Endgame, the MCU’s box office and critical success have been a bit of a mixed bag. While there’s been several highs (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, Loki, WandaVision) there’s been plenty of misfires (The Marvels, Eternals, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law). However, much like Mark Twain, the rumors of the MCU’s death are greatly exaggerated. Yet, it’s a completely legitimate assertion to claim that the MCU is not the juggernaut it once was. So what do you do to reinvigorate a franchise that’s lasted thirty-three films and counting? You do exactly what a struggling rock band does when confronted with a similar situation–you play the hits. In other words you give the audience a crowd pleaser, something you know everyone will love.

And that’s exactly what Deadpool & Wolverine is: a crowd pleaser.

Although the plot is simplistic and at times thinner than a layer of superhero spandex, Deadpool & Wolverine mostly works because of the outstanding chemistry between Reynolds and Jackman. Friends for nearly twenty years, the duo finally get the opportunity to shake things up on the big screen. Indeed, this is an old school two-hander with this as much Wolverine’s story as it is Deadpool’s.

The film works best when it focuses on the buddy-cop/road trip dynamic and allows the actors to play off each other. Reynolds excels as the Merc with the Mouth and Jackman being the straight man enlivens the humor. Often the jokes land better because of the differences in personality. Concurrently, it makes the more dramatic moments hit harder. There’s a specific scene in a car halfway through the film where Wolverine unloads on Deadpool with a torrent of harsh truths, that reminds us the pathos and gravitas Jackman has brought to Wolverine for almost twenty-five years. Jackman doesn’t just elevate the material, he sends it to the stratosphere.

There’s of course a plethora of cameos throughout Deadpool & Wolverine. I appreciated the sequence where Deadpool searches for an appropriate Wolverine to help him and encounters every version from a height accurate Wolverine, to gambler Patch, to a version of Wolverine from the Old Man Logan storyline. The whole section feels reminiscent of some of the great montages of 1980s films. Deadpool & Wolverine acknowledges the history and significance of the Fox superhero films with Jennifer Garner and Wesley Snipes reprising their roles as Elektra and Blade respectively. However, it was Channing Tatum’s turn as Gambit that was the most surprising, humorous, and welcome of the bunch. His creole accent prompting Deadpool to ask “Who is your dialect coach? The Minions?” had me in stitches.

Speaking of humor that will split your sides, Deadpool & Wolverine is inherently funny, and the jokes come at a rapid fire pace. I’d say about 90% of them land. Deadpool’s interaction with Nicepool was particularly funny and there’s a cameo from Chris Evans coupled with a sight gag that I was not expecting. I was worried that the endless barrage of jokes might undercut the heart of the film but thankfully it did not. Director Shawn Levy’s guidance walks the tightrope between earnest comedy and full on parody without falling off the edge. A difficult task but Levy proved up to the challenge.

Deadpool & Wolverine is by no means a perfect film, however. Some of the action portions are uninspired and feel more like a videogame cut scene, specifically one late in the movie. The film’s villain Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) comes off particularly weak, not something uncommon among MCU films. Despite Corrin’s strong performance, their character is severely underwritten and underwhelming, which is a shame considering the source material. In fact sub-standard writing proves to be Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Achilles’ Heel. With no less than five screenwriters claiming credit, it’s the tired tale of too many cooks in the kitchen. The jambalaya doesn’t always work. For instance, Jackman’s version of Wolverine is supposed to be the “worst” of the bunch across the multiverse, yet the reason behind this moniker feels prosaic at best.

Yet the predominant criticism I have of Deadpool & Wolverine is that it resonates as severely cynical. It’s clearly a cash grab concerned with playing the greatest hits and showing off the multitude of characters Disney now owns. This third entry pales in comparison to Deadpool and Deadpool 2 which are quirky and irreverent, but earnest as well. Multiple friends have told me that Deadpool & Wolverine‘s cynical tone is kind of the point, and to an extent I agree. However, I felt there was something deeply insincere about this film that just didn’t sit right with me. If I went the rest of my life and never saw this film again, I’d be fine with it.

Personal grievances aside, it doesn’t negate the fact that Deadpool & Wolverine is a delectable, audacious, and humorous romp, that’s more than worth your time.

My rating system:

1 God Awful Blind Yourself With Acid Bad

2 Straight Garbage

3 Bad

4 Sub Par

5 Average

6 Ok

7 Good

8 Great

9 Excellent

10 A Must See

Deadpool and Wolverine: 7/10