'Deadpool & Wolverine': A Love Letter to the Losers | Review

The MCU isn’t going down without a fight (Yes, I got the stupid popcorn bucket)

Hello, reader. Welcome to my first review for Cinemantics!

Assuming you’ve seen the previous entries—Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and the majority of the 46 movies, shows, and specials in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—you’ll be aware that Deadpool & Wolverine (2024, dir. Levy) functions as both the next chapter for Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and the continuation of Hugh Jackman’s tenure as Wolverine/Logan.

Now, if you saw 2017’s Logan, you might be wondering why the actor has returned after what was meant to be a deliberate farewell. But as Deadpool is keen to mention in this outing, “he’s going to be doing this until he’s 90.”

I’ll admit that Jackman’s return had me skeptical. Yet, after seeing the finished product, I can say with confidence that his return was well-earned, and the movie as a whole was a delight.

WARNING: Plot spoilers to follow.

The first of many iconic moments in the film is the opening credits dance number/fight scene set to *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye”, where Deadpool uses Logan’s skull and bones (like Hugh, was also last seen at the end of Logan)  to fight off agents of the Time Variance Authority. As Deadpool explains, he’s there for a specific reason: to revive the fallen hero and convince him to help him with his mission.

As a 90s kid, let me tell you something: I needed this.

In a welcomed change of pace for the series, the opening minutes of the movie show that Wade has been in a bit of a slump since the end of Deadpool 2. Hijacking Cable’s time travel device only provided a temporary fix, and several years on, he finds himself at an impasse with his ex-girlfriend Vanessa (Morena Baccarin), rejected from joining the Avengers and drifting along at a dead-end job.

I liked that Deadpool & Wolverine gave us this arc for Wade. It allows us to see his human side, which can sometimes get lost in his endless barrage of jokes. That said, the humor in this movie is the best the Deadpool franchise has offered us yet, and in my view, it’s the funniest MCU project by far. I was genuinely surprised that Disney and Kevin Feige approved some of the jokes in this script. This really is an R-rated film, so parents be warned. The quality of the humor was the real surprise, though, as I’ve had a contentious relationship with the MCU since 2015’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.

I love these characters, and this live-action shared universe, but the MCU’s cardinal sin since 2015 is that it has leaned too heavily on goofiness to sell itself. That said, Wade’s incessant chirping is the best it’s ever been in Deadpool & Wolverine. I have to tip my hat to the writers (Reynolds, Levy, with the help of Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells) for how deep they went with some of the jokes here, even poking fun at the personal lives of some of the cast. With the full Marvel checkbook, Reynolds is fully in his element here: An accomplished and comfortable jokester who takes each fourth-wall-breaking moment to the maximum.

The movie’s other star is no slouch, either. In what I would argue is Jackman’s best performance yet, we meet a Logan who has failed the X-Men and humanity. Jackman is given some good comedic lines throughout the film, but it’s the heavy scenes that stand out. This somber take on a Wolverine with nothing left rivals even the most powerful moments in the Oscar-nominated Logan. There is one scene in particular where Logan verbally (and physically) rips Deadpool apart, which was brilliant on Jackman’s part. His costume hits all the right notes, too. As a huge Wolverine fan for most of my life, the novelty of finally seeing the yellow and blue suit in live-action was only the second-best thing about Jackman’s return to the role. Top marks, Hugh.

But the most talked about element is not Reynolds or even Hugh, but the fan service. It’s common knowledge that 20th Century Fox owned the X-Men characters as well as smaller superhero franchises for decades. After Disney bought the studio, Marvel regained the rights to all the properties which then could become integrated into the MCU. And boy, do they not waste any time doing that. After being sent to the Void, a wasteland for those the TVA deems naughty, our heroes encounter the villainous Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin). Along the way, we meet variants from the defunct Fox Marvel universe. What could have been a tired way to pander to millennials ends up being a clever use of nostalgic cameos to not only move the plot forward but to close the loop on the arcs of several beloved characters from the pre-MCU films. The Fox cameos are so numerous that they include one that never actually happened, which is arguably the highlight of the Void portion of the film. My inner adolescent was enthralled by how well this was executed, and the second of the movie’s three group fight scenes was truly one of those perfect movie moments. 

I finally understand what Nicole Kidman has been saying in those AMC ads.

On the technical side, director Shawn Levy pulls off the difficult task of simultaneously telling a meaningful story and making a really enjoyable and silly movie. The pacing is solid, the action is terrific, the CGI is an improvement over recent projects, and the supporting cast (Corrin, Baccarin, Matthew Macfadyen, Rob Delaney, and the great Leslie Uggams) do a fantastic job in their respective roles. The soundtrack also deserves a shout-out. While the score in any given MCU film is typically unremarkable, the slew of pop songs in this one are used quite well, especially Madonna’s “Like a Prayer.” 

Alright, I’ve kept you long enough, reader. 

Deadpool & Wolverine is a filthy, unhinged, utterly absurd film that simply needs to be experienced, whether you’re a longtime superhero movie enjoyer or a normal person who is tired of the genre.

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“Deadpool & Wolverine” is now playing in theaters nationwide. Rated R for strong bloody violence and language throughout, gore and sexual references.

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