“I am the messiah. I am Marvel Jesus”
If you are a millennial like me, the 20th Century superhero films like Fantastic Four, X-Men, Daredevil and Blade were the introduction of superhero movies of your childhood. While critics and adults at the time heavily criticised these films, they hold a special place in most millennials’ hearts, particularly Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine in the X-Men and Wolverine films. When Jackman announced in 2017 that he would be retiring from the role with the critically and commercially successful Logan, there is only one person who could convince him to put the suit back on, and that was his close friend Ryan Reynolds, who has played the role of Deadpool for the last 9 years in two very successful films under the 20th Century Fox banner. Since the last Deadpool film in 2018, the sale of 20th Century Fox to Disney, put the third movie under a question mark status, particularly because, Deadpool has a solid MA rating, something which all previous Marvel films under the MCU/Disney banner have not had. Fortunately, Deadpool and Wolverine are a match made in cinematic heaven, with their off-screen bromance translating beautifully to the big screen. The film does have a distinctly MCU feel, it is still at its heart, a Deadpool movie that includes all of the violence, gore and, of course, mouthy antics that make this character so beloved.
Wade Wilson/Deadpool is feeling lost after losing Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) in the previous film and wants his life to mean something, so he tries to join the Avengers. After not being successful, he becomes a car salesman alongside his buddy Peter (Rob Delaney) When the TVA (Time Variant Authority) shows up at his birthday requesting his help to save his universe from coming undone, Deadpool accepts the mission and goes on a multiversal mission to recruit heroes to help save his planet from collapsing. Deadpool’s favourite hero is Wolverine goes through many timelines to find the right version of Logan to help on his mission. Things don’t go to plan, and the pair end up in the Wasteland, a land full of banished superheroes, ruled over by Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin), Professor X’s twin sister.
That’s all I’m really comfortable saying without adding in any spoilers and obvious cameos that have been long-rumoured for the last year. Let’s just say, when the cameos and surprises start, they come thick and fast, giving millenials a massive nostalgic dopamine hit that we desperately need right now. The first twenty minutes does take a bit of patience to get through. There is a lot to set up and explain and it isn’t till Deadpool and Wolverine meet up, that the film really shifts into gear. For the best viewing experience, do not read anything, don’t watch TikTok or Reels, as what happened to me, you may get some things spoiled for you.
Reynolds and Jackman are an absolute powerhouse together. They both have had many years with these characters and have been waiting to finally team up and unleash them to their full comic book potential. Jackman in particular gets the traditional yellow and blue suit that fans have long awaited to see. His fighting style is more ferocious and intense than we have seen before in previous films. He crouches, rips, shreds and fights with such ferocity, it allows him to fit comfortably into the MA rating on this film. Reynolds again gives us another perfect performance as the merc with a mouth. He manages to make everyone around him feel awkward with his millions of dick jokes and sexual fluidity, it really feels dialled up to 11 in this outing. The pair’s decade-long friendship allows for their chemistry and comradery on screen to feel natural and the best scenes are where they are fighting each other or teaming up to take others down.
Corrin is fantastic as Cassandra Nova. Her powers are on par with the two heroes and her view on the world that rejected her and the brother who never bothered to look for her are truly compelling. While she is menacing, she also has a great sense of humour that is able to match with the two main heroes. Mr Paradox (Matthew MacFayden) plays a bumbling corporate villain and gets many comedic moments that would be eye-roll inducing in other films, here it is played off as comedic and stereotypical so it fits in perfectly. If the TVA is indeed done with Loki, Deadpool could be the perfect replacement character for their antics to work well in future MCU projects.
The film does tap into the buddy cop style of film, two unlikely friends who are forced to work together. They both argue, throw out quips and are not scared to throw down. What makes this one unique, is both of these characters re-generate and can’t be instantly killed. They have no issues shooting or sinking their claws into each other when their frustration reaches boiling point. It’s a great dynamic that it set to some classic pop songs like You’re The One That I Want from Grease and Like A Prayer from Madonna (good luck getting it out of your head!)
The first two films had a specific style, and here it feels like Deadpool is being yanked from this setting and placed squarely in the MCU. The familiar setting of the TVA for those who have watched Loki helps this to fit nicely inside the well-established universe. Marvel has never shied away from colour in its universe, and the deep red of Deadpool’s suit and Wolverine finally getting the yellow comic book-accurate suit just look spectacular on the big screen. It also fits in well with the MCU’s established tone and while it pushes that hard MA rating, it never feels completely out of place.
Deadpool and Wolverine is a love letter to the 20th Century Marvel films that raised an entire generation, who loved comic book movies before the MCU existed. While these movies are not highly regarded as works of art or classic films, they did introduce a generation to mutants, blind lawyers who can kick ass, vampire hunters and a family of supers who were perfectly cast, but for various reasons, not able to properly finish their character arc. Reynolds and Jackman have crafted the perfect duo with Wolverine and Deadpool finally getting their team-up movie that fans of the comics and movies have waited so long for. Deadpool and Wolverine is the best MCU movie since Endgame.
