Deadpool & Wolverine
Director: Shawn Levy
Writer: Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Zeb Wells, Shawn Levy
Based on: Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza‘s character Deadpool; as well as Roy Thomas, Len Wein, John Romita Sr.‘s character Wolverine
Sequel to: Deadpool, Deadpool 2; as well as Logan
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Dafne Keen, Jon Favreau, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Jennifer Garner, Wesley Snipes, Channing Tatum, Chris Evans, Henry Cavill, Wunmi Mosaku, Aaron Stanford, Tyler Mane, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna, Stefan Kapicic, Randal Reeder, Lewis Tan, Blake Lively, Nathan Fillion, Matthew McConaughey
Part of: Marvel movies
Seen on: 25.7.2024

Plot:
Wade (Ryan Reynolds) has settled into his life, having left Deadpool mostly behind and trying his hand at a normal job instead. It isn’t going so great. When agents from the Time Variance Authority led by Mr. Paradox (Matthew Macfadyen) pull him out of his universe, Wade is excited at first: it might be his chance to join the main Avengers and their timeline as Deadpool. But when he hears that his own universe will cease to exist because their anchor being Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) has died, Wade goes in search of another Wolverine instead to save the people he loves.

Deadpool & Wolverine is funny, more irreverent than expected and makes the long-awaited team-up between these two guys more than satisfying. It’s probably not for “Marvel movie tourists”, if there is such a thing and they’d consider going to it in the first place, but for people who know the movies and a little more, it is awesome entertainment.

Deadpool & Wolverine has been a long time coming. Not only because fans have been clamoring for their favorites to reunite, but also because it finally brings the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Deadpool’s fourth wall-breaking persona was just the character to do that, using the by now well-established multiverse to smooth over any plot holes. (Along the way he also picks up some other Marvel-movie-debris in a particularly fun way, I thought.)

Of course, that part of the film is only important, probably only legible for people who have followed the movies, including the X-Men movies for the 20 years this has been going on, and are at least vaguely aware of the legal struggles surrounding the copyright of the characters that led to the split in the first place. I am honestly not sure if you’d enjoy even half of the film if you’ve only seen the Deadpool movies and/or Logan, the films this one is the most direct sequel to. I am certainly glad I saw the Loki series at the very least.

But, provided that you are familiar with those things, Deadpool & Wolverine will give you exactly what you expect: gory hilarity, loads of lampshading and fourth wall breaks, and a chemistry between Reynolds and Jackman that is really looking for its like. It’s a true buddy (not cop) movie, with some questionable jokes but more that had me laughing (and some that managed both). There are some moments that are actually creepy, especially when it comes to Cassandra (Emma Corrin), but most of the time, the film is only interested in being funny.

There are some attempts at actual emotional depth, and they land surprisingly well, drawing parallels between Wolverine and Deadpool that feel absolutely meaningful and add to both characters. But as soon as these moments are here, there is yet another joke to pull you along. I didn’t mind that pull at all.

Summarizing: delivers what one hopes for.