Deadpool & Wolverine (Movie Review)

After taking what has felt like an extended hiatus since hitting rock bottom with last year's The Marvels, the Marvel Cinematic Universe returns to the big screen in a big way with Deadpool & Wolverine. And if the film's marketing is anything to go by, it is clear that it is being positioned as a much-needed attempt to reenergize the aging superhero franchise. But is this latest entry the franchise Viagra that the MCU desperately needs or is it just another multiverse-hopping adventure filled with cheap fan service and pointless cameos?

The film serves as the third entry in the Fox Deadpool series, as well as a direct sequel to 2017's Logan. And due to the very nature of its story, it is almost impossible to discuss any aspects of its plot without immediately entering into spoiler territory. But the general non-spoiler premise is this: in order to save his world and the people that are dearest to him, Wade Wilson (aka. Deadpool) must journey across the multiverse to find Logan (aka. Wolverine), the one mutant who can help him.

Ever since Disney had finalized its acquisition of Fox back in 2019, many had wondered what would become of the many superhero properties under the 20th Century Fox umbrella. Among the ones that were hanging in intellectual property limbo was of course Deadpool, a character that first made an appearance in the often-maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine. But unlike that other titular hero who had received a near-perfect sendoff in the film, Logan, it felt like Deadpool still had the potential for several more adventures.

And ever since his first appearance and subsequent revival in two standalone films, his fate it seemed had been tied to Wolverine's. But Hugh Jackman was done playing the role and it didn't look like the family-friendly Disney brand would have any space for the likes of Deadpool within the MCU. So you can imagine my shock and excitement when Ryan Reynolds revealed that he was finally making good on his promise to bring Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine in the next Deadpool film.

Now that I've gotten a chance to see the movie, I must confess that the very first thing I felt afterward was relief. My biggest concern for the film was what looked like the sheer amount of homework required to truly appreciate what it was aiming to accomplish. Not only was it moving the story forward from prior Deadpool films and Logan, but it also had ties to a large swathe of the movies in the X-Men universe, the MCU, and other superhero films I won't spoil here.

Thankfully, the movie doesn't get bogged down in too much exposition trying to explain it all, and it was paced well enough that I never felt like I was being overwhelmed by any of it. The action does tend to test the boundaries of that R rating though, but that should come as no surprise for anyone that has seen the first two films. I was relieved to see that this one not only retained their hard-hitting edge and signature humor filled with fourth-wall breaks, but that it wasn't just more of the same or another rehash.

All that said, I would still personally rank it below the first two films since a lot of their shock value and novelty within the superhero genre is gone at this point. There is a bigger focus on musical moments throughout the movie, including one extended fight scene near the end that was set to Madonna's "Like A Prayer" that continues to live rent-free in my head even as I write this review. Most of it was played for laughs more than anything else but the action, stunts, and cinematography are so heavily stylized that they were never not pleasing to look at. And while not every single one of its jokes might land, the ones that did had me howling.

Deadpool & Wolverine is a blast from start to finish. It infuses the MCU with a strong dose of energy, the kind of lighthearted fun that once defined the superhero genre. And while it often leans too heavily on callbacks and references to older films, it still manages to stand on its own as a thrilling new adventure. Ultimately, your enjoyment of the movie hinges on how much tolerance you have for gratuitous violence as well as Ryan Reynolds' unique flavor of meta-humor, which are two things I don't see myself getting tired of anytime soon.