Review by Jan Mangion
Viewed by many as the most anticipated movie of the summer blockbuster season, Deadpool and Wolverine sees the two mutants finally team up together to defeat an enemy that is causing so much terror inside the multiverse.
So here we are folks, the linkup of the merc with the mouth and the adamantium-made X-Man that everyone signed up for has finally hit cinemas worldwide. Admittedly, I had fears that Disney, known for being family friendly was going to interfere with a more PG approach to some degree but I am happy to report that it fully lives up to the expected hype from a Deadpool movie.
Let’s begin with the negatives. Look, is this movie going to save the MCU? Probably not. The story and the writing are where my biggest issues with this movie are as it once again falls victim to the now familiar multiverse clichés that we saw in Multiverse of Madness and Quantumania. It’s so difficult to not spoil plot holes and details but it can get really messy and overly complicated at times with how the story progresses and is presented.
It relies more on the meta-humor and offers as much fan service and cameos as possible. Whilst I loved and was caught off guard with what I saw with those two aspects, the actual plot that Deadpool and Wolverine find themselves needed more polishing with exposition dumps, a visually bland main setting, some questionable character motivations, and a weak antagonist which is a trap that this universe consistently falls upon.
BUT, is this movie the kick in the nuts that the MCU needs right now? Absolutely! On entertainment levels, this is a 5/5 if I have ever seen one. This is some of the most fun I have had inside the cinema and it is designed to be watched there with a packed crowd, it’s like you are watching a sitcom. It’s probably the funniest of the Deadpool trilogy and as a comedy, it’s one of the best I have seen in a very long time. The jokes are consistently landing with few falling flat and if you are approaching this movie with that mindset, you are going to be a very satisfied customer by the end.
The original supporting cast are now served as minor characters but they aren’t a hindrance at all because Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s incredible chemistry elevates this movie to a whole other level. These two actors are tailor-made for these roles and they are having such a blast here, shamelessly self-aware of what they are doing with their characters. Their back-and-forth banter, their duels, their profanity-filled dialogue, Logan’s Berserker Rage versus Deadpool’s nosey and sarcastic personality; it’s a perfect balance on paper and it works spectacularly. I was worried about the direction that these two characters were going to take at first especially Wolverine but those doubts were quickly gone as soon as the plot kicked into overdrive.
This may be Deadpool’s official entrance into the MCU but his style and attitude haven’t changed one bit, which shows right from the opening credits where Deadpool slices and dices through TVA agents to NSYNC‘s Bye Bye Bye. The action is still hyper-violent, stylized, and absurdly gruesome. Needless to say they were all still thrilling to watch in all their chaotic glory. The soundtrack of the film is also a banger with many tracks cueing in at just the right moments, even in sync (pun intended) with action beats and sequences.
Without doubt, Deadpool and Wolverine is intended to be a crowd-pleaser in every shape or form, and in this, it succeeds magnificently. Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s back-and-forth bickering almost overshadows the plot and character development issues at times, but all in all, it’s a fitting send-off to the Marvel Fox Universe and a well-needed boost for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Final Score: ✰✰✰1/2