Deadpool & Wolverine
- 8.0
- Action, Comedy, Science Fiction
- 2024
- 128 Minutes
- 13+
A listless Wade Wilson toils away in civilian life with his days as the morally flexible mercenary, Deadpool, behind him. But when his homeworld faces an existential threat, Wade must reluctantly suit-up again with an even more reluctant Wolverine.
Reviews
0Imagine a movie born out of pure fan love and mutual admiration: "Deadpool & Wolverine" only exists because Hugh Jackman, the Wolverine we thought had hung up his claws after Logan (2017), just couldn’t resist teaming up with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Jackman, who’s donned Wolverine’s adamantium claws nine times before, was eager to join forces with the Merc with the Mouth in a wild, 1980s buddy cop-style action flick. The result? A film that plays with fourth-wall breaks, inside jokes, and self-aware humor so much that it feels like the whole production is daring itself to see how much absurdity it can pack in while still pulling at your heartstrings.
About half an hour in, Deadpool finds himself on a multiverse mission that pairs him with none other than Wolverine. Do the reasons matter? Not really—because by the time you watch it, this movie is printing money faster than Deadpool can crack a one-liner. The duo ends up stuck in a dimension ruled by Cassandra Nova (played with eerie precision by Emma Corrin), a twin of Charles Xavier with more than just sibling rivalry issues. This "Void" is essentially a junkyard of pop culture relics—pieces of Disney and Fox films buried like the ruins in an apocalypse. There’s a twisted sort of humor in spotting things like a S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier or the remnants of the Statue of Liberty's torch as if they’re all Easter eggs in a scavenger hunt.
The film pokes fun at itself and its pop-culture surroundings, reveling in its junkyard of references. But make no mistake—this isn’t just an exercise in fan service. Deadpool and Wolverine’s world is full of metaphors and heavy-handed symbolism, just like comic books themselves. Yet, amid the chaos, there’s something cheekily profound here. When Wolverine and Deadpool brawl in front of the crumbled remains of the 20th Century Fox logo, it’s like a hilarious eulogy for the old studio system. Deadpool even notes, “Fox killed him, Disney brought him back. They’re gonna keep him going till he’s ninety.” The commentary is as sharp as Wolverine’s claws.
The plot itself? Forget trying to follow it too closely. Deadpool is roped into working for Mr. Paradox (played with hammy delight by Matthew MacFadyen) from the Time Variance Authority (yes, them again), tasked with fixing timeline chaos caused by an “anchor being” gone rogue. In this case, that being is Wolverine, who Deadpool needs to yank from another timeline and bring back to set things straight. Think of it like a comic book fever dream, where the script is so self-aware it practically winks at the audience after every punchline.
As you’d expect, the film takes its ridiculousness to new heights. Deadpool is a timeline-hopping, self-proclaimed messiah, complete with a scene where Wolverine is crucified on a giant X. But the movie’s slapstick antics and relentless gags don’t detract from the characters—especially Wolverine. Jackman is back, growling and eye-rolling at Deadpool’s antics, and somehow, even with all the insanity, you end up caring about these characters. It’s like Bob Hope and Bing Crosby in the “Road” movies, except instead of crooning and cracking wise, they’re punching each other through buildings.
By the time the finale rolls around, the movie unleashes a surprisingly emotional gut punch. Jackman is particularly poignant, his Wolverine more world-weary and broken than ever. Reynolds' Deadpool, with all his motor-mouth antics, reveals a depth beneath the wisecracks, especially in this incarnation of their story where both men are outcasts, burned by life. They're both losers in their own way, and Deadpool doesn’t shy away from calling it as it is. It’s a surprisingly touching commentary on the state of the characters—and on the fate of Fox’s Marvel heroes, who were left adrift after Disney’s takeover.
Yet, the film isn't without its flaws. Some visual effects are stellar, especially in the darker, more atmospheric scenes, but others look flat and unfinished, as if someone ran out of CGI budget halfway through. Director Shawn Levy does a solid job juggling the film’s comedic timing and action, though the set-pieces themselves aren’t groundbreaking. Still, there’s an “Oldboy”-inspired sequence that earns points for creativity.
“Deadpool & Wolverine” is far from perfect, but that’s part of its charm. It’s chaotic, messy, and feels like five sketch comedies stitched together with superhero action. But somehow, in the midst of it all, there’s a strangely sincere meditation on the nature of superhero films, legacy, and the power of reboot culture. Deadpool might constantly remind us that nothing in a multiverse is permanent, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the ride. And in this case, it’s a wild, hilarious, and occasionally heartfelt one.