Film Review – Deadpool & Wolverine

Deadpool & Wolverine
***Warning: This Review Contains Minor Spoilers***
I’m of two minds when it comes to Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). On one hand, it is an exuberant, bloody, and humorous escapade led by two actors who clearly enjoy working together. Fans will see this and immediately recognize all the references to past superhero films, getting plenty to satisfy their nostalgic cravings. On the other hand, it’s so blatantly leans on its pop culture call backs, fourth wall breaking, and unapologetic snark that it borders on being obnoxious. I sit somewhere right in the middle. While I can acknowledge that there is fun to be had here, there’s something oddly uncomfortable about the whole ordeal. It triples down on its self-awareness, fully cognizant that it is a tentpole blockbuster that depends on well-known IP to leave its mark.
I’m sure the intent was to placate fans, combining the Merc With A Mouth, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) and everyone’s favorite adamantium-clawed hero, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) for some blood-soaked hijinks. And for the most part, it does just that. But there’s also a strange tonal imbalance that leaves us uneasy. For instance: One of the big set pieces involves both characters duking it out next to the 20th Century Fox logo, which is halfway buried in the dirt. In case you weren’t aware, 20th Century Fox is the studio that was absorbed by Disney, with all existing properties transferring to The House of Mouse. The acquisition is the reason why Deadpool and Wolverine can appear in a proper MCU installment. But how the fight scene is shot creates an odd effect. The way the two square off around the logo could be interpreted as Disney figuratively dancing on the corpse of a now defunct studio.

And that’s how the entirety of the film operates. Director Shawn Levy (who cowrites with Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, and Zeb Wells) structure the narrative episodically with a very light story tying it all together. This time, we find Deadpool now living a mundane life as Wade Wilson. Through a series of events which I won’t describe, he gets sent into a multi-dimensional adventure to save his own timeline. This involves teaming up with a rundown, haggard version of Logan/Wolverine. The “multiverse” gimmick is the production’s way of sidestepping the events of the Oscar-nominated Logan (2017) which was supposed to be Hugh Jackman’s last hurrah as the character. But alas, he is now back as the straight man to Ryan Reynolds’ quippy mercenary. The two end up in a space between dimensions called The Void, where they must face off against the powerful Cassandra Nova (Emma Corwin), who just happens to be Charles Xavier’s long lost twin sister (it’s a long story).
Those that enjoyed the winking-to-the-camera style of the previous Deadpool (2016) entries will get their money’s worth this time around. In fact, Reynolds – once again employing his famous dry sense of humor – pushes the limit further than it has ever gone up to this point. Sometimes it works, such as when Deadpool breaks reality by shaking the camera and grabbing the boom mic to get our attention. But has the line blurred? Part of what made the first two installments work was the underlying sincerity, anchored by Wade’s relationship with Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and Blind Al (Leslie Uggams). Unfortunately, both characters are pushed way in the background this time, set aside in favor of Wade’s yearning to be part of The Avengers. They become afterthoughts, figures to provide the slimmest of motivations to Deadpool. This drastically hampers the human element. Instead of keying in on the emotional stakes, the production seems way too invested on getting to the next callback, pop culture reference, or tying everything to the greater scope of the MCU.
Hugh Jackman has always – always – been great as Wolverine, even if the films he was in were not. Has there ever been a connection between an actor and character this in sync? He clearly loves donning the claws, and even though he already provided the perfect ending to Wolverine’s journey, it’s as though the calling for his return was too strong to resist. Once again, Jackman adds a level of gravitas to Logan that makes him more interesting than he probably has any right to be. For the first time, we see Wolverine in the comic-accurate yellow costume, and you know what, it looks good! But what draws fans to the character is more than just what he is wearing. Despite not getting as many laughs as his on-screen counterpart, Jackman leaves an impact by providing an earnest, heartfelt performance. This Wolverine is full of regret and self-loathing for the mistakes he has made in his timeline, and he teams up with Deadpool in hopes of rectifying those sins. Jackman isn’t a young man anymore, but he slips into the role like a glove. Say what you will about him returning to a character he once said he retired from, but no one can accuse Jackman of taking the easy road or cutting corners when he is in Wolverine’s shoes.

Stylistically, Shawn Levy’s direction is a little bit all over the place, from the aggressively ironic use of pop music to the cartoonishly over the top violence. Some sequences stand out, such as a fight scene taking place inside of a car. The camera placement, editing, and choreography make for a creative sequence despite it unfolding within a confined space. There’s also the scene in which Deadpool and Wolverine mow down an entire squad of adversaries along a city street. With the tracking camera following the action with no apparent cuts, the moment plays out like a sly homage to the famous fight scene in Oldboy (2003). Unfortunately, the high points are juxtaposed with some less than convincing sequences. Much of the digital effects in The Void leave a lot to be desired, pulling us out of the immersion due to how artificial all the environments appear to be.
Although there is a lot to enjoy about Deadpool & Wolverine, its laundry list of surprise cameos, self-aware humor, and facetious use of intellectual property prevent it from really taking off. You have the meeting of two iconic characters, the return of Jackman to the role that jump started his career, and the backing of a Disney budget, and the result is a lot of low-brow humor and nostalgia-ridden Easter Eggs? I don’t think the film is bad – I am giving it a mild recommendation. But given everything that was at the production disposal, this had the chance to be a lot better.