Deadpool & Wolverine Review
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) Film Review, a movie directed by Shawn Levy, written by Ryan Reynolds, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, Shawn Levy and Zeb Wells and starring Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen, Jon Favreau, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Aaron Stanford, Tyler Mane, Karan Soni, Brianna Hildebrand, Shioli Kutsuna, Stefan Kapicic, Randal Reeder, Lewis Tan, Nicholas Pauley and Sonita Henry.
Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine is a blast from beginning to end. There’s not much of a sensible plot in some ways and, in others, there’s too much of a plot. The film’s story line is straight out of your basic good vs. evil superhero movie. The superheroes are anything but basic, though, and keep the momentum of the film pumping for much of the picture’s running time. Let’s face it- this movie would be nothing without the combined talents of wise ass Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as the straight-laced Logan/Wolverine. These are two superheroes who are just like oil and vinegar but come together for the greater good. There’s nothing like saving the world in a Marvel movie and this time out, they’re pitted against Charles Xavier’s twin sister, Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) who is bald like her brother. Corrin is the perfect villain here and though the film has its flaws, the movie is immensely entertaining all the way through.
The film begins with Deadpool at the grave site of Wolverine. When Deadpool digs him up, Wolverine is nothing but a set of skeletal bones. Some baddies show up to complicate matters and Deadpool takes them on as the opening credits come on. Deadpool/Wade has been suffering in his personal life. He has lost his girlfriend, Vanessa (Morena Baccarin) and has certainly seen better days. In his attempts to join the Avengers, he ends up interviewing with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau of Iron Man fame) with humorous results. There is a point during the interview where Favreau’s character stands and Wade knows that it’s not a good sign. Soon, we’re drawn into a multiverse of sorts where Deadpool will reunite with the reluctant Wolverine and all hell will break loose in the most entertaining way possible.
The biggest question on almost every Marvel fan’s mind will be the matter of how the surprises that occur in Deadpool & Wolverine play out. The movie sprinkles some unexpected characters into the mix but there’s not much these characters do to satisfy every fan’s expectations. Jennifer Garner, as Elektra, for one, felt cleverly used at certain intervals but also painfully underutilized as well. The soundtrack is peppered with tunes that will please fans of the 1980’s and 1990’s. Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” will get a jump in plays on iTunes or YouTube as will the Goo Goo Dolls’ “Iris.” Those two songs play like gangbusters here. The use of the song, “The Lady in Red” in regards to the dog in the movie is a little less successful but nevertheless funny when it occurs in the picture.
The use of Emma Corrin is one of the picture’s biggest assets as her wicked character examines a key character’s mind at one point late in the movie. Cassandra is the type of personable but evil baddie that a superhero movie like this one thrives on. There are multiple Deadpools that arrive at one point late in the picture to stir up some action but Corrin’s role is the best of the characters used in the movie to serve as a barrier to Deadpool and Wolverine’s efforts to save the world. Corrin has fun on-screen with her characterization and the audience will be appreciative of her efforts.
Ryan Reynolds just goes on and on with zany one-liners and pop culture references for almost the whole entire movie. Some will be accessible to everyone. Others will not. At one point, Reynolds’ character references the 1996 film, Sling Blade, and although that reference worked for me, I wonder how well it will work for more mainstream movie-goers who probably have never seen that 1996 masterpiece. I’m not saying the jokes shouldn’t be employed as they are but when you have a movie like this that’s going to make a significant amount of money, sometimes it could have been better to re-write some of the jokes for a larger, more broad audience.
That being said, the movie rests on the chemistry of its stars. Hugh Jackman as the tough-as-nails resurrected Wolverine is a gem. Jackman plays his angry side to perfection and one could sense how pissed off he becomes by Deadpool through Jackman’s mannerisms and, of course, through his fierce, witty dialogue. Ryan Reynolds is a genius in terms of the way he shoots off zingers to complement Wolverine’s serious nature and the two movie stars play off each other with the type of precision that is to be commended. The costumes can hide these stars’ facial expressions, and in the case of Deadpool, that is hugely the situation. Jackman is more expressive visually while Reynolds voices his character quite well since he is unable to portray a constant facial visual due to the nature of the Deadpool mask itself.
The supporting cast is not to be overlooked but Rob Delaney certainly stands out more than most of the other supporting players as Peter. Delaney has a charm that manifests itself in the picture in a couple of key plot developments. But, this movie is not really about the supporting cast. It’s about Deadpool and Wolverine kicking butt whenever possible and having fun doing it. On that count, the audience will, in turn, have a good time watching two big movie stars play off their on-screen and off-screen personas. When Reynolds brings up his old movie, The Proposal, it will also inspire laughter, for sure.
Deadpool & Wolverine doesn’t take itself too seriously but, at the same time, it’s serious about being funny. When a 20th Century Fox logo is found in pieces, for example, audiences will find that inside joke kind of amusing considering that Disney took over the “Wolverine” pictures. But, the joy most audiences will experience here is watching the superheroes save civilization as we know it against the backdrop of tunes by Madonna, the Goo Goo Dolls, etc. How much fun you have watching this film will also be determined by how well you know the other superhero films that inspired this one. As a standalone, you can still enjoy the movie although a few jokes will certainly fly over some viewers’ heads. It’s a summer blockbuster with a sharp edge and humor that will still keep it hugely entertaining for many different types of viewers.
Rating: 7.5/10
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