Deadpool & Wolverine

As we're only getting one Marvel movie this year - something that's refreshing, if I'm being honest - it better be a big one, right? 

Deadpool & Wolverine has been barreling toward audiences for some time now, ever since that teaser trailer where Ryan Reynolds asks Hugh Jackman if he wants to come back "one more time". "Sure", Hugh responds. 

Since then, it has been a steady increase of marketing up until the last few weeks where the marketing-genius Reynolds and Jackman have been everywhere. The hype was some of the highest I've ever seen with the MCU, on par with No Way Home and nearly as high as something like Infinity War. In many ways, that's a good shot in the arm for a Cinematic Universe that has been struggling (though not nearly as much as some would have you believe). 

Whenever there's this much hype, the question is going to be: does it live up to it? My answer deviates into two groups:

100% yes if you are "plugged in" to a ton of superhero movie lore and a fan of Deadpool/Reynold's schtick. 

Likely not if you're not a fan of many things superhero-movie related and/or Reynold's annoys you. For those in this group, just stop reading now! There's not much here for you and the majority of the movie will likely go over your head with references and threads. 

I'm incredibly glad that I'm in camp #1 however as Deadpool & Wolverine is a movie that fires on so many cylinders, it masks some of its more generic elements to the point where I really didn't give a damn about them. It should be noted that before we dive right in, this - as always - will be a SPOILER FREE REVIEW.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in a film that packs this much fan service, we're left with a rather bare-bones story. Wade must save his timeline and enlists the help of Wolverine. That's all I'll give you, but clearly its straight-forward and simple. Simple doesn't equal bad, nor does it mean it's not compelling, but this isn't anything we haven't seen before. And, perhaps the only disappointing element for me was we're given yet another MCU feature that has little-to-no impact on the broader workings and story, despite Feige's recent comments to the contrary. Our villain, Cassandra Nova is captivating when she's used, but feels like an afterthought with minimal screentime. I have less issue with this, because, unlike some other superhero films where the villain is as much of a star as the hero, this was always going to be a film about the two titular characters. Everyone else would live in their shadow and the villain certainly does, though I thought she was interesting enough to hold my attention.

Deadpool & Wolverine is an exercise in over-the-top in nearly every regard. Bloody violence, raunchy humor, and fan service surprises. Much like its two fantastic predecessors (reviews HERE (1) and HERE (2)), Reynold's mark is all over the film as it pushes its boundaries. Worries about Disney or Feige stepping in to tone things down were unfounded as this is the most violent and most raunchy version of this character we've gotten thus far. Kudos to Disney for recognizing what works for this character and not stepping in; it would have had devastating consequences.

The humor is so gut-bustingly hilarious left and right, that I'm buzzing for a re-watch almost immediately. One-liners and quips zip left and right and it's one of the funniest films I've seen in recent memory. I was legitimately laughing 70-75% of the entire runtime, with some jokes being so good they would have called for a spit-take had I been equipped with a beverage. Reynold's and his scriptwriters nail Deadpool's humor, and the new chemistry with Logan/Wolverine is remarkable and something fans have been waiting on for a while. It doesn't disappoint in the humor department in the slightest.

Dogpool, aka Mary Puppins!

With that humor also comes badass action sequences that thrill and amuse, a staple of this hero. Here too, Deadpool & Wolverine sings, with no fewer than three action sequences coming to mind as ones that would be in the running for my Top Scenes list at end of year. This includes the introductory battle that may be the best - and most perfect - entry scene in the entire MCU. It's so fitting for this character and gets the entire audience on board unanimously (unless you're a grumpy curmudgeon). Frequently, the choreography is fast, violent, and intense, with some mostly-great camera work to accompany it. There are a handful of jaw-dropping slow-motion sequences and even an hard-to-believe single take sequence that make the action the best in the trilogy.

And when it comes to fan service, Deadpool & Wolverine is probably only bested by No Way Home in terms of scream-out-loud moments. There'll be no spoilers, but those who are "in the know" of previous superhero films and culture (which should be you if you're still reading) will find a lot to nod at and some cameos that may drop your jaw. It's all pretty remarkable to see this is where we're at now with this "multiverse" concept and it also provides some unsurprisingly great jokes about Disney, the state of the MCU in general, and 20th Century Fox (previously who owned Deadpool rights) that again, Disney/Feige could have shied away from and didn't. 

But of course, our core anchors are Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. These are two examples of actors paired so perfectly with their character that they transcend into "iconic" territory. Tom Hanks as Woody. RDJ as Iron Man. Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. Reynolds and Jackman slide into these roles like a glove and D&W only further solidifies that. And when there's perspective on Jackman's history in the role, and his increasing age, along with Reynold's and his passionate love for this character, there's an amount of heart in this film that has been earned outside the theater. The film wears its heart on its sleeve, featuring well-earned moments in between the laughs and the violence. These moments - shocking given how crazy everything else is - land. They landed for me and I could tell they landed for my completely-full audience. Some of that is the filmmaking at hand, sure, but I think a lot of it has to do with the charisma and pull of Reynolds and Jackman.

Deadpool & Wolverine is something of a revelation the more I think about it. I loved so many things about it and so much of it is seared into my memory. The fact that it currently has a 26(!) point rating differential between critics and audiences (I'll let you guess which is which) doesn't surprise me but as explained earlier, I think this depends on which group you belong to. For those of us who are part of the hype and excitement, this was one HELL of an MCU entry in a rare year we only get one of them and features a lot of moments that are honestly hard to believe exist in a world of superhero history, rights, IP, and corporate politics. But damn, does it just work so well. 

CONS

• The story is simple and rather generic
• Despite comments to the contrary, this doesn't have much of an impact on the MCU as a whole. The fact that many of these films haven't recently is frustrating
• Villain lives in the shadow of these two. I don't have much issue with that, but worth calling out

PROS

• Kudos to Feige and Disney for allowing the most R-rated Deadpool yet. Concerns of them watering it down for their image were unfounded
• Insanely funny the entire time. I was laughing so often, and often quite hard
• The best action in this franchise thus far with crushing choreography, great use of slow motion, and even a "single take" feature
• The fan service is outrageous and the cameos almost all glorious (and unspoiled by marketing). The phrase "give the people what they want" comes to mind...
• Reynolds and Jackman are iconic in their roles and this only further solidifies their legacy. Their charisma, and outside-the-theater passion for this project bleed all over it
• Well-earned heartfelt moments that feel like the most surprising accomplishment here. Among all the craziness, we get moments that impact you in unexpected ways
• Not mentioned in the review body but good-God is the soundtrack perfect. Perhaps one of the best I've ever seen in terms of perfectly complimenting a movie. And yeah, Madonna's "Like a Prayer" goes so hard
• Ridiculously enjoyable, entertaining, and memorable. Hard to believe some of this exists

Rath's Review Score | 9/10