by James Coulter
Deadpool is my favorite Marvel movie franchise outside of the official Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). I love the bloody violence. I love the raunchy comedy. And I love the main character. He’s cocky. He’s irreverent. And he takes a sledgehammer to the fourth wall with glee.
Six years have passed since his last big screen romp. And a lot has changed since then. 20th Century Fox was bought by Disney. Its name was changed to 20th Century Studios. And its Marvel properties are all now being rebooted and folded into the MCU.
Ever since the Disney-Fox merger, fans have been on edge wondering and worrying about Deadpool’s future. Would Disney pull the plug on his franchise now that the X-Men movies have ended with plans to be rebooted into the MCU? Will the Merc with the Mouth have his mouth washed out to better sanitize his image for the family-friendly House of Mouse? Or is this the end of Deadpool as we know him?
Fortunately, the answers to all those questions were revealed two years ago following the announcement of Deadpool and Wolverine. Yes, not only would Ryan Reynolds be returning to play his most famous role, but he would also be bringing Hugh Jackman out of retirement to play another fan-favorite character alongside him.
So, now that Deadpool and Wolverine has finally been released in theaters, does the movie really live up to the hype? Was this the team-up that fans always dreamed it would be? Or would it become a cinematic nightmare whose memory needs to be repressed along with the other time Deadpool and Wolverine shared screen time together? (We don’t talk about X-Men Origins: Wolverine!)
Deadpool and Wolverine takes six years after Deadpool 2. Since then, Wade Wilson has retired his crimson suit and now works a humble job as a car salesman. All that soon changes after he’s summoned by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), who makes him an offer that almost sounds too good to be true.
The good news is that TVA official, Paradox, wants to allow Wade to resume his role as Deadpool alongside the Avengers on Earth 6-16 (where the MCU films take place). The bad news is that Wade’s universe is slated for destruction. The reason is that the “anchor being” (the main character the universe centers around) in Deadpool’s universe, Wolverine from the X-Men, passed away (in Logan).
Not wanting to see his family and friends wiped out of existence, Deadpool sets out to find a Wolverine from another universe to assume the role of a replacement “anchor being.” But will he succeed in his new mission? Or is this truly the end for the Corpse on the Loose?
You want to know if this movie is good? The first five minutes has Deadpool digging up Wolverine’s grave and using his adamantium skeleton to fight off a squadron of TVA agents—all to the tune of NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye!” If that scene doesn’t entertain you, then this movie isn’t for you. In fact, what are you even doing watching a Deadpool movie?
Yes, even after six long years, Ryan Reynolds still brings with him the same chaotic and irreverent energy he utilized in his first performance as the Merc with the Mouth in 2016. And not only does Hugh Jackman still kill it as Wolverine, both literally and figuratively, but also serves as a great foil for Deadpool, both in comedy and action.
The story itself provides the same level of fourth-wall-breaking meta-humor one would expect from a Deadpool film, if not more so post-Disney-Fox merger. The movie involves Deadpool faced with the choice of either joining the Avengers in their universe or saving his universe and his loved ones within it from annihilation.
Yes, quite evidently, Deadpool and Wolverine grapples with the fact that the film franchise famous for its potty-mouthed anti-hero protagonist is now under new management by the squeaky-clean, family-friendly Walt Disney Corporation. The film is quite literally about Deadpool trying to save his film franchise—er, I mean his “universe”—from being canceled—er, I mean “destroyed.”
So, if you’re a fan who’s been worried about the future of Deadpool and his movies, and how the franchise will fare under its new owners, whether that entails ending the series, rebooting it, or incorporating it into the overall corporate juggernaut that is the MCU—well, trust me when I say this movie won’t leave you disappointed with the answers.
And as with most other Marvel movies, there are cameos aplenty. Of course, there’s the very character who shares the movie’s title with the titular Deadpool, Wolverine—and sporting his iconic yellow suit, no less! But there’s also plenty of surprise cameos throughout the film as well. (No spoilers, but if you were a fan of Fox’s previous attempts at superhero movies, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised by the cameos in this movie!)
Overall, while Deadpool and Wolverine may not be as great as the very first movie (though I would argue that it’s better than the second), it still has the same gory action and irreverent humor fans have come to love from these movies. And seeing Hugh Jackman be able to reprise his role as Wolverine and star alongside a close friend of his for a proper film team-up is certainly worth the price of admission.
