Title – Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
Director – Shawn Levy (Free Guy)
Cast – Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen
Plot – Deadpool (Reynolds) enlists the help of famed superhero Wolverine (Jackman) when he encounters the very real possibility that his reality could be facing a detrimental threat.
“Your little cinematic universe is about to change, forever!”
Review by Eddie on 26/07/2024
Disclaimer – This is a spoiler FREE review.
2024’s most hyped and anticipated team up is finally here, an arrival that is sure to get box office tills ringing and fanboys clapping as loudmouthed mercenary Wade Wilson/Deadpool teams up with Logan/Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, a joint venture that many hoped achieves better on screen results than the last time these two were seen on screen together in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
A film that has been the victim of much discussion and reported set leaks etc. as many tried to uncover just what this team up would be all about and who may be joining our titular anti-hero’s for the ride, D & W is undoubtedly going to be a crowd-pleasing box office behemoth but it’s not the saviour of the MCU that some may have been hoping for as Shawn Levy’s feature becomes one of those entertaining, if oddly throwaway events that will find its equal share of detractors amongst those championing its glories.
In simplistic terms D & W is a fun film, one that begins with a massive Bye Bye Bye backed backed bang and for anyone that’s enjoyed the past two Deadpool experiences it’s highly likely that this could become the new favourite but with an oddly weak plot that is hampered by more than its fair share of clunky exposition, a growing sense through the runtime that the novelty factor is wearing off and a sadly grumpy Wolverine, this big-budgeted event film has lots of enjoyable elements but not the entire recipe to become the instant classic/MCU messiah some were hoping for.
Sharing a great on-screen and off-screen chemistry, it’s great to finally see Reynolds and Jackman get a chance to play-off one another in such a big way here and while it feels slightly sacrilegious that Jackman would be dug up from his iconic send off back in 2017’s Logan, it’s hard to deny that it’s great to see Jackman don the claws once more, even if you wish he was allowed the same type of zany and crazy allowances that Reynolds gets as the comedically tinged vitriol spewing Deadpool.
Amongst the joy of seeing these two A-listers walk hand in hand and also on more than one occasion go head to head is the as to be expected cameo and wink wink moments littered throughout the film and as has become the normal for MCU films and TV shows with different realities being explored, D & W is allowed to get pretty wild with who and how and even seasoned fans are going to be surprised by who comes along for various stages of this journey, with many of these moments becoming some of the best of the film.
Another notable win for the film amongst the instantly forgettable plot and some not always welcome attempts at big emotional stakes around the constant cussing and anatomy jokes is D & W’s action scenes that are likely to rank amongst the most entertaining in Marvel’s cinematic history and by taking all the liberties he’s allowed with this ventures mature rating (this really is not a film for the young MCU watchers), Levy holds nothing back in the violence stakes, ensuring we have never seen carnage quite like this before from a company that has made its bread and butter by creating all ages entertainment.
After a few lean years (that are on more than one occasion referenced here in some fairly brutal occurrences), D & W arrives at an intriguing time for Marvel’s big and small screen ventures and while it fails to really light a fire or create some momentous step in the direction their heading, there’s a lot of throwaway fun to be had here even if its unlikely this loud, brash and unforgiving team-up is going to be that fondly remembered once the dust has settled.
Final Say –
With some great guests, some frenetic action set pieces and some jokes you should absolutely not be laughing at, Deadpool & Wolverine is a good solid adult orientated action comedy but one that never truly becomes the grand spectacle many would’ve been hoping for in a time that the MCU is seeking it’s next golden goose.
3 Enya albums out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys) 
I think this film kind of shot itself in the foot with the jokes about Marvel Jesus and saving the multiverse, because I don’t think it was ever made with that intention, but the marketing team ran with it and now everyone’s mad that the credit scene is just Chris Evans’ swearing his head off instead of some transcendent moment that made the whole of Phase 5 make sense.
It was hyped up as a massive revival but it never felt like that too me, it was just mindless entertainment that doesn’t have a lot of staying power.
E
Love the banter. So over the top and just plain silly. But a lack of a good story telling lets it down. A film definitely made up of set pieces only. Reynolds wanted so much for this to work and at the same time share the screen with his buddy Jackman. A real shame Jackman as Wolverine is made to look second rate. If box office success is all they wanted, they achieved it.
Felt the story was really weak here. They’ve obviously got exactly what they and audiences wanted but I don’t think I could ever get around this film again knowing the punch lines now.
E
Agreed.