Movie Review 38 — Deadpool and Wolverine, Dir. Shawn Levy
Just when you thought superhero movies were dead, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy, and Hugh Jackman burst onto the scene with Deadpool and Wolverine, reigniting our excitement.
The movie follows Wade Wilson, a.k.a Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds), as he is on a quest to prevent his universe from ceasing to exist.
HEAVY SPOILER ALERT! I’M GONNA TALK A LOT ABOUT EVERY CAMEO AND THE STORY, SO DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU.
The plot is solid. Despite the numerous characters, none of them felt undeserved or in need of more screen time. Every gag and reference landed perfectly, and every jab at Fox, Disney, DC, and Marvel was both funny and true to Deadpool’s character. The handling of Wolverine’s return was particularly well done. The film managed to honor the legacy of the previous Logan without making his memory, sacrifice, or life seem redundant. Instead, it introduced a new Logan with a compelling backstory and strong character development, creating a narrative that stands on its own.
The inclusion of the TVA initially made me skeptical, especially since the tree wasn’t shown. However, the reveal that this TVA outpost was run by a madman provided clarity and ensured that Loki’s sacrifice and story were not undermined.
Cassandra Nova (Emma Corrin) had a compelling storyline. What made the film remarkable was its blend of resolving unfinished stories and introducing new ones, creating a harmonious narrative. While the TVA and Cassandra Nova’s pursuit of Deadpool and Wolverine is a central plot, it does not dominate the film. Instead, you live and breathe each moment without wondering what’s to come. The film offers an enjoyable ride filled with fun.
The only aspect that bothered me was how Deadpool and Wolverine survived after the final sacrifice scene. However, the film was so entertaining that I didn’t mind this detail much. I was having too much fun enjoying every moment, so I’m going to let this go.
Now, let’s geek out!!!
The beginning fight sequence where Deadpool is killing the TVA hunters was exceptionally well choreographed. The entire scene where he digs up the dead Wolverine only to realize that only the adamantium skeleton remains was hilariously fitting. It made perfect sense and had me thinking, “What did I expect?” Watching Deadpool kill the hunters using the adamantium bones and various body parts, and then trying to wield the claws only to get confused about how they work, was just too funny. It was the perfect intro to set the tone for the movie.
The backstory that follows is also well explained. The scene with Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau) where Wade wants to be an Avenger in the 616 (MCU) Timeline was fun. The banter and references were spot on and a delight to watch, and it was nice to see Happy again.
After getting captured by the TVA, Deadpool’s reaction to seeing the Avengers on the screens and being star-struck, and just his time over there before he realized the actual motive was nice. The new suit, I must admit, looks fantastic.
The montage of Deadpool traveling to different timelines to find a replacement Wolverine was an absolute delight. Seeing different versions, like the shockingly short comic-accurate Wolverine, Wolverine fighting the Hulk, and even Henry Cavill as Wolverine, was so exciting and very well executed.
In the void, the half-buried logo of Fox Studios served as a clever snide at Disney buying Fox. The ensuing fight between Deadpool and Wolverine was both intense and satisfying.
Then, in a scene reminiscent of Mad Max, some old characters from the original X-Men movies, like Sabretooth and Azazel, make dramatic entrances in a desert setting. Just when you think that’s all, Chris Evans appears. Everyone, including Deadpool, assumes he’s Captain America, but then he says, “Flame on,” and I was like, let’s go. He flies up and attacks the enemy but eventually loses the fight, which was hilarious.
After their capture, they are taken to Cassandra’s base, which is a giant-sized Ant-Man suit with his dead skeleton still being inside it. Deadpool’s joke about Paul Rudd never aging was spot-on. Seeing Ant-Man like that made me wonder what the hell happened here.
Cassandra killing Johnny by skinning him after Deadpool gets him in trouble by falsely telling Cassandra that Johnny talked trash about her. Despite Johnny’s denial, it seems like Deadpool was just blabbering, making the scene shocking. Deadpool’s quip about the budget being too high to keep Johnny alive was funny. The post-credits scene where Johnny actually talks trash about Cassandra and then says “Quote me” was the icing on the cake. Additionally, the reference to Alioth from Loki (2021, 2023), with Deadpool citing the exact season and episode number, was a clever nod that added to the humor.
Nicepool was a clever addition along with all the different Deadpool variants like Ladypool, Kidpool, Cowboypool, and Dogpool. Each variant brought its own unique flair, adding to the film’s overall comedic appeal.
Seeing X-23 (Dafne Keen), Blade (Wesley Snipes), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), and Gambit (Channing Tatum) was incredibly funny. Channing Tatum’s accent and voice for this role were absolutely hilarious, and Deadpool’s constant confusion about what he was saying was even funnier.
Every cameo, including Wunmi Mosaku and Chris Hemsworth, was perfectly executed. The movie does huge fan service, but at the same time, these characters contributed meaningfully to the plot, unlike in Spider-Man: No Way Home, where the inclusion of iconic characters felt forced and poorly handled. While I still like those characters, I can’t believe how they managed to mess it up so badly. This is how you do it.
Everything was perfect, from Wolverine’s yellow costume and helmet to the cocaine jokes. This film marks a perfect end to a trilogy and a strong start to the new multiverse era that Marvel is set to explore.
The character of Deadpool remains consistent: a loudmouth, dirty joke-telling anti-hero. It’s commendable that Disney was adventurous, as there’s no way you can buy the rights to Deadpool, bring back Wolverine, and expect Deadpool to be kid-friendly.
An absolute delight and a must-watch. Until next time, Bye Bye Bye. 10/10.
- — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
Check this out on Medium.
Comments