Film Review - Deadpool & Wolverine
Images courtesy of Marvel Studios.
Shawn Levy’s Deadpool & Wolverine has been burdened with landing at a very uncertain time for Marvel Studios. After a series of critical misfires and the odd box office failure, the frontman of the superhero genre has seen its esteem wane to the point that the quality of their future releases is anybody’s guess. And as the studio’s only theatrical release this year, its first R-rated film, and its first official integration of Fox’s long-running X-Men franchise into the MCU, there is clearly a lot riding on this one.
It braves this storm with a reliance on face value — the return of Reynolds and Jackman, multiversal cameos, Deadpool’s iconically crass wit and the promise of high-octane action — however, Deadpool & Wolverine leaves so much to these elements, that it almost forgets to put anything else beneath the surface.
As a mission set by the Time Variance Authority goes awry, a much more pedestrian Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) finds himself desperate to defend what he holds dear in his life and gets a down-on-his-luck Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) entangled in his quest. While the duo scream and brawl like an old married couple, the two anti-heroes must shoot and scratch their way towards common goals, if they’re ever to know what a truly heroic act looks like.
Through enlivening Reynolds’ long-time dream of the odd couple dynamic the two titular characters have seemed destined for, Deadpool & Wolverine lives up to its title in every possible sense. The passion that Shawn Levy, Reynolds and Jackman have for these characters both as individuals and as a duo bleeds through quite literally, with action so ruthless and intricately choreographed that each swing of their blades feels truly unique to them. Jackman’s guttural growls and Reynolds’ starkly contrasting candour that come with each word spoken craft a violently palpable chemistry and concoct a seemingly endless flood of timeless interactions without a shortage of thrilling, thoughtful and hilarious moments.
The latter is undoubtedly how this film finds its footing, through a string of out-of-pocket, well-timed moments that one could solely experience in a Deadpool film, as Reynolds sells each gag in a way that only he could, to the point that they can’t help but linger for days after viewing. With this comes constant reminders of what perfection the fourth wall is in Deadpool’s hands, with self-aware moments that perfectly comment on the film’s creative context. Its vast array of characters from many antiquated Marvel projects draws from this further, not only bringing audiences back to a bygone era of Marvel with charm but employing said characters in meaningful ways and satisfyingly memorable moments that were once thought impossible.
There are, however, times that the film’s rampant humour does not work in its favour, in that it comments on the film's weaknesses, yet won’t work to be smarter. It even has its own timeline issues - as expected from the X-Men franchise at this point - yet it doesn’t address them. Although said humour achieves its intentions, breathing life into the titular dynamic and swiftly capitalising on Marvel’s recent history, it seems to work as a distraction from how bare the film’s plot is, especially through the film’s second act. It has sequences jam-packed with humour and action, some overstaying their welcome, but no real development or depth comes from them: it becomes cool moment after cool moment, with shallow relationships and progress between them. Character arcs that ultimately work towards snap changes get pushed back with repeated iterations of how difficult confronting personal hurdles is and, because the air is thick with humour and fan service, only a small sliver goes somewhere more compelling.
There is no doubt that Deadpool & Wolverine has a lot going for it. Walking in there expecting to be stunned, excited, and especially dying of laughter, will see such expectations fulfilled without fail. However, between the lines lies a canvas that remains untouched, lacking the creativity and depth some would call critical to a good story. Jokes, blood and cameos can only take a story so far; for Deadpool & Wolverine, it seems it was not far enough to suggest that Marvel Studios’ formula does not require some revision.
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Deadpool & Wolverine is screening in cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.