Riley Verner
Staff Writer
It is no secret that Deadpool and Wolverine was a Honda Odyssey-smashing hit at the box office. The Merc with the Mouth’s latest installment broke records — not only as Marvel’s third highest-grossing franchise, but — as the highest-grossing R-rated film in history. Stuffed full of witty one-liners, dynamic fight choreography and content worthy of its R-rating, the movie more than stands up with its predecessors.
I can’t continue without acknowledging the fact that this movie would not have been this movie without Disney’s recent acquisition of 20th Century Fox, (the studio that of course produced the first two Pools). Corporate money grubbing aside, such a union opened the door for the masked mercenary to give Marvel audiences what they’ve wanted for a long time: entertainment.
As Mr. Wilson so eloquently quips, “[Audiences] are coming in at a bit of a low point.” Horrendous CGI, subpar plots and, frankly, unproportionate budgets have become all too common in the post-Endgame era. While it would be fair to consider the impacts of recent events (a global pandemic, the rise of AI, and the WGA strike to name a few), an unfortunate pattern has emerged which one can no longer excuse. For my part, I think this is due to the Multiverse Arc just not working.
Too often now we are given random team ups with flimsy writing and disorienting plot decisions that make audiences question if we’re watching a million dollar superhero film or a half-assed teen musical comedy — looking at you, Marvels. If changing the aesthetic font of a character is the sum of your multiversal ambitions, I’d say it would be better to drop the idea all together. For anyone who has seen Deadpool and Wolverine, and I will do my best to avoid spoilers, you might note the presence of the same worn out trope, but it is due to the self-awareness of the film and its titular character that this doesn’t irk. Part of Deadpool’s charm is his habit of breaking the fourth wall. In his past theatrical runs, he has poked fun at various studios and the superhero genre as a whole. Even his persona is inclined to self-criticism while indulging in the very things he comments on. So this new Fox-Disney/Marvel installment naturally sets itself up for a slew of insightful commentary: injecting much needed entertaining and creative depth to the multiversal story.
Along with its self-consciousness, Deadpool and Wolverine capitalizes on its studio parentage through lots and lots of fanservice. Characters across Fox’s X-Men franchise make an appearance. X-Men (2000) actor Tyler Mane and Logan’s Dafne Keen can be seen reprising their respective roles in the film’s trailer. The TVA (Time Variant Agency), first introduced in Disney+ miniseries Loki, acts as the main instigator of the film’s conflict. Easter eggs from across both Fox’s and Marvel’s hero-verses litter the background of scenes.
Unlike some, I found that the cameos only added to the film. I hadn’t had a movie experience like the yelps, laughs and raucous applause I heard during Deadpool and Wolverine since No Way Home. It was refreshing to say the least. I was fortunate, too, that I went with my dad who is a Deadpool fan, but not at all acquainted with any part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Where I would gasp, he would smile and keep watching. He didn’t need to get each cameo to enjoy the movie; that viewing was the first time I had ever heard him snort. Longtime Marvel fans will, of course, get more out of Deadpool and Wolverine, but all that to say, you don’t need to know what a sling-ring is to know Pool and Wolvey need to jump through a portal to escape. And to do it to dramatic swelling 90s music: even better.
The villain is intriguing, the soundtrack is hilarious, Jackman gives one of his best performances as Logan yet, and of course, the love/hate/tolerate/disembowel relationship of its titular characters is as entertaining to watch as it is compelling. All in all, I don’t think it matters if Deadpool and Wolverine uses the same old tropes or showers its audience with fan service because of the same reason it does them: it’s fun.